Stand on the Calçadão on a weekday morning and the city moves past you on foot: shopkeepers rolling up shutters, office workers cutting between banks, and the smell of coffee drifting out of the restaurants that line the walkway. Londrina is a working city in northern Paraná, and its pleasures are the everyday ones of a place that lives outdoors.
It suits travellers who are passing through the north of the state, who have an interest in the coffee economy that built this region, or who simply want a day of parks, food and an unhurried downtown.
1. Calçadão (Huge Sidewalk)
The Calçadão is a dedicated pedestrian walkway on Av. Prof. João Cândido, connecting the core of downtown Londrina into a street closed to traffic. The arrangement has worked well here, and the walkway is lined with shops both large and small, various restaurants, banks and other businesses.
It is the natural place to start a visit, since it puts you in the middle of the city's commerce and gives you somewhere to eat without planning ahead. Come in the morning if you want the shops at their most active, and use it as your base for walking to the Historical Museum of Londrina just to the north.
2. Historical Museum of Londrina
The museum is a project of the Universidade Estadual de Londrina (UEL) and occupies the old train station, which no longer has any track running to it. It sits just north of downtown on Rua Benjamim Constant, 900, in the Centro.
The building itself carries the story of the railway that gave the city its name, and the collection is maintained by the university. There is no admissions charge; the museum survives on donations and university support, so it is an easy stop to add to a downtown walk.
3. Lake Igapo Park
There are several lakes known as Igapó, numbered 1, 2, 3 and 4, each with parks along the water. Lake Igapó 1 is the best known, with a park running alongside the northeastern side of the lake between Rua Herodoto and Avenida Amithas de Barros.
Cross to the north side of Avenida Amithas de Barros and you reach the area called the "zerão", another park with a number of sports facilities. Late afternoon is a good time to walk the lakeside, and you can pair the two parks in one outing since they sit on opposite sides of the same avenue.
4. Parque Estadual Mata dos Godoy
This state park preserves a small section of the original forest of Paraná. It lies far to the southwest of the city, out in the countryside beyond the urban limits, on Rodovia Mário Gonçalves at Fazenda Santa Helena.
The contrast is the point: surrounding the park, the forest has largely been replaced by corn and other monoculture farmland stretching to the horizon, so the preserved woodland stands out sharply. Because it sits well outside the city, treat it as a half-day trip of its own rather than something to squeeze between downtown stops, and call ahead on +55 43 3373-8700 if you want to confirm arrangements.
If you only have one day
Morning: Begin on the Calçadão on Av. Prof. João Cândido, walking the pedestrian street while the shops and restaurants are busy, then continue north to the Historical Museum of Londrina on Rua Benjamim Constant, 900, in the old train station.
Afternoon: Move on to Lake Igapo Park, walking the northeastern shore of Lake Igapó 1 between Rua Herodoto and Avenida Amithas de Barros, then cross Avenida Amithas de Barros to the "zerão" park and its sports facilities.
Evening: Return to the Calçadão for dinner at one of the restaurants along the walkway, ending the day where the city's shops, banks and businesses keep the street lively.
Is the Historical Museum of Londrina free to enter?
Yes. There is no admissions charge, as the museum is supported by donations and by the Universidade Estadual de Londrina.
Where exactly is the Historical Museum of Londrina?
It is at Rua Benjamim Constant, 900, in the Centro, in the old train station just north of downtown.
Which of the Igapó lakes has the best-known park?
Lake Igapó 1. Its park runs along the northeastern side of the lake, between Rua Herodoto and Avenida Amithas de Barros.
How do I get to Parque Estadual Mata dos Godoy?
It is far to the southwest of the city, outside the urban limits, on Rodovia Mário Gonçalves at Fazenda Santa Helena. The contact number given is +55 43 3373-8700.
Use this list to sketch your days, check the details that matter to you, and start planning your time in Londrina.