Londrina
Londrina is a large city in Northern Paraná, southern Brazil. It is a wealthy center of a coffee-producing region. It could be a stopover to or from Foz do Iguaçu. The word Londrina means "Little London", a name which comes from the fact that a London-based cotton company, Paraná Plantations Limited, made the original investment to settle in the area.
Get in
[edit]Get around
[edit]City buses can be a challenge. They are more frequent during office hours, specially close to the University hours, so it's very likely that they will be crowded with students. Any other time, you'll probably wait very long for your bus, as sometimes they can take longer than an hour to come. Transporte Coletivo Grande Londrina (TCGL)'s website (http://www.tcgrandelondrina.com.br/) has bus lines and time tables, though it's not easy to find your way around it, either.
Taxis are frequent and to be found everywhere. However, Londrina's traffic sometimes won't help you, and you'll find red light after red light. Be prepared to pay R$ 15 to R$ 20 for short distances.
See
[edit]
- Calçadão (Huge Sidewalk), Av. Prof. João Cândido. Connecting the core of downtown Londrina with a street that is a dedicated pedestrian walkway has proven to be a huge success here, and along the sidewalk you will find a number of shops (both large and small), various restaurants, a number of banks, and various other businesses of interest to those visiting the city.
- Lake Igapo Park. There are actually several lakes called "Lake Igapo". They are called, naturally, Igapó 1, 2, 3, and 4. There are several parks along the several lakes, but Lake Igapó 1 has the most well known. This park runs alongside the northeastern side of the lake, between Rua Herodoto and Avenida Amithas de Barros. Crossing to the north side of Avenida Amithas de Barros you come to what is called the "zerão" (big zero), which is another park that has a number of sports facilities.
- Historical Museum of Londrina, Rua Benjamim Constant, 900 - Centro. The museum is a project of the State University of Londrina (Universidade Estadual de Londrina - UEL) and is located in the old train station - which no longer has any track going to it. The location is just north of downtown. The museum survives entirely on donations and the university, as there is no admissions charge. Free.
- Parque Estadual Mata dos Godoy, Rodovia Mário Gonçalves - Fazenda Santa Helena, ☏ +55 43 3373-8700. Located far to the southwest of the city, and in fact located in the countryside quite far outisde the urban limits, Parque Estadual Mata dos Godoy preserves a small section of the original forest of the state of Paranã. Surrounding the state park is what you find has replaced the forest in most areas: corn and other monoculture farmland as far as the eye can see.
Do
[edit]Buy
[edit]- Catuaí Shopping, Rodovia Celso Garcia Cid, s/n, km 377, ☏ +55 43 3315-5000. Open to public in 1990, Catuaí Shopping is the largest shopping center in the southern region of Brazil, with 789 stores, restaurants, amusement squares (including bowling), and a movie theater with 7 projection rooms, including 3D. Parking is paid.
Eat
[edit]- Churrascaria Galpão Nelore, Av. Higienópolis, 891, ☏ +55 43 3324-2700.
- La Gondola, Av. Santos Dumont, 1300 - Novo Aeroporto, ☏ +55 43 3325-6052.
- Jin Jin, Rod. Celso Garcia Cid - Gleba Fazenda Palhano, ☏ +55 43 3029-4144.
- Kiberama, R. Mato Grosso, 206, ☏ +55 43 3324-6234.
- Koala, R. Espírito Santo, 123 - Centro, ☏ +55 43 3344-0644.
- Pastel Mel, Av. Higienópolis, 437, ☏ +55 43 3025-2212.
- Pátio San Miguel, Av. Higienópolis, 762, ☏ +55 43 3324-5041.
- Serafini, Av. Higienópolis, 445 - Centro.
- Strassberg, Rod. Celso Garcia Cid, Km 401, ☏ +55 43 3398-4220.
- Taiwan, R. Benjamin Constant, 693, Centro, ☏ +55 43 3322-1866.
- Tchin Min, R. Sergipe, 1654, ☏ +55 43 3028-6139.
- Vila Fontana, Av. Higienópolis, 479, ☏ +55 43 3324-8181. noon-4:30PM, 7PM-midnight.
Drink
[edit]- Barbearia, Goias, 477, ☏ +55 43 3066-0488.
- Beco dos Universitários, R. Delaine Negro, 1-1891.
- Escritório Bar, R. José Roque Salton, 33, ☏ +55 43 3321-9580.
- Mustang Bar, Av. Maringá, 1550, ☏ +55 43 3327-0925.
Sleep
[edit]- Bristol, R. Goiás, 877, Centro, ☏ +55 43 3321-6161.
- Bourbon Londrina Business Hotel, Alameda Miguel Blasi, 40, ☏ +55 43 3315-4000.
- Hotel Fenix, Av. Duque de Caxias and R. Maranhão (A few blocks from the main square), ☏ +55 43 3323-0526. Very basic, fair breakfast. Single, shared bath, R$ 15.
- Hotel do Lago, R. Bento Munhoz da Rocha Neto, 1505, ☏ +55 43 3377-4455.