Things to Do in Joinville

Covered market selling fresh fruit, cheese, cured meats, and crafts. The fish section is particularly good. Local eateries serve pastel and caldo de cana (sugarcane juice) for a few reais.

🕐 Mon–Sat: 07:00–18:00; Sun: 08:00–13:00

💡 Try the 'Misto Quente' sandwich from the stall near the main entrance — grilled ham and cheese on bread, simple and cheap. Cash only in most stalls.

A former immigrant hostel turned museum with exhibits on German and European settlement in southern Brazil. Four buildings with period furniture, tools, and photographs.

🕐 Tue–Sun: 09:00–17:00

💡 Visit on a Sunday when local families often picnic in the grounds. The guided tour in Portuguese is worth joining even if you don't speak it — just wander the rooms after.

Small museum dedicated to bicycles, housed in a former dance hall. Displays vintage bikes from the 1920s to the 1970s, plus a workshop area. Run by a local enthusiast.

🕐 By appointment only, but usually open Wed–Sat 14:00–17:00 — call ahead or check Facebook

💡 Ring the bell outside if the door is shut — the owner lives next door and will let you in. Ask to see the wooden bike from the 1930s; it is his favourite.

Neo-Gothic cathedral in the main square, finished in 1961. Tall spire and stained-glass windows depicting saints and local history. Free to enter.

🕐 Mon–Sat: 09:00–12:00, 14:00–17:00; Sun: 08:00–11:00

💡 Go just before noon when the carillon plays a short tune. The square outside has benches and a fountain — good for a rest after walking.

Large urban park with a small zoo, botanical garden, and jogging trails. Capybaras, monkeys, and native birds. Clean, well-maintained, and shaded by mature trees.

🕐 Tue–Sun: 08:00–17:00

💡 Arrive early (08:00) on weekdays to have the trails nearly to yourself. The reptile house is small but has a good collection of local snakes and turtles.