Nova Friburgo, Mountain resort city in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Nova Friburgo is a city in the mountainous region of Rio de Janeiro state, spread across forested hills and valleys. Rivers run through the landscape, and in the higher elevations you find forests and natural parks.
Dom João VI founded the settlement in 1818 and invited Swiss families to start a new life in the mountains. Later, German immigrants arrived who also sought the cooler climate and shaped agriculture in the area.
The name comes from Fribourg in Switzerland and honors the first Alpine settlers who arrived here. Today you can still see half-timbered houses and wooden balconies in the streets that recall Central European villages and shape daily life.
The city lies about two hours by car from the state capital and is reachable by road. Because of the elevation, temperatures can be much cooler than the coast, especially during winter.
Some of the coldest temperatures in Brazil have been recorded in this region, with frost on several days each year. This condition favored the cultivation of fruits and vegetables that do not thrive in tropical areas.
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