Under $100: Curitiba, Brazil

Curitiba, Brazil, is a spectacularly beautiful and vibrant city with plenty to see and do. It’s also immensely affordable if you know what you’re doing.

Begin your day with a trip to the Jardim Botanico de Curitiba and take a stroll around one of the most beautiful parks in the country before it gets too hot. A visit here is free, so you’ll already be off to a good start.

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Next, make your way over to the Museu Oscar Niemeyer. The architecture here is absolutely stunning, if not a bit strange, and the surrounding grounds are teeming with wildlife. Inside you’ll find wonderful exhibitions showcasing historic and modern artwork by local artists. Entrance is around $10.

For lunch, make a pit stop at Espetinhos Daniel E Xixo for traditional Brazilian food served entirely on skewers. It’s a family-owned restaurant so you know the food is authentic and, best of all, it’s cheap. Expect to drop around $10 for a meal.

If you’re lucky enough to be here on Sunday, spend a good portion of the afternoon wandering around the Feira do Largo da Ordem. This open-air market is one of the most popular in Brazil and contains plenty of great trinkets, crafts and treats to discover. Walking around is free, but save at least $30 to spend at the stalls.

© Paulo Nabas | Dreamstime

Afterward go and check out the Wire Opera House. Even if you’re not interested in taking in a show you can still explore the building, quite an architectural feat. Walking around is free.

For dinner, splurge a little at Badida for wonderful Brazilian steaks and other meats. You’ll plop down around $40 but it’s definitely worth it.