Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Fazendas - Rural Vacation Hotels


A fazenda in Brasil is a large piece of rural property used either as a farm, a farm/ranch combined, or a farm/ranch combined with a hotel for visitors. For purposes of this blog, we are interested in the latter. There are some beautiful fazendas in Santa Catarina to spend a weekend or a week, just getting back to nature. Accommodations at fazendas vary widely, from the primitive—a room with a bed and a shared bathroom down the hall, to a beautiful suite with full bath, hydro-massage, and garden views.

Fazendas offer their guests many activities which allow them to fully enjoy the outdoors, such as horseback riding, hiking, fishing, and swimming. Guests are surrounded by farm animals, and have the feeling of being at home on a farm. It is all very relaxing and a great way to make everyday stresses disappear.
Many businesses use fazendas to host corporate retreats. It is a very popular thing to do in Brasil.

The food at a fazenda tastes especially good when you’re dining in the open country air. Home-cooked meals are the mainstay of fazendas, stews, meats, cheeses, homemade breads and desserts, are all beautifully displayed for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

In all, staying at a fazenda is one of the nicest things anyone could do for themselves.