Things To Do
in Centenário do Sul
Centenário do Sul is a small, agricultural municipality in the state of Paraná, southern Brazil, characterized by a quiet rural atmosphere and wide patches of farmland. The town serves as a local center for soybean, corn and dairy production, and life here reflects strong ties to farming communities and family-run businesses. Visitors will find low-rise buildings, tree-lined streets, and a friendly pace of life with occasional community events and religious festivals.
While services and nightlife are modest, Centenário do Sul is a practical base for exploring nearby regional attractions and countryside scenery.
Day Trips
Spend a day exploring around
Arrive in Centenário do Sul and check into your pousada before a light breakfast on a shaded terrace overlooking the town square. Meet your local guide for a welcome briefing and a brief history of the municipality’s founding by European settlers. Stroll through Avenida Brasil to admire the traditional architecture and buy a fresh coconut water from a street vendor.
Enjoy a hearty churrasco lunch at a family-run restaurant where the aromas of smoked meats fill the air. Visit the Igreja Matriz Nossa Senhora Aparecida to see its stained-glass windows and learn about its role in community life. Take a guided walk through Praça da Matriz, stopping to chat with artisans selling handmade lace and wood carvings.
Dine at a cozy bistrô serving regional dishes like arroz carreteiro and polenta com galinha caipira. As twilight falls, relax on a bench in the illuminated square while listening to the hum of cicadas. Return to your pousada for a nightcap of local cachaça infused with guava.
Drive to a nearby family farm nestled among rolling green hills and aromatic coffee plants. Learn about the traditional harvesting methods still used by smallholders and sample coffee cherries straight from the bush. Participate in a guided roast demonstration and grind beans by hand.
Help plant new coffee seedlings alongside local farmers, feeling the rich soil between your fingers. Taste freshly brewed cup-of-excellence coffee and compare it with instant blends back home. Discover sustainable farming practices like shade-grown cultivation and organic fertilization.
Gather around a rustic wooden table under a pergola as the sun sets behind the hills. Enjoy a farm-to-table dinner featuring grilled vegetables, fresh cheeses, and a sweet cassava pudding. Share stories with the host family by a crackling bonfire under a sky full of stars.
Prices
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| 🍔Meal at inexpensive restaurant | $5-9 |
| ☕Coffee at a local bakery | $0.80-2 |
| 🍺Domestic beer (bar) | $1.50-3.50 |
| 🚕Short taxi ride | $3-8 |
| 🛒Basic groceries (weekly for one) | $15-30 |
Strengths and Weaknesses
- Quiet, authentic rural Brazilian experience
- Close access to agricultural landscapes and local food producers
- Low cost of living and relaxed pace
- Friendly, community-oriented locals
- Limited tourism infrastructure and few hotel options
- Restricted nightlife and cultural attractions compared with larger cities
- Public transport is limited — a car is recommended
- Fewer specialized dietary or medical services on-site
- "Olá / Bom dia" - Hello / Good morning
- "Por favor" - Please
- "Obrigado (male) / Obrigada (female)" - Thank you
- "Quanto custa?" - How much does it cost?
- "Onde fica ...?" - Where is ...?
- "Você fala inglês?" - Do you speak English?
- "Preciso de ajuda" - I need help
- "Onde é o banheiro?" - Where is the bathroom?
Places to Visit in Centenário do Sul
Visit one of these nice places.
A classic spot to capture daily life, the church façade, street scenes and community interactions at different times of day.
Wide-open agricultural landscapes with rows of crops, farm machinery and sunsets that create strong compositions for landscape photography.
Natural water margins near the municipality offer reflections, birdlife and tranquil scenes especially during early morning or late afternoon light.
Vibrant close-up opportunities of food, produce, and the hands-on activity of vendors and customers.
Food in Centenário do Sul
Centenário do Sul Famous Food
Signature dishes, delicacies and famous food
Grilled meats prepared over wood or charcoal; available at family-run restaurants and weekend rodízio-style places in nearby towns. Try local cuts and sausages.
Must-Try!
Cheese bread popular throughout the region, served fresh at bakeries and cafés — perfect for breakfast or a snack.
Hearty bean-based dishes with sausage, pork and manioc flour appearing at traditional lunches and on special occasions.
Local small-scale dairies produce fresh cheeses and butter; available at markets and directly from producers in the area.
