15 Cities or places you cannot miss during a trip to Rio Grande do Sul

In addition to its cult of traditions that seek to rescue and keep alive the origins of the gaucho people, Rio Grande do Sul is a receptive, diverse state with great options for those who want to escape the obvious and face different tourism options.

O incredible.club put together a list of some places that will surprise you and that should not be missing from your travel itinerary. Let’s prepare the bags and embark on this with us?

Capital of the State and also its most populous city, Porto Alegre accumulates great options for culture and leisure and, even with many modern buildings, it has a large number of old constructions, which refer to a glorious past.

Some of the tours that you cannot miss when arriving in the city include a walk in Parque da Redenção, which on Sundays has a large brique, a walk along the recently revitalized Orla do Guaíba (where you can combine a boat trip on the river , ending with contemplation of the most beautiful sunset in the south of the state), the Iberê Camargo Foundation, the Mario Quintana House of Culture, the Margs Museum, the Public Market, the Nossa Senhora das Dores Church, the Matriz Church and the Piratini Palace.

Ah, another place that cannot be missing from your list is a walk through Cidade Baixa, the most bohemian neighborhood in Porto Alegre. A visit to the PUC Museum can also be very interesting, especially for those who go with children or are connected to the areas of Science and Technology.

Osório is the gateway to the north coast of Rio Grande do Sul and is located at the foot of Serra Geral and between fresh and salt waters, surrounded by incredible nature. The best-known peak in the city is Morro da Borússia, where there is a lookout that offers a privileged view, space for free flight and it is even possible to see the wind farm in the region. A visit to Osório can also include trips to waterfalls and the Via Férrea Museum.

The only beach in the state that has cliffs and an island, the well-known Ilha dos Lobos, where tourists can hire a boat trip if they want to know the place. Due to its different look, Torres is considered the most beautiful beach in RS and a visit to the city cannot miss a tour of Parque da Guarita, Prainha, Praia da Cal, Lagoa do Violão and Praia de Itapeva. For the more radical ones, it is still possible to go paragliding at Morro do Farol. And annually, the city’s balloon festival takes place.

Cambará do Sul is known as the “land of canyons” and also for being one of the municipalities in the state with the lowest temperatures during the winter. With breathtaking landscapes, the city is home to the Aparados da Serra National Park and the Serra Geral National Park, important areas for nature conservation and protection. The best known canyons are Itaimbezinho and Fortaleza. The best way to enjoy Cambará do Sul and the beauty of the canyons is on the trails, which offer a route full of waterfalls and lots of greenery.

Close to Porto Alegre and also to Gramado and Canela, Três Coroas displays an exuberant nature and it was not for nothing that it received the title of Green City. It is ideal for those who can’t do without good tourism with fun and adventure, with options for abseiling, rafting in the rapids of the Paranhana river, zip lining and a visit to the Buddhist temple, which is something to behold.

Located in Serra Gaúcha, the small town of Nova Prata has great leisure options, such as the thermal waters of Nova Prata, which have therapeutic properties. In addition, it is possible to enjoy great adventures with the trails of Parque da Cascata, visit the cave of Nossa Senhora de Lourdes, the Casa Polonesa and the Portico Sul.

Curiosity: the thermal waters come directly from the Guarani Aquifer and were discovered in the 1980s during a search for oil wells carried out by Petrobras, but the complex was only inaugurated in the early 2000s.

Two of the cities that most arouse the interest of tourists, Gramado and Canela have their economy extremely focused on tourism. Therefore, there is no shortage of places to visit in the region, such as the countless theme parks, chocolate factories, museums, cultural spaces, Lago Negro and wineries. Both usually receive a large number of tourists, especially during the Easter period and at the end of the year, when Natal Luz de Gramado takes place. It is worth mentioning that the city is also home to one of the largest film festivals in Latin America.

