Porto Alegre Favorites

Favorite thing: Visit the Public market. Right in the centre, this historic building was recently restored to it's former glory, with the added luxury of a roof that covers the entire complex. Sights, smells and sounds of the real, native, non-touristy PoA (as the name of the city is abreviated to) can be experienced here. You can buy cheap meat and fish or veg. and fruit. The stall holders are friendly people and will not try to rip you off (beware of lurkers though, keep a tight hold of cameras, handbags etc.) In any of the bars you can quaff a good glass of cold 'choppe' (draught beer), ask for 'pouco colarinho', or else you'll get half a glass of beer and half of foam, this is not a deliberate rip-off - it's the way Brazilians like it. No Guinness here I'm afraid. By the way - for single guys - PoA has a much higher proportion of girls to guys, and beleive me - they are ALL stunningly beautiful, I know, I married one!

Fondest memory: A boat trip on the Guaiba river at sunset drinking a cold beer.

Favorite thing:

The so-called historical and cultural centers of Praça da Alfândega and Praça da Matriz and Mário Quintana Cultural Center - formerly Hotel Majestic - cannot be missed.

In the surroundings of Praça da Alfândega (Senador Florêncio) one can find the Post Office Building, the Museum of Art of Rio Grande do Sul (MARGS), the Trade Center, the former Banco Nacional do Comércio (now Banco Meridional) and the former movie-theater Guarani, now Banco Safra. The Praça da Matriz or Marechal Deodoro is bounded by the Metropolitan Cathedral, Palácio Piratini (seat of the State Government), the Legislative Assembly building, Theatro São Pedro and big old houses like Solar dos Câmara, transformed into a cultural hall, and Museu Júlio de Castilhos, which is open every Saturday and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

From the promenade at Gasômetro, downtown, one can witness the communion between the city and Lake Guaíba. Besides visiting a former hydroelectric power plant transformed now into an important cultural center, the boat Noiva do Caí welcomes tourists aboard on a tour of the lake with its scattered isles. Another boat, the Cisne Branco (White Swan), leaves from the docks' central gate. A delicious lunch (Brazilian-style) is served on board.

Tourism Office Information

Fondest memory:

When the afternoon is about to end, the Café Concerto, on the top floor of Mário Quintana Cultural Center, is the perfect place to watch the sun go down to the sound of excellent live music;

The legendary Gaúcho churrasco;and

The visit to Caracol Park, close to Gramado (90 miles far away from Porto Alegre), where you can practice trekking and contemplate an spectacular waterfall.

Favorite thing: - EAT BEEF. It´s absolutely great. It´s not just a topic, it´s real. It´s so close to Argentina that they share the real good quality in beefs.
- Go to FARROUPILHA PARK. Everyday you can find activities like concerts, and sound&light shows.
- Go to MORRO DA TV (Sta. Teresa) where you will see a splendid sight of Guaiba River. The rivers in Brazil are quite different from those in Europe. They are so huge. The Morro is full of favelas so that you absolutely must be quite careful and never go at night or alone.
- See the sundown at 'GASOMETRO'.
- Go to GRAMADO, which is about 130 km from P. Alegre. There is a National Park with a 65 m-high waterfall (Snail Waterfall, o CATARATA DO CARACOL). Quite beautiful. Gramado is a beautiful village, quite similar to any village in Austria. Everyone there is german descendant and if you can speak german you will have no problems there. If you want to eat there, you can do it at LE CHALET (Meat, cheese and chocolate Fondue´s rodizio for about $11. Very good quality and service). 'MINIWORLD' is not worthwhile.

Fondest memory: - SNAIL WATERFALL in Gramado
- Sight in MORRO DA TV. Splendid.
- RODIZIOS (free consumption for plain tarif).

Favorite thing: Visit the area of Gramado and Canela. These are two absolutely beautiful towns on Porto Alegre natural elevations. Lots of diversely colored Hydrangeas give the place a wonderland appearance. Another strikingly beautiful town for its order and care in its landscaping is Novo Hamburgo, originally populated by Germans.

Fondest memory: Its people so warm and open to lead you anywhere you want to go! And the famous 'cachorros quentes' a brazilian version of the popular hotdog! Enjoy and share with us!

Favorite thing: A handy tips resource in English would be
http://myportoalegre.blogspot.com/

Favorite thing: Enjoy the place and talk to the people. Portoalegrenses are really friendly people. Even though they do not speak your language, they will try to communicate!

Favorite thing: This is the public market, in the centre of the city. It is very big, and all covered. There are some nice restaurants on the second floor.

Favorite thing: with great local fish and bird life, biodiversity with native floral life....feeding the Guiaba lake with of 70% of fresh water

Fondest memory: and the sunsets around here are just breathtaking