Campos do Jordão, São Paulo's Top Spot for Winter Retreats

This past weekend we took a short road trip to the interior of the state of São Paulo to a city called Campos do Jordão. This quaint little town is the highest city in Brazil at 5,378 ft or 1,639.2 meters. Modeled after German and Swiss villages, Campos do Jordão is the ideal choice getaway for romance or winter travels and it's not hard to see why.

Located only 2 hours outside of São Paulo, Campo do Jordão is the city dwellers winter retreat. With even winters in São Paulo being mild in temperature, it's nice to be able to drive to the refreshing, cool air for a change in scenery that actually makes winter seem like, well, winter. 

More than that, Campos do Jordão offers limitless options for outdoor lovers looking to stay active while still enjoying vacation time. From hiking trails to rocks overlooking the entire city, to horseback riding and mountain biking, there are countless ways to get to some of the most breathtaking views around. 

Getting lost isn't bad when you find views like these.

For those of you who love to travel for gastronomy, shopping, or just relaxing in little cities, Campos do Jordão is still a perfect spot! Cobblestones streets and sidewalks in the downtown area are lined with restaurants, coffee shops, chocolate shops, and boutique stores that sell anything from socks (there is a whole store that only sells socks) to souvenirs. Can't miss eats in Campos do Jordão include their famous fondue, locally made artisan chocolate, and Baden Baden beer which is made locally at their brewery.

Small shops filled with handmade goods and mouthwatering chocolates.

The ever so popular 3-course fondue! Cheese, meats, and chocolates, oh my!

Whatever you decide to do, Campos do Jordão will not disappoint. There are hidden beauties located around every corner making even getting lost a beautiful experience. Just be aware that sometimes the roads aren't always marked as they should be which can put a bit of a damper on getting lost- it could lead to your car getting stuck in the mud 10ft from a sharp drop off of a cliff for four hours until some of the lovely locals can help you out.

As for the locals? Thus far, I have never been anywhere in the world, where the local people are so kind and helpful. The kindness and warmth that we experienced during our time there were like nothing else. Everyone from the people that helped us get our car up a hill, out of the mud, in the pouring rain, to the workers in the hotels and restaurants were so nice and went above and beyond to make every aspect of our trip memorable. 

All photos were taken with an iPhone 5 (since we forgot to put the memory card back in the camera).