Rio Grande do Sul

Introduction

Cascata do Caracol

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Rio Grande do Sul is Brazil's southernmost state and although typically Brazilian, it is a world away from the tropical rainforest or Rio and its beaches. Large parts of the state are gaucho terrain, comparable to what you'd find in Argentina or Uruguay, but of course with its own Brazilian identity. Many immigrants, mainly from Italy and Germany, settled in this southern part of the country and this is best reflected in the region a couple of hours north of the capital Porto Alegre, where you will find Bavarian style buildings, Italian gastronomy and the wine region around Caxias do Sul and Bento Goncalves and Garibaldi. About 11 million Brazilian call the state their home.

Geography

Rio Grande do Sul covers about 282,000 square kilometres, bordering the state of Santa Catarina to the north, Uruguay to the south and Argentina to the west. The Atlantic Ocean runs along its eastcoast.

Cities

• Porto Alegre - the capital
• Caxias do Sul
• Gramado
• Canela
• Santo Angelo
• Cambara do Sul
• Bento Goncalves
• Pelotas
• Rio Grande
• Uruguaiana

Sights and Activities

• Jesuit missions ruins near São Miguel das Missões in the west of the state
• The towns of Gramado and Canela and its mountainous surroudings
• Wine region around Bento Goncalves and Garibaldi
• Italian gastronomy in and around Caxias do Sul

Waiting for a train

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Getting There

By Plane

Salgado Filho International Airport (POA) is about 6 kilometres from Porto Alegre's city centre and there are flights to/from Montevideo, Lima, Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Cuiaba, Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Belém, Brasilia, Campo Grande, Curitiba, Rosario, Florianopolis, Fortaleza, Salvador, Manaus and many other smaller cities throughout Brazil.

External Links

• Official Website