Franca, Regional footwear center in São Paulo state, Brazil.
Franca is a city in northeastern São Paulo state, Brazil, known for its footwear industry and diamond processing. The municipality sits on a plateau with avenues lined by palm trees and small parks between residential and commercial districts.
Settlers established the town in 1805 as a rest stop for traders and gold seekers traveling to Goiás. The location along this route brought growth through coffee farming in the 19th century and later through leather processing.
The community uses basketball courts in nearly every neighborhood, where residents gather for matches throughout the year. Local pride in the sport shows through team jerseys worn on game days and murals celebrating players painted on public walls.
The downtown area can be explored on foot, while buses connect outer districts with factories and warehouses. Ten Lund Presotto Airport sits about 9 kilometers (6 miles) from the core with taxi service to the center.
Workshops in several neighborhoods cut and polish diamonds alongside shoe production facilities, with both trades often sharing the same streets. Visitors can spot small gemstone shops between footwear stores, showing the twin industries of the municipality.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
