In 1873, the province of Paraná in southern Brazil opened a road down the Serra do Mar from Curitiba to the coast, and it is still there, paved with stone setts, winding through the Atlantic forest in more than a dozen kilometres of bends. The Serra do Mar here is part of the Atlantic Forest South-East Reserves, listed by UNESCO in 1999, one of the largest remaining stretches of a forest that once covered much of the Brazilian coast.
The Atlantic forest is extraordinarily rich, with towering trees, bromeliads, orchids, palms and tree ferns, and an abundance of birds, monkeys, frogs and insects. In the mountains, mist often hangs in the valleys, and waterfalls tumble down the slopes. The rainfall is heavy, and the forest is always green.
Riding the Graciosa is a pleasure, but the stone surface can be slippery when wet, which is often, and the road is narrow, with tight bends and steep gradients. Go slowly, enjoy the views, and stop at the viewpoints and rest areas along the way, some with kiosks selling snacks and drinks. On weekends, the road is popular with cars and motorcycles, so a weekday is better. At the bottom, the road reaches Morretes, a colonial town on a river, and Antonina, an old port on the bay of Paranaguá.
Morretes is famous for barreado, a traditional dish of beef slow-cooked for many hours in a sealed clay pot, served with cassava flour, rice and banana; it originated as a festival food that could cook for days. The Curitiba–Paranaguá railway, built in the 1880s through the mountains, is another engineering marvel, and the train journey down the Serra do Mar is a popular excursion.
Antonina, about twenty-four kilometres away, has fuel and basic services; Piraquara and Quatro Barras, closer to Curitiba, are larger, and Curitiba has everything. The weather in the Serra do Mar is changeable, with rain likely at any time of year, so bring rain gear. The best time to visit is from autumn to spring, when temperatures are milder; summers are hot and humid. Stop in Morretes for barreado and a glass of cachaça, then ride back up the Graciosa in the afternoon light.