Itu combines a rich colonial heritage with beautiful parks, gardens and green spaces. Centuries-old churches watch over sunny plazas in the atmospheric historic centre. Attractions like a chocolate farm and energy museum make Itu a great destination for families.
Things to do in Itu
Parque Maeda is more than just a beautiful green space. The action-packed park promises fun for the whole family. Race down waterslides in the aquapark, ride the scenic cable car and get your pulse racing with ATV adventures. Reel in trophy-sized fish from the sport fishing pools, then slow down the pace in the serene Japanese garden. A staircase spirals up the trunk of the enormous Giant Tree and takes you to a 22-metre-high lookout, where you can enjoy sweeping views over the park.
Our Lady of Candelária Church towers over Padre Miguel Square. It was built in the 1700s and features a beautiful Baroque façade and elaborate interior decorated with paintings by Brazilian masters like José Patrício da Silva.
Itu is famous as the “Capital of Large Things” and boasts several larger-than-life landmarks. Snap a photo in front of a four-metre-tall payphone and pose with towering pencil sculptures in Exaggeration Square. Holidaymakers flock to Itu in December to see one of the tallest artificial Christmas trees in the world.
Meet peacocks, alpacas and other animals at Fazenda do Chocolate. The family-friendly chocolate farm is set in landscaped gardens dotted with handsome colonial buildings. Learn about the bean-to-bar process and purchase high-quality chocolate made with cacao beans grown in the Brazilian Amazon.
Getting around Itu
Parts of Itu are pedestrian-friendly and easy to get around on foot. The city is in south-east Brazil, a one-hour drive from Sao Paulo. Local buses are a good way to get around Itu. São Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport is a 1.5-hour drive away.