Its main attraction is an astonishing 12 km curvy road at 1.500 m height, just 150 km from the coast, including Floranópolis and other few towns for beaches and surfing visited by foreign travelers.

Serra do Rio Rastro is a rural tourist destination frequented by Brazilians who look for fresh air, local food such as the pine nut “pinhão”, wineries, and waterfalls. In the past, the path occupied by this road used to be used to transport cattle, mules, and pigs from the state of Rio Grande do Sul to the town of Sorocaba, in the state of São Paulo.

Along the road, there are spots on the right side the road to stop for taking pictures but the highlight at Serra do Rio do Rastro is the observation point – mirante in Portuguese – where you can enjoy a panoramic view of the road so as the mountain range, located in the town of Bom Jardim da Serra. In the same area, there is a good cafe and restaurant named Mensageiro da Montanha, where travelers stop for lunch, plus some shops selling local products.

Sudden changes in weather are common in the mountains. Be prepared for mist and fog, temperatures ranging from below zero to over 35 o C, strong winds with no shelter and stunning sunny days. During wintertime, heavy snowfall and patches of ice can even block some sections of the road.

Around the observation point, you have the chance to take some of the best pictures of Serra do Rio Rastro from different angles featuring the curvy roads surrounded by the rainforest. That’s the moment where you see yourself in front of the most beautiful road trip in Brazil.

In 2012 a popular Spanish website named Serra do Rio do Rastro in Brazil as the most stunning road in the world. Later in 2015, British newspaper The Guardian ranked the same route as the fifth most scenic road in the world. The Serra do Rio do Rastro is indeed a hidden gem that should be included in every rider’s bucket list.

According to the Internet