Food Markets
Explore local food markets
Small markets or weekly feiras sell fresh fruit, vegetables, cheeses and breads — a good place to sample seasonal produce and homemade treats. Try freshly squeezed fruit juices and regional snacks.
Informal street options often include pastel (fried pastry with fillings), salgados (savory pastries) and coffee — ideal for a quick, inexpensive bite.
Weather
How to Behave
Tips on cultural norms and respectful behavior
Greet people with a handshake or light cheek kiss among acquaintances; a warm 'bom dia' (good morning) goes a long way.
Religious and family gatherings are important to community life—dress modestly for church services and accept invitations politely.
Interactions are often relaxed and unhurried; being patient and courteous will be appreciated by locals.
Safety
Tipping in Centenário do Sul
Ensure a smooth experience
Tipping is appreciated but not obligatory in small towns; leaving small change or rounding up in cafeterias and bakeries is common. For sit-down restaurants, a 10% service charge may be added — check the bill.
Cash (Brazilian real) is widely used, especially in small businesses, markets and farm stalls. Credit and debit cards are accepted at larger restaurants and shops; mobile payments are growing but may not be universal in rural establishments. ATMs are available in regional centers—carry cash when traveling between towns.
Best Time to Visit
And what to expect in different seasons...
December to February brings warm to hot temperatures and higher humidity with occasional heavy afternoon storms; ideal for early-morning outdoor activities and farm visits but carry sun protection and rain gear.
March to May offers milder temperatures and lower rainfall, comfortable conditions for exploring rural roads, markets and nearby trails with pleasant daylight hours.
June to August is cooler, especially at night; days can be mild and sunny but expect chilly mornings—pack layers. Frost can occur on the coldest nights in this region of Paraná.
September to November brings warming temperatures, flowering vegetation and active farming season; spring showers become more common toward late spring.
Centenário do Sul at Night
Hiking in Centenário do Sul
Immerse in an unforgettable hike.
Informal trails along river margins and through farmland are ideal for short hikes, birdwatching and photography—best explored with local guidance or permission from landowners.
Many farms permit guided walks that showcase agricultural practices, seasonal crops and offer easy-to-moderate trails across fields and small woodlots.
For more formal hiking and protected-area trails, visitors can plan day trips to conservation units and parks in the greater Paraná region around cities like Londrina and Maringá, where marked trails and visitor infrastructure are available.
Airports
How to reach Centenário do Sul by plane.
The closest major regional airport serving domestic flights; access by car or intercity bus is straightforward and takes around an hour to a couple of hours depending on exact location and road conditions.
A regional airport with domestic connections and ground links to smaller towns; reachable by road from Centenário do Sul and useful for travelers coming from different directions.
The largest international airport in the state of Paraná offering national and international flights; several hours’ drive but an option for international travelers combining a visit to the region.
Walkability
Demographics
Explore demographics in this area.
A large portion of residents are involved in agriculture—small to medium-scale farmers and workers whose lives are tied to crop cycles and dairy production.
Families with deep local roots often maintain community organizations, churches and cultural traditions that shape town life.
Younger residents who commute to larger nearby cities for education or work while maintaining ties to their hometown.
Popular Sports
Explore popular sports in region.
The dominant sport in the region — played at amateur and youth levels with local matches and strong community interest.
Common indoor sports popular among youth and local clubs, frequently played in school and community gymnasiums.
Informal motorsport events and agricultural machinery displays sometimes occur at fairs and festivals tied to the farming calendar.
Traffic
Accomodations
Find the best place to stay when visiting Centenário do Sul.
Dietary Restrictions
Tips for restricted diets.
Vegetarian options are available but limited in small towns; request vegetable stews, salads, rice, beans and cheese-based dishes. Bringing snacks or using nearby larger towns for more varied vegetarian restaurants can be helpful.
Vegan dining requires planning — ask for plain rice, beans (confirm no lard), salads and grilled vegetables, and shop at markets for fruits and breads. Supermarkets in larger nearby cities carry more vegan-specific products.
Gluten-free choices are limited; communicate clearly in Portuguese ('sou celíaco' or 'preciso de opção sem glúten') and favor naturally gluten-free foods like meats, rice, beans and salads. Bring specialty items if you rely on strict gluten-free options.