Bento Gonçalves is located in the mountainous region of RS and is the birthplace of several wineries, which is why it is part of the Wine Route, and even has a “wine source” located in the city center. In other words, when visiting the region, you can’t miss that visit to the wineries and taste the drink that is the symbol of the place. In addition, there are several nice walks to take, such as a trip to the Vale do Rio das Antas, to the Ernesto Dorneles bridge, to Pipa Pórtico (the city’s postcard that symbolizes a barrel of wine) and to the Casa das Artes Foundation. Another unmissable attraction is riding the Maria Fumaça that runs from Bento Gonçalves to Garibaldi. During the journey, tourists can taste wines and even watch musical attractions typical of the region.

Affectionately called “São Chico”, São Francisco de Paula is located between Serra Gaúcha and Campos de Cima da Serra, where the canyons we talked about at the beginning of this post are located. The city is ideal for those who want to rest and enjoy moments of leisure in the midst of nature, as it has beautiful landscapes, trails and waterfalls. Some special points include Lake São Bernardo, Livraria Miragem, Parque das Oito Cachoeiras and Terra do Semper Ecological Reserve, in addition to many other options in the surroundings of the municipality.

Fabulously designed by Campos de Cima da Serra and the canyons of Aparados da Serra, this small town in RS tends to register the lowest temperatures in the country during the winter and also has beautiful landscapes. Once there, you can visit the Monte Negro, Boa Vista, Tabuleiro and Realengo canyons and the Serra da Rocinha Viewpoint. In addition to them, there are Cachoeirão dos Rodrigues and Cachoeira das Sete Mulheres, which have already served as the backdrop for Rede Globo productions).

Located in the city of Rio Grande, Cassino beach is the largest in the world in extension. One of the attractions of the place are the Molhes da Barra, which function as a breakwater and have the function of facilitating the navigation of vessels in the area. There, it is possible to take a trolley ride for a length of 4 km out to sea. Wagonettes are vehicles that move only with the force of the wind. Another attraction of the place is the stranded ship, which has been there since 1976 after facing a big storm. A separate tour is the crossing to São José do Norte. Another incredible option for the adventurous on duty is the Albardão trail, which goes from Cassino to Chuí (border with Uruguay). The route, just over 200 km long, has an incredible view and is full of good surprises! And if you’re lucky, you might even spot wild horses during the tour.

Third largest city in RS, Pelotas is home to a vast cultural and historical heritage, with mansions and buildings with a rich and charming architecture, which dates back to the rich period that the region experienced with the production of beef jerky. What to do there? Take a walk through the center of Pelotas, with a stop at the traditional Café Aquarius, and discover Laranjal beach (bathed by Lagoa dos Patos), Theatro Guarany and Charqueada São João. Other points of interest are the Parque da Baronesa Municipal Museum, Coronel Pedro Osório square, the Metropolitan Cathedral of São Francisco de Paula and the Public Market.

São Lourenço is a city in Rio Grande do Sul that has beautiful freshwater beaches. It is bathed by the calm waters of Lagoa dos Patos and is the ideal place for those who want to rest and enjoy. There, days of shade and fresh water are guaranteed, as the beach is surrounded by beautiful trees. What to know? The São Lourenço river, from where you can take a boat trip, the farmhouse, the boardwalk and the beaches of Nereidas, Ondinas and Barrinha.

Known as a “ghost town”, Minas do Camaquã is a village located in Caçapava do Sul and offers good options for those who enjoy adventure tourism, which include climbing, canoeing, diving and much more! However, at the moment, visits to the site are suspended, but it is worth noting it as a good option to learn more in the future.

Rincão do Inferno is a lost paradise located between Bagé and Lavras do Sul, on the banks of the Camaquã River. There, you will find beautiful rock formations that seem to have been carved by hand and contrast with the beautiful vegetation of the gaucho pampa. The place is ideal for trails and climbing and there you can still have contact with quilombola families who are a kind of guardians of the area.

So, which of these places do you already know and which ones would you like to know? Write here for us 🙂