Porto Alegre Things to Do

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Porto Alegre just got it's first sightseeing bus - Linha Turismo. It was actually kind of fun. It leaves from the tourist office downtown, and takes you on a guided tour with English, Spanish, and Portuguese translation.

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Santa Casa de Misericordia Hospital is a major Hospital based in Porto Alegre. It is reference in Latin America for transplants and genetic research.It is a university hospital linked to the UFCSPA (Health Sciences Federal University of Porto Alegre).

The hospital of the Santa Casa de Misericórdia of Porto Alegre was founded in 1803, attending the needs of the province of São Pedro do Rio Grande do Sul, which didn't have a hospital at that time. The first nurseries were opened in 1826, giving medical and social assistance to slaves, the poor and criminals. With the end of slavery and the development of capitalism, there was a change in the Institution's aim, which moved from its role of providing social assistance to a more therapeutic role, aiming also at research and teaching. This constant search for improvement has made the Santa Casa da Misericórdia of Porto Alegre a pioneer in several fields of medicine.

The little chapel (Nosso Senhor dos Passos Church)was built inside the historical building of the Hospital of the Mercy, in Porto Alegre. Its date of foundation is not know, although a manuscript kept there suggests it dates from around 1814. Between 1909 and 1910 was largely reformed and turned into a neogothic building. Its high altar shows an old statue of Our Lord. The chapel was restored in 2004.

Located on the shores of Guaíba lake, it is an old thermoelectric powerhouse, one of the first reinforced concrete buildings of State,projected to generate electricity based on coalt, was active from 1928 to 1974.The large chimney (117m tall) is still maintained and is considered one of the city postcards. Since 1991, its 18,000 sqm of total area were opened to the public and become one of the most important cultural centers of the State. This place hostes ....also famous for being one of the best places to see and enjoy the famous and elusive sunset of Porto Alegre. During the weekends, this place is the right destination for many city residents and tourists because of the view of Guaíba lake, with its islands and nature, and also for the boardwalk along the lakeshore, which is commonly used for walking, bicycles, rollers and others.

Near the Gasometer is the port of Porto Alegre.
Cost: Free
Open: Tues - Sun 9am.-9pm.

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It is the best way to know the city, by panoramic bus tour.Is there 02 routes : the " tradicional " and the " Zona Sul" .The "Tradicional line" is a tourist bus line that rides through 11 neighbourhoods and shows the main attractions of the city (parks, trees, statues, hospitals, churches, etc), with audio guides in three languages. The trip is 28km long and lasts for about 1h20min, and the arrival is at the same departure address. From Tuesdays to Sundays (holidays included) Departure time: 9h ( Tradicional ),10h30 ( Zona Sul tour ) ,13h30 (Zona Sul ), 15h30 (Tradicional)

Suggest make reservations in advance for the tour and arrive and buy the ticket 30 minutes before the departure.Choice second floor, with no ceiling, (without windows, better to take pictures or video ).

If you will take pictures just be carefull with camera because bus is fast, it will not stop just on red signal ...
tickets cust : ( just money no accept cc )
Tradicional - 1 floor R$ 8,00
2 floor R$ 10,00 (no ceiling)
Zona Sul - 1 floor R$ 10,00
2 floor R$ 15,00 (no ceiling)

The ground was achieved in the old Village Way (Caminho da Aldeia), the current Independence Avenue, donated by Dr. Dionisio de Oliveira Silveira and his wife, D. Sofia Maria da Silva Freire Silveiro. The design for the new hospital was the responsibility of the engineer Frederick Heydtmann, and the facade was designed by Ignatius Weingärtner lithographer, being foreman Francisco Antonio Pereira dos Santos.

The cornerstone of the new building, which today is one of the landmarks of the capital, was released on June 29, 1867, and thanks to several donations and auctions, concerts and other events for fundraising, works followed rapidly until its opening in June 29, 1870, which occurred amid great festivities. In early 1871 the first chapel was completed inside the building, and installed its first chaplain, Father Cirilo Joaquim da Cunha on February 12. On June 29, 1872 was enthroned the patron, St. Peter, whose image was donated by José Fernandes Farm.

The historic building is composed of two floors, in symmetrical arrangement, with a central projection and side wings that also protrude forward at the ends. The facade, in eclectic style with influences of Portuguese colonial architecture, stands on a small basement and a staircase leads to the entrance door.
A cornice crowns the building with a gable-aligned entrance, where a relief shows the shields of the Kingdom of Portugal and the Empire of Brazil, topped a crown plus the name of the institution - BENEFICIENCIA PORTUGUESA - and the date 1868.

In this building in the golden times was the Maternity Hospital better known and respected, where many Portoalegrense people of today cried for the first time.Nowadays ,since 2007, in this old part is there the Museum of History of Rio Grande do Sul 's Medicine (MUHM.)
Museum Open - Mondays to Fridays - noon to 8pm.
Saturday Sunday and Holidays - 3 to 8 pm.

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Rocco Confectionery is a majestic art nouveau building located on the corner of Riachuelo Street and Doctor Flores Street,next Conde de Porto Alegre Square in Downtown Porto Alegre. Built between 1910 and 1912 by Salvador Lambertini and Manuel Itaqui Barbosa Assunpção for the Italian-born confectioner Nicolau Rocco, it shows plenty of adornments on the facade, including huge pilasters, powerful atlantes and fine iron work to the many balconies. Its exquisite products and luxurious inner spaces made it a traditional meeting point for the fashionable and enlightened society ( people like Góes Monteiro, Eurico Gaspar Dutra, Getúlio Vargas, Daltro Filho e Mário de Andrade), where took place also balls and banquets.It is a City Heritage building since 1997.
In 2006 was restored and hosted the " Casa Cor 2006 " ( an architectural / interior design annual event ).Nowadays the rocco building is kept closed.

You cannot miss to visit what is the main historical and imponnent building of Porto Alegre.The Cathedral project was designed by the Roman architect Giovani Batista Giovenale, who was an attaché at Saint Peter’s Basilica. For the design, the architect looked for inspiration in the Partasso Cathedral. Its architectural style derives from the Renaissance. The gigantic Indians’ heads who serve as a basis for the dome posts symbolize the former inhabitants of the region. The pink granite stones were extracted from a stone-pit in Teresópolis neighborhood.

The first stone was laid on August 7th, 1921, after the old church back had been demolished. The works were presided by the clergyman João Maria Balém, when the archidiaconate was directed by D. João Becker.

The cathedral is 80 m long and 47m wide. Its dome is 73.99 m high, with 18.0 m of diameter. The front towers are 50m high.

Although its construction began in 1921, this cathedral wasn't completed until 1986. Its predominant style is Italian Renaissance, but note the twin bell towers, which were inspired by 17th-century Jesuit missions. The facade's mosaic panels were made in the Vatican ateliers

Open: Daily 7-noon and 2-7

Its the city's oldest theater,project by Felipe de Normann and inaugurated in 1858, when Porto Alegre was still nammed Sao Pedro Provincia. Built in portuguese baroque style and decorated in velvet and gold. As the antique european theaters, presents the auditorium in the shape of a horseshoe.After renovation it was tumbled as cultural heritage in 1984.
Capacity: 1100 people

Open : Tuesdays to Fridays - noon to 6pm.
Or in any concert / event time