Must-see attractions in Rio Grande do Sul

  • Parque Nacional de Aparados da Serra

    Rio Grande do Sul

    Located 18km southeast of Cambará do Sul, this magnificent park occupies 102.5 sq km on the border between Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina. It's here…

  • Parque Nacional da Serra Geral

    Rio Grande do Sul

    Parque Nacional da Serra Geral, 23km east of Cambará do Sul, contains canyons that rival Itaimbezinho. The Cânion da Fortaleza is an 8km stretch of…

  • Sítio Arqueológico São Miguel Arcanjo

    Rio Grande do Sul

    The most moving of the Brazilian missions, this elegant church, designed by an Italian architect who was also a Jesuit friar, earned Unesco World Heritage…

  • Catedral de Pedra

    Rio Grande do Sul

    Bigger and more dramatic than Gramado's stone church, this English Gothic stone cathedral dominates Canela's main square.

  • Parque Estadual do Caracol

    Rio Grande do Sul

    The major attraction of Parque Estadual do Caracol, 9km from Canela, is the spectacular Cascata do Caracol, a 131m waterfall. It’s particularly attractive…

  • Vinícola Almaúnica

    Rio Grande do Sul

    One of the region's most awarded vineyards, Almaúnica's syrahs and Quatro Castas blends are top notch. The friendly owner is often in the tasting room,…

  • Catedral Angelopolitana

    Rio Grande do Sul

    A homage to São Miguel Arcanjo, this 1929 sandstone church dominates the plaza with its intriguing mix of baroque, Renaissance and Guarani architecture…

  • Don Giovanni

    Rio Grande do Sul

    Both a winery and a homey pousada, Don Giovanni is a one-stop shop in Pinto Bandeira. It's most famous for sparkling wines (the tasting fee works as a…

  • Casa Valduga

    Rio Grande do Sul

    One of Brazilian wine's big guns, Valduga has R$20 tastings (five wines) in its wine shop or tasting-and-tour combos almost hourly from 9:30 to 4:30pm (to…

  • Museu de Arte do Rio Grande do Sul

    Porto Alegre

    A pedestrian promenade runs into Praça da Alfândega, the leafy square that is home to the Museu de Arte do Rio Grande do Sul. The neoclassical building is…

  • Igreja São Bento

    Rio Grande do Sul

    The cleverness of the wine barrel-shaped church aside, the real reason to visit this Planalto landmark is for a real sense of local culture – on sunny…

  • Vinícola Miolo

    Rio Grande do Sul

    Sparkling wines, cabernet sauvignon and merlot are the specialties at Vinícola Miolo. The huge complex spreads out from an artificial lake and guided…

  • Vinícola Geisse

    Rio Grande do Sul

    Founded by famed Chilean winemaker Mario Geisse, Cave Geisse produces Brazil's most internationally heralded sparkling wines and is a cult favorite abroad…

  • Parque Estadual da Guarita

    Rio Grande do Sul

    The gardens of the 350-hectare Parque Guarita, 2km south of Av Beira Mar, make for a gorgeous natural setting, while the nearby beach of the same name is…

  • Museu das Missões

    Rio Grande do Sul

    Designed by Lúcio Costa of Brasília fame, this museum contains an impressive collection of religious artifacts that were rescued from the ruins.

  • Museu Oceanográfico

    Rio Grande do Sul

    The excellent Museu Oceanográfico is one of the best in Latin America and is home to the continent's most important collection of mollusks.

  • Lago Negro

    Gramado

    About 1.5km southwest of the center, Lago Negro is an attractive artificial lake surrounded by hydrangeas and crowded with swan boats.

  • Sitio Arqueológico São Nicolau

    Rio Grande do Sul

    About 120km west of Santo Ângelo, this mission was once an artistic center, producing painting, ceramics and wood sculpture. Today, all that remains at…

  • Museu Municipal Dr José Olavo Machado

    Rio Grande do Sul

    A small but well-done municipal museum housing several rooms of historical artifacts (including an epic accounting machine), agricultural tools, sculpture…

  • Santuário de Caaró

    Rio Grande do Sul

    About 20km west of São Miguel, the Santuário de Caaró is the place where the region’s spiritual history is most alive. A modest monument honors three…

  • Catedral Metropolitana

    Porto Alegre

    This early 20th-century neoclassical cathedral is a Porto Alegre landmark. It sits atop the hill that divides downtown from a series of prosperous…

  • São João Batista

    Rio Grande do Sul

    Midway between Santo Ângelo and São Miguel, little remains from the mission at São João Batista. With a little imagination, it is possible to make out the…

  • Teatro São Pedro

    Porto Alegre

    On the northern side of Praça da Matriz, you’ll find the elegant mid-19th-century Teatro São Pedro, inaugurated in 1858.

  • Parque Farroupilha

    Porto Alegre

    About 1km southeast of the cathedral lies Parque Farroupilha, the city’s largest park and home to a sprawling flea market on Sunday morning.

  • Igreja Matriz

    Rio Grande do Sul

    This small, modern-day church across the street from the ruins at São Nicolau is a far cry from the religious epicenter that once stood on this site, but…

  • Igreja do Relógio

    Gramado

    This Lutheran church is one of Gramado's most famous landmarks.

  • Biblioteca Público

    Porto Alegre

    On the northern side of Praça da Matriz, you'll find the sculpted facade of the Biblioteca Público, dating to 1912.