Frost on the grass in a country famous for beaches is the first surprise of Urubici. The town lies on the high plateau of the Serra Catarinense in Santa Catarina, at roughly 900 metres, and it is regularly named as one of the coldest places in Brazil, where winter mornings bring ice on puddles and, once in a while, a dusting of snow that makes the national news. The land is a patchwork of apple orchards, pine woods, pasture and araucaria trees, the monkey-puzzle conifers whose seeds, the pinhão, are boiled and eaten in winter.
The big reason to ride here is the Serra do Corvo Branco, a mountain road that slices through the escarpment between the plateau and the lowlands. At one point it passes through a cut in the rock with walls rising nearly a hundred metres on either side, so narrow and sheer that it feels like a canyon rather than a road. Tight turns, steep gradients and fog make it demanding, surface conditions have varied over the years, and it can be slippery when wet, so check the state of the road and go slowly, with your lights on. Up top, the views over the plateau drop away into green valleys and distant sea haze.
The area has other treats. The Morro da Igreja, a high headland topped with a weather station, has a rock arch, the Pedra Furada, where you can see the Serra do Rio do Rastro snaking down below, and several waterfalls such as the Véu de Noiva tumble from the cliffs near town. The cold weather also brings cosy cafés with hot chocolate, local cheese and honey, and wood fires in the evenings.
Plan the ride for midday in winter, when it is warmest, and the early morning in summer, before cloud builds. Urubici is a small town with fuel and basic services, and bigger towns such as Lages lie some way off, so start with a full tank if you plan to explore the backroads. Evenings are chilly all year, and bringing a warm layer and waterproofs is wise. Sunsets over the plateau, with the frost-white pastures turning pink, are one of the nicest rewards.