The abundant nature around Beautiful anyone’s eyes will shine: its crystal-clear rivers reveal schools of slender fish, its trails full of birds and capuchin monkeys lead to refreshing waterfalls and caves formed thousands of years ago reveal natural gems.
However, in addition to the ecotourism activities – most of which are carried out on private properties with access only by car -, another place becomes a refuge for tourists after the tours: the city center.
With about 22,000 inhabitants, Bonito is that kind of place where the residents sit in chairs in front of the front door of their house until the wee hours of the hot nights and the sertanejo, whether “roots” or university, is the sound that everyone hear and know.
This is the spirit of the city, where the excitement and meetings take place around the city. Liberty Squarea large rectangle in the center that is interconnected by the main roads of Bonito.
Craft beers, pizzas, good restaurants, live music and shops of well-known brands and handicrafts are attractions for the whole family here.great to be enjoyed after a full day of activities in the midst of nature.
Remember if: there’s no luxury and ostentation around here. The charm, both in the center and in the city, resides especially in its simplicity. Next, check out where to go and what to do around the center of Bonito:
The square
Well cared for, clean and lit, it gives life to the city’s nights, as well as welcoming tourists at the entrance to the municipality. Praça da Liberdade is marked by a series of shops in its surroundings and typically tourist spaces for photos. At dusk, the charm is on account of the trees lit with lights inside recycled glass.
Right in the middle, two large representations of piraputangas, a freshwater fish typical of the region with an orange tail, adorn an artificial pond with a fountain. It is one of the best known places in Bonito, which also serves as a point of reference. In addition to the fish, a classic sign with the words “Eu amo Bonito” takes care of the place.
The square is the starting point for adjacent streets, where traditional craft shops, souvenirs and pharmacies are easily found.
The heat of the region, especially during the summer, is a good way to cool off with ice cream in the afternoon: there is an ice cream shop Delights of the Cerrado, at the Allegra Gelato and Coffee, the Palácio dos Sorvetes (which serves roasted ice cream, traditional around here), and the typical flavors of the destination range from guavira to cupuaçu, araticum, jaracatiá, bocaiúva and murici.
And some aspects are curious in the streets of the center of Bonito, especially in the Coronel Pílad Rébua street, the main street in the city: some crosswalks are decorated with the paws of a jaguar, which lives in the woods on the outskirts of the city, as well as public payphones shaped like animals from the Pantanal, such as a jaguar and a toucan – nowadays they are the most photogenic objects in the world. how functional.
Shops and gastronomic activity
In addition to the local shops, the center of Bonito, especially in the streets around Praça da Liberdade, has a delicious gastronomic diversity. Good restaurants, a space with live music and local delicacies are served here.
Right in front of the square, on Coronel Pilad Rebuá street, is beautiful beer, ideal for craft beer lovers. There are lighter, darker, sweeter and bitterer ones, as well as one made from cassava, in which the production follows the English and American style.
The first craft brewery in Bonito, the space has wooden tables and chairs on the sidewalk and works on a prepaid system, where customers can load a card with the desired amount of money and fill American cups directly “from the tap”. Inside the establishment, in the back, it is possible to see the mini-factory with its stainless steel barrels.
Right next door, sharing the same environment, the house still serves pizzas in small, medium or large sizes. Margherita costs R$29 for a small one and R$59 for a large one; the one with leeks and cream cheese is sold for R$32 and R$65 respectively, as well as the stracciatella of burrata with pesto costs R$35 for the smaller size and R$69 for the large one.
Continuing on the same street, there is the Vila Rebuá, a brand new space in the city that brings together several uncomplicated gastronomic options in an environment with a “holiday look”. Opened in 2020, Vila has tables spread across its 850 square meters, like a food court, and offers hamburger, temakeria, pizza, even bar food and Argentinian parrilla. There’s even a stage for live music performances – which gets pretty lively during high season.
Traditional in the city, the Juanita Restaurant landed in the area with a younger “pup”, the Boteco Juanitawhich serves portions of traditional delicacies, such as rib dumplings (R$46, six units), pacu ribs (R$55), and annatto-painted appetizer (R$72).
Right at the entrance to the village, it is worth passing the UDU ceramics. Traditional from Bonito, the store sells utilitarian and decorative ceramics made by hand, from the mixing of clays to the painting of the pieces, in a totally handmade process. The studio, where the factory is located, is at Rua General Osório, 611, not far from the center, and also has a nice shop.
In addition to beer and typical food, Bonito also has a cachaçaria to call its own. THE DiBonito Cachaça has been drawing attention in the region for its sharp flavors and artisanal manufacturing without dyes or addition of chemical products.
The little shop on Rua 15 de Novembro is less than 50 meters from Praça da Liberdade and sells the already popular Cachaça de Guavira in the bottle with the bottom of the Blue Lake Grotto.
traditional restaurants
Just a few meters from Praça da Liberdade is John’s house, restaurant almost mandatory when you are in Bonito. A pioneer here, the lounge is large, with many tables and there is even live music some days of the week. It also has a wall full of photos of illustrious personalities who have set foot in the restaurant, as well as a mini-museum with old artifacts from the owner and the history of Bonito.
The house serves typical dishes from Pantanal cuisine, such as the “traíra sem spine” with homemade mush (R$ 144 for two people) and the pantaneira moqueca – made with the region’s painted, plantain, coriander and palm oil (R$ 144 for two people). people). It is also worth trying the pork rinds (R$57), very thin and dry, and the guavira gin and tonic (R$33).
Another restaurant that is almost an institution in the city is Juanitaled by the welcoming chef Juanita Battilani on Rua Nossa Senhora da Penha, 854, one street behind the main road, Coronel Pílad Rébua.
The restaurant is traditional and mixes Paraguayan and Brazilian elements, always with fresh spices – nothing is bought from outside. The pacu na brasa is the house specialty (R$ 139.44, serves two people), as well as the crispy alligator strips (R$ 64.87) – legal slaughter – and the angus rib roasted in the pan for 8 hours (R$139.49).
Between a delicious caipiroska de guavira and another (R$ 29.98), finish with the Chico Balanceado (R$ 19.98), an incomparable caramelized banana cream and freshly burnt meringue.
After the banquets and shopping in the center, it’s time to head back to the hotel or inn and rest for the tours of the next day.
Source: CNN Brasil
