Boat trips on the Rio Tietê in Barra Bonita include passing through the Eclusa de Barra Bonita. The lock is next to the Usina Hidroelétrica de Barra Bonita and is 148 metres long and 12 metres wide. On the way up, passage takes an average of about 12 minutes; on the way down, it also takes an average of about 12 minutes. The Eclusa was the first lock in South America to be developed for tourism. The boat trip therefore combines a journey on the river with passage through an engineering structure.
River and Lock
The Rio Tietê near Barra Bonita is considered clear and navigable, and is home to various fish species. A trip along the Tietê therefore brings engineering structures and aspects of nature into view side by side. Water conditions can change, so check local conditions before planning an activity on the water.
Structures and City History
Another historic structure is the Ponte Campos Salles. It is made entirely of metal, was imported from Germany, assembled in Barra Bonita and inaugurated on 5 March 1915. The lock is part of the boat trip; at the Ponte, the focus is on construction history and materials.
The Igreja Matriz de São José features Gothic lines, richly decorated altars and stained-glass windows donated by families from Barra Bonita. The windows also give the church’s furnishings a tangible connection to local families.
The Museu Histórico Municipal Luiz Saffi is housed in a former railway station dating from 1929. It preserves photographs, newspapers and donated objects relating to the development of the municipality. The Memorial do Rio Tietê displays panels, models, nautical equipment, books, a video library and photographs for research purposes. The collections have different emphases: the Museu focuses on the development of the municipality, while the Memorial focuses on the Rio Tietê and nautical topics.
More Experiences in Barra Bonita
The Bonde Barra Bonita offers sightseeing tours of the city’s main tourist attractions. Check the current timetable before building the tour into your day. A tour brings several tourist destinations together; for the Teleférico, by contrast, the height and route length provide a sense of scale.
The Teleférico in Barra Bonita is 12 metres high and has an approximately 700-metre round-trip route. This figure therefore covers the distance in both directions.
The Mini Cidade da Criança is a children’s park with scaled-down replicas of the local Igreja Matriz de São José and a castle. Use of the facilities is free. The church replica creates a connection to one of the structures described in Barra Bonita, while the castle provides a second theme.
For the overall travel overview: Barra Bonita.
