Campo Grande, State capital in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
Campo Grande sits on the Maracaju Mountains at 540 meters elevation and presents itself as a state capital with wide streets, gardens, and tree-lined avenues throughout the urban layout. The city extends across the central plateau and forms a connection point between western and southern Brazil.
The settlement emerged in 1877 when farmers José Antônio Pereira and Manoel Vieira de Sousa founded a village near Serra de Maracaju and initially called it Santo Antônio de Campo Grande. In the 20th century it became the capital of the newly created state of Mato Grosso do Sul.
The name combines the devotion to Saint Anthony with the wide prairie that once defined the area before streets and parks took shape. Today many descendants of Japanese immigrants from Okinawa live in the city and bring their traditions to life in festivals and food.
Three federal highways meet in the city and create connections to Bolivia and Paraguay as well as to other Brazilian regions. An international airport serves domestic and international travelers with regular connections.
The Parque das Nações Indígenas hosts groups of capybaras that roam freely near the lakes and create an unusual urban wildlife experience within city boundaries. Visitors can often observe these large rodents at the water during twilight hours.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
