Porto Alegre is the capital of the Rio Grande do Sul region of Brazil and a city with a lot to see. For visitors who arrive in Porto Alegre not knowing what they’re going to find, the first thing they probably think is that this is not the Brazil they have imagined, but a city with a deep gaucho tradition and heavily influenced by the European culture of the Azorean settlers who founded it. Whoever visits Porto Alegre will not find samba and carnival, but a delicious and very carnivorous gastronomy, nearby villages that seem to have been brought brick by brick from the Alps and neighbourhoods where the class differences of its inhabitants are evident. Get to know what things to do in Porto Alegre, the other version of Brazil that won’t leave you indifferent.
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Places to see on your trip to Porto Alegre
Historical centre of Porto Alegre
The comfortable, walkable Historic Centre is home to most of Porto Alegre’s must-see landmarks. Perhaps the main hub and centre of city life is the Mercado Público. It is a beautiful colonial-style building and the ideal place to find local produce and immerse yourself in Gaucho culture. Hours: Monday-Friday 7am-7pm, Saturday 7:30am-6:30pm.
Another must-see in the city is the Metropolitan Cathedral, on Plaça da Matriz, with its baroque style and colourful friezes on its façade. Opening hours: Monday from 9:00 to 12:00 and from 13:00 to 19:00, Tuesday to Friday from 9:00 to 19:00, Saturday from 9:00 to 12:00 and from 15:00 to 18:30 and Sunday from 9:00 to 12:00 and from 15:00 pm to 19:30.
On the same square as the Porto Alegre City Hall and the Bank of Brazil is another of the city’s main sights, the Fonte de Talavera de la Reina. It was a gift from the Spanish colony to the people of Rio Grande do Sul. This beautiful fountain is reminiscent of the traditional style of Talavera, a town in the province of Toledo in Spain that gives the fountain its name, because of its colourful ceramics.
Travel Tip: To organize your trip we recommend using Passporter totally free. You can be inspired by the experiences of other travelers, choose the places that interest you most, create the travel route with a geolocated map, upload all important documents such as reservations and invite your friends so that everyone can participate in the organization of the trip.
Rua das Andradas
Finally, also in the Historic Centre, we recommend a stroll along Rua dos Andradas. Known as Rua da Praia, it is a beautiful shopping street with a variety of shops and points of interest. On your walk along Rua da Praia you will find one of the most beautiful squares in Porto Alegre, the Plaza de Alfândega and the impressive Mario Quintana House of Culture. The street ends at the Guaiba River, near the Usina do Gasômetro, a former factory converted into an art centre and one of Porto Alegre’s most famous postcards. Opening hours: Tuesday to Friday 9:00-21:00, Saturday and Sunday 10:00-21:00.
Iberê Camargo Museum
The Museu Iberê Camargo is the only contemporary style building. Built in white concrete and designed by Pulitzer Prize winner Álvaro Siza, it was inaugurated in Porto Alegre in 2008. The museum has more than five thousand works by the painter Iberê Camargo and temporary exhibitions by other artists. Opening hours: Thursday to Sunday from 14:00 to 19:00.
Mario Quintana House of Culture
On Rua das Andradas is this beautiful pink building with green Art-Deco shutters, the Casa da Cultura Mario Quintana. As beautiful on the inside as it is on the outside, it’s one of the must-see sights to see in Porto Alegre. This huge, eye-catching building is located in the former Hotel Majestic, the residence of Brazilian poet Mario Quintana for more than 10 years. Today its corridors house several art galleries, libraries, the Porto Alegre Museum of Contemporary Art, cinemas, cafés and all kinds of cultural spaces imaginable. Open daily from 10:00 to 20:00.
Cidade Baixa
The Cidade Baixa of Porto Alegre is the bohemian neighbourhood of the city and the favourite of many for its diversity and its great offer of nightlife and restaurants. It is a very busy neighbourhood, which makes it a very safe area even at night. It is very close to the Historic Centre and Farroupilha Park.
Rio Guaiba
The Guaiba River bathes Porto Alegre’s coastline and provides the city with its tranquil freshwater beaches. One of the best places to watch the sunset over the Guaiba in Porto Alegre is the Parque Marina do Brasil, but even better is to take a boat trip along the river and see the beautiful luxury houses on its banks. There are a number of companies that organise this one-hour tour of the river and its islands for around 7 euros
Parque da Redençao
Redençao Park, officially called Farroupilha Park, is the most pleasant place to walk in Porto Alegre. Visiting this large garden, which covers the city in flowers and colour, on Sundays is a favourite activity for Porto Alegreans, as a market is organised with local produce, decorative stalls and all kinds of curiosities.
Barrio Moinhos de Vento
The main attraction of this neighbourhood is the park that gives it its name, the Moinhos de Vento Park, one of the most beautiful places you can see in Porto Alegre. Its name comes from the number of windmills, which have now been left decoratively in the park, but were once used to grind grain and served many families who came from the Azores to launch Porto Alegre’s economy. The neighbourhood is the most affluent in Porto Alegre, and you can see beautiful houses and stroll through its streets lined with terraces and high-end restaurants.
