Blumenau

12th Spring School on Transition and Turbulence – EPTT 2020

Blumenau is located in the Vale do Itajaí, in the State of Santa Catarina, was founded in 1850 by the German pharmacist and philosopher Hermann Bruno Otto Blumenau and other German immigrants. Some time later, Italians, Polish and other immigrants have settled in its territory. This cultural root gives the city the tone of its customs and traditions, as well as its architecture. The marks of the colonizers are present in museums, cultural centres, in the historic city centre and in traditional hunting and shooting clubs.

The city, 150 km from Florianópolis , the capital of Santa Catarina, stands out economically as a big textile and technological hub. Famous for the production of craft beers, crystals and weaving, Blumenau is also known for its Oktoberfest, the biggest German culture festival in the country. Over 19 days, you can experience the cultural riches inherited from the ancient Germans, including music, cuisine and dances, in addition to a lot of beer! The event attracts almost 600 thousand visitors each year. The festival is held at the Parque Vila Germânica, which offers European-inspired architecture, various restaurants, regional products and handicraft shops.

During your free time do not forget to visit the Historic City Centre, the museums, parks, breweries and the neighbourhoods of Vila Itoupava and Nova Rússia. Throughout the year there are various other business, cultural and community events happening in the city. Blumenau is a hospitable city and welcomes its visitors with open arms, offering an excellent infrastructure of commerce, restaurants and hotels.