In winter, sceneries of snow, pine trees and cold are pleasant surprises that add to the rustic natural beauty of the Santa Catarina plateau. Small cities and rural villages complement the peaks, plateaus and canyons, and although it is less than 100 km from the coast, one can breathe the vigorous cold air of the mountain region.

One simply needs to turn off the BR-101 highway and venture along the Serra do Rio do Rastro road, or that of Corvo Branco, to enjoy the scenery revealed at every sinuous curve. Mountains covered by the Atlantic Coastal Forest slowly transform into centuries old araucária pine forests, waterfalls mark rivers of crystalline waters. On the plateau, grassy fields dotted with rustic stone walls, are home to herds of cattle and are occasionally covered by fine layers of snow. Ranch hotels are spread through the region, reviving the simple lifestyle of the interior, the raising of animals and the traditions that come from the south.

Urubici, at 1,820 meters in altitude, is the coldest city in the state. The temperature there reaches 32º Fahrenheit at the heart of winter. But it is São Joaquim - the second largest regional producer of apples - that receives the most snow, and thus the most visitors. Lages, farther to the west, was a passageway for mule herds that linked Rio Grande do Sul to São Paulo, and until today is still dominated by rural culture, pine nuts, traditional local barbecues and mate tea.