What things to do around Porto Alegre
Canela and Gramado
Canela and Gramado are two neighbouring cities of Porto Alegre, 130 kilometres from the capital and 9 kilometres from each other. They are two small tourist towns that can easily be seen in a single day, although you’ll definitely want to stay much longer when you go.
The charm lies in the Bavarian-style architecture that makes these two cities seem transported straight from Europe, especially beautiful Gramado. In addition, the municipality of Canela is home to one of the area’s greatest attractions, the Cascada del Caracol. It is an imposing 160-metre high waterfall located in the Quilombo Valley, one of the most impressive natural sites in Rio Grande do Sul and one of the most beautiful places to see near Porto Alegre. Visiting hours are from 9:00 to 17:30 and admission is 20 reais (€3.11).
How to get to Porto Alegre
The most frequent gateway to Porto Alegre is its airport, the Salgado Filho International Airport, which is served by domestic and international flights. It’s located just 10 kilometres from the city and is well served by a variety of municipal bus lines that run frequently to different parts of the city. Another good option for getting to the centre is to take one of the buses waiting at the terminal, which will take you to your destination in a matter of 15 minutes.
It is also possible to reach Porto Alegre by bus from other Brazilian cities and even from neighbouring countries such as Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay to the Porto Alegre Rodoviaria Station, located just a short walk from the historic centre.
What to do in Porto Alegre in 3 days
First day:
- Plaza de Alfândega
- Metropolitan Cathedral
- Public Market
- Museu Iberê Camargo
Second day:
- Visit Gramado
- Visit Canela
- Go to the Snail Waterfall
Third day:
- Walk along Rua das Andradas to the Guaiba River
- Mario Quintana Culture House
- Boat ride on the Guaiba River
- Farroupilha Park
Where to eat in Porto Alegre
- POA Parrilla: For many the best restaurant in the city. A place to enjoy good grilled meat and a fast and attentive staff. Price range: €11 – €23.
- Churrascaria Barranco: The ideal place to try Brazilian cuisine on your trip to Porto Alegre. One of those traditional restaurants where quality prevails over aesthetics. It has a huge terrace that’s great for summer. Price range: €6 – €20.
- Agridoce Café: A beautiful fairytale café with rococo décor and delicious coffees and desserts. Definitely one of the best places for a sweet treat you’ll see in here. Price range: €2 – €5.
Where to sleep in Porto Alegre
- Eko Residence Hotel: A fantastic 4-star hotel. It forms part of the Sustainable Travel programme, as it uses solar energy and water collection systems to minimise its environmental impact. It is 200 metres from Hospitais da Santa Casa and has a swimming pool, solarium, gym and buffet breakfast included. Average price per night: €33
- Master Grande Hotel: This 3-star hotel is located in the historic centre, a 5-minute walk from the beautiful São Pedro theatre. Buffet breakfast included. Average price per night: €22
- Intercity Porto Alegre Cidade Baixa: An elegant 4-star hotel 900 metres from the Central Market. It features a fitness centre and business centre. The buffet breakfast is of high quality and, unless you have booked breakfast included, the price is €5. Average price per night: €42.
Tips for your trip to Porto Alegre
- Have your hotel reservation or the address you’re staying at handy, they’ll ask you at the airport.
- Carry cash, not all shops have credit card facilities.
- The currency in Brazil is the Brazilian Real.
- Have your money exchanged in advance, currency exchanges at airports are very expensive.
- Buy travel insurance to cover possible medical expenses, which is a requirement for entry into the country due to Covid-19.
- Do not carry valuable belongings, such as jewellery or your mobile phone, in plain sight in Porto Alegre, and avoid lonely places where there is a risk of mugging.
- Be careful with your personal effects, especially in the more touristy areas. As in most cities, there is a risk of pickpocketing in Porto Alegre.
- Avoid walking around at night.
How to organise your trip to Porto Alegre
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- Get inspired by the experiences of other travellers.
- Create your own itinerary to see Porto Alegre and add the app’s suggestions
- Add the stops that interest you most, as well as the restaurants and bars where you want to eat (you can use the points of interest listed in this post as a reference).
- Organise your itinerary by route days according to their location on the map
- Check the travel budget that the app calculates for you according to your travel stops, restaurants, and leisure activities.
- Make the modifications you need, and you’ll be all set for your trip.
- Share your experience. Upload photos of each of the places you have visited on your trip to Ilha Grande to the app.
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Frequently asked questions about Porto Alegre
The main monuments and tourist attractions can be visited on foot. Porto Alegre is also a city with a good public transport network, so unless you want to, you won’t need to rent a car. The city’s metro is called Trensurb and the fare for each trip is R$ 1.70 (€0.26). Buses cost R$3.25 (€0.51). Taxis, characteristically red, are very safe. There is also another means of public transport called Lotação, mini buses for R$ 7,00 (€1.09).
€1€1The climate is favourable all year round. The coldest months are June and July, with highs of 20ºC and lows of 12ºC. The mildest months are December, January and September. The warmest months are December, January, February and March with highs of 30ºC and lows of around 20ºC.
There are beaches in Porto Alegre, but they are not its main attraction, so this city is not usually a destination for sun and beach holidays. Its beaches are freshwater, as they are located at the mouth of the Guaiba River, and are suitable for bathing. The most famous are Lami and Ipanema.
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