Nova Trento heritage tour: Winery, sanctuary & textile hub

Walk through centuries of European settlement across colonial towns

A full-day tour of Nova Trento, São João Batista and Brusque traces Italian, German and Polish immigration to southern Brazil starting in 1835. The itinerary includes a visit to Nova Trento's artisanal winery and the Immigrant Museum (8,000 pieces), the Sanctuary of Santa Paulina (where Brazil's first canonized saint is honored), and stops in the footwear and textile industry centers that these settlers built. Lunch is a typical Italian buffet served on a rural property. A live guide speaks English, Spanish or Portuguese. You choose the language at checkout. Hotel pickup is included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Italian heritage in Santa Catarina

• Visit São João Batista shoe industry
• Tour artisan winery in Nova Trento
• Visit Santa Paulina Sanctuary and Basilica
• Explore Museum of Italian Culture
• Discover textile industry in Brusque

The experience

Nova Trento was colonized by immigrants from Trentino Alto Adige in northern Italy starting in 1875, and the tour opens there with a visit to a charming artisanal winery selling colonial products made by hand. The Immigrant Museum holds 8,000 pieces documenting how these communities took root. The Sanctuary of Santa Paulina anchors Nova Trento as one of Brazil's main religious destinations: Santa Paulina became the first Brazilian saint canonized by the Pope in 2002, and you'll visit both the complex and the Basilica.

The route also stops in São João Batista, one of southern Brazil's largest footwear manufacturing hubs, where you'll see a local trade in action. After lunch (a homemade Italian buffet served on a rural property), the tour moves to Brusque, the birthplace of the region's textile industry, where German and Polish settlers turned the city into a major garment production center. Shopping time there rounds out the afternoon before the return to your hotel.

The full day runs nine hours with an air-conditioned vehicle and a live guide. Public transportation options are available nearby if you prefer to arrange your own way to the meeting point.

What’s included

• A live guide in your choice of English, Spanish or Portuguese.
• air-conditioned vehicle for the full nine hours.
• hotel pickup.
• entry to the Immigrant Museum and the Sanctuary of Santa Paulina complex.
• a visit to the artisanal winery in Nova Trento.
• and a stop in São João Batista to see the footwear industry at work.

Options for this experience

2 options

Tour led by a guide who speaks Portuguese and Spanish08:00Pickup is included

Guide in english08:00Pickup is included

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesTuesday and ThursdayDeparts at 08:00

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (8 and older) · Child (4 to 7 years) · Infant (under 4): free

GroupUp to 40

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and Portuguese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearby

Operated by Vipmar Turismo

Is this one for you?Choose the English-language option if you want detailed explanations of the Italian settlement history and the religious significance of Santa Paulina. The Spanish or Portuguese guide works well if you speak those languages or want to practice them during the day.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and Portuguese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 7 years); Infant (under 4): free.

What is the Immigrant Museum in Nova Trento?

The Immigrant Museum holds a collection of 8,000 pieces documenting the history and daily life of Italian settlers who arrived in the region starting in 1875, showing how they built their communities and industries.

Is lunch included in this tour?

Lunch is a typical homemade Italian buffet served on a rural property during the tour, though it is not covered by the base tour price and must be added at checkout.

What is the Sanctuary of Santa Paulina?

The Sanctuary of Santa Paulina in Nova Trento honors Brazil's first saint canonized by the Pope, who was declared a saint in 2002. The tour includes a visit to both the sanctuary complex and the Basilica.

How long does the tour take?

The full tour runs nine hours, including stops in three towns, lunch, and travel time between them.

Does the tour include hotel pickup?

Hotel pickup is included in the tour. Public transportation options are also available nearby if you prefer to meet the group at a central point instead.