Campos do Jordão — Brazil's Mountain Town
The highest city in Brazil, built by European immigrants two hours from Interlagos
Campos do Jordão sits roughly 1,700 metres up in the Serra da Mantiqueira, about a 2-hour drive from São Paulo, and it's the highest city in Brazil — which explains why it's nicknamed the "Brazilian Switzerland." Swiss, German, and Scottish influence shaped the town's architecture over the last century, and the result is a genuinely strange, charming contrast to São Paulo's modernist skyline: alpine-style buildings, a cooler climate, and a pace that feels imported from somewhere else entirely.
A typical day tour runs around 12 hours total, including the drive both ways, with stops at Palácio Boa Vista — the state governor's official residence, carrying a strong, large-sample rating — and Ducha de Prata, a waterfall right in town with a craft market built around it. Vila Capivari and Vila Inglesa, the town's two most walkable central neighborhoods, are where most tours build in free time — Vila Capivari specifically has its own small cable-car-style ride up Morro do Elefante for panoramic views over the town and mountains, a genuinely well-reviewed, if smaller-scale, attraction. The town is also known regionally for its chocolate production, and most tours build in a stop at a chocolate factory retail store on the way back to the city — regional wine and cheese sold alongside the chocolate itself.
At altitude and this far from the city, the climate genuinely shifts — cooler year-round than São Paulo, which is part of why the town became a resort destination in the first place. Food and drinks aren't typically included in the base tour price, so budget separately for lunch in one of the town's cafés or restaurants.
Why it's special
Race weekends tend to get judged entirely on the track and the host city, and both are worth the trip on their own — but Campos do Jordão is the reminder that São Paulo state is bigger and stranger than the metro area most visitors ever see. A mountain town at nearly 1,700 metres, built by Swiss and German immigrants to look nothing like the rest of Brazil, sitting two hours from a circuit hosting Formula 1, is the kind of contrast that makes a trip memorable beyond the racing itself. It's a genuinely long day — 12 hours including the drive — but for anyone with a rest day built into their schedule, it's the single biggest change of scenery available from São Paulo.
Insider tips
- 1
This is a genuinely full day given the 2-hour drive each way — reserve it for a rest day between race sessions rather than trying to fit it around a session day, since a 12-hour round trip leaves no real flexibility.
- 2
Bring a layer you wouldn't normally pack for a São Paulo trip — the altitude here means noticeably cooler temperatures than the city, even in November, and it's easy to underdress if you're only thinking about the coastal city's climate.
Practical info
- Hours
- Day tours typically run around 12 hours total including the 2-hour drive each way, departing São Paulo early morning
- Cost
- Roughly US$115+ per person for a guided day tour including hotel pickup, transport, and attraction tickets; food and drinks extra
- Access
- Book via Civitatis, GetYourGuide, or Viator — advance booking recommended given the early departure and full-day itinerary.
- Book
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- Getting there
- Campos do Jordão sits roughly 170km (a 2-hour drive) from São Paulo in the Serra da Mantiqueira. Virtually all visitors reach it via an organized day tour or private car, given the distance and the multi-stop itinerary.
- Address
- Campos do Jordão, São Paulo state, Brazil
What to avoid
Don't plan this trip on a day you also want to attend a track session — the round-trip drive alone takes 4 hours, and combined with the time actually spent in the town, this genuinely occupies a full day. And don't skip lunch planning assuming the tour has it covered — food and drinks are typically excluded from the base tour price, so either bring a plan for lunch in town or budget for buying it there.
