Porto Alegre Warnings Or Dangers

In downtown Porto Alegre, you will find lots of pickpockets, so be aware! In other areas of the city, too.... Don't walk around giving visual signs that you are a tourist.... If natives are not difficult victims, imagine tourists!!!!
Also, it is not a good idea to walk around at night. Take a taxi, as it does not cost too much, and it is safer!
If you have any emergency problems while in Porto Alegre, call the emergency number below, from any phone.

Take care when walking on the downtwon of the city. Normally you should not have really big problems, but in every part of the downtown you will find thiefers. Keep your money bag and other stuff like cameras safe.
Also be careful when walking around on the parks, especially the ones closer to the downtown, like as Redenção (Farroupilha) park.

If you are inclined be aware that there are as many boys masquerading as women as actual women on the streets at night ... and no I don't have first hand knowledge. The tip was passed to me by my friends in PoA.

Don't look like an obvious tourist. Around the city centre there are kids looking out to grab carelessly left handbags or cameras. The centre at night is quite empty and therefore risky. Santa Teresa hill, about 10mins from the centre, has an excellent view over all the city, but is a hot-spot for assaults and robbings.
Oh and one more thing - if you come through by car or m/bike beware of the driving, Brazilians are lovely people but here there is a 'I'm alright Jack - you watchout for yerself' attitude on the road - people won't give way to let you out or overtake a slow moving or stopped vehicle. Buses, taxes and mini-buses will quite often not indicate and pull out without looking. The general rule seems to be - the bigger the vehicle, the more right they have of the road, so trucks, buses and big vans will push and barge their way around. And when you come to a traffic light, don't immediately start off when it turns green, make sure the traffic has stopped in the other direction, because they quite often continue through amber and red lights. That's it.

Portoalegre is not known as a dangerous town within Brazil. However it´s not recommended to go to the city centre at night. It could be risky.
Apart from this you can walk quietly along its streets and parks.

Though nothing happened to us when we travelled, it´s said not to get out at night. It is said to be very dangerous, and the streets are really empty.
People are very supersticious and like practicing voo doo and black magic. You can see candles, black chickens, and images of saints in the middle of the street. Never touch it. No one does.