Brazil - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 358

the ochre Palácio Municipal , the old
prefeitura (town hall), built in Neoclassical
style between 1898 and 1901, its
impressive proportions an indication of
civic pride and self-confidence during
Porto Alegre's golden age.
West of here along Rua Sete de
Setembro is the pleasantly verdant
Praça da Alfândega , home of the grand
Museu de Arte do Rio Grande do Sul
( W www.margs.rs.gov.br; Tues-Sun
10am-7pm; free). You can spend an
hour or so admiring the local modern
art here, combined with a visit to the
Memorial do Rio Grande do Sul next door
( W www.memorial.rs.gov.br; Wed-Sat
10am-6pm, Sun 1-5pm; free), which
houses pictorial exhibitions on the history
of the state.

a converted 1920s power plant, is the
Centro Cultural Usina do Gasômetro
(Tues-Sun 9am-9pm; free; W portoalegre
.rs.gov.br/smc) which hosts frequent
exhibitions, recitals and shows.

Fundação Iberê Camargo
South of the centre, the Fundação Iberê
Camargo , on Avenida Padre Cacique
2000 (Tues-Sun noon-7pm, & hurs
noon-9pm; free; W www.iberecamargo
.org.br), has an impressive range of
artwork from the renowned Brazilian
artist, occupying a modernist building
designed by Portuguese architect
Álvaro Siza.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
By plane Aeroporto Internacional Salgado Filho ( T 51
3358 2000), 6km northeast of downtown Porto Alegre,
receives flights from all major national destinations and
nearby capitals. A taxi from the airport to the centre costs
about R$25-30 (confirm the price before you get in), or
you can take the metrô a short walk from Terminal 2
(5am-11.20pm; R$1.70); this links the airport, rodoviária
and Mercado Público on its single line ( W trensurb.gov.br).
By bus The rodoviária ( T 51 3210 0101) is northeast of
the centre at Largo Vespasiano Júlio Veppo 11, but within
walking distance; after dark it's safer, and easier, to ride the
metrô to the Mercado Público or take a taxi ( T 51 3352
6166, T 51 3319 5100).
Destinations Canela (hourly; 2hr); Curitiba (8 daily; 11hr);
Buenos Aires (1 daily; 18hr); Florianópolis (14 daily; 7-8hr);
Foz do Iguaçu (8 daily; 14-16hr); Gramado (hourly; 2hr);
Montevideo (1 daily; 11hr); Rio de Janeiro (1-2 daily;
24-25hr); Santo Ângelo (13 daily; 6-7hr); São Paulo (4
daily; 18hr).

3

Praça da Matriz
A short walk uphill from the Praça da
Alfândega via Rua General Câmara leads
to the Praça da Matriz , home to Porto
Alegre's oldest buildings, though they
have been so heavily altered over the last
few centuries that few retain their original
character (the Catedral Metropolitana
was only completed in 1986). The
Palácio Piratini (the state governor's
residence; tours every 30min Mon-Fri
9-11.30am & 2-5pm; free) dates from
1898, while the Teatro São Pedro (tours
by reservation only; Tues-Fri noon-6pm,
Sat & Sun; free; W teatrosaopedro.com.br)
opposite was inaugurated in 1858.
Surprisingly, its Portuguese Baroque
appearance, all velvet and gold inside,
has remained largely unmolested, and the
theatre is an important venue for local
and visiting companies.

INFORMATION AND TOURS
Tourist information The main municipal o ce is in the
city centre at Travessa do Carmo 84 (daily 8am-6pm; T 51
3289 6700, T 51 0800 517 686, W portoalegre.travel).
There are also tourist information o ces at the airport
(daily 8am-10pm; T 51 3358 2048), Usina do Gasômetro
(Tues-Sun 9am-6pm; T 51 3289 8146) and Mercado
Público (Mon-Sat 9am-6pm; T 51 3211 5705).
Boat tours Excursions (1hr 30min) on the Rio Guaiba
with Barco Cisne Branco leave from the tour-boat berth
(Cais do Porto) on Av Mauá 1050, near the train station
(Tues-Fri 10.30am, 3pm & 4.30pm, Sat & Sun also
6pm; W barcocisnebranco.com.br). There are also similar
excursions from the Cais da Usina do Gasômetro, Av
Presidente João Goulart 551 (Tues-Fri 3.30pm & 5.30pm;
Sat & Sun 7 daily).

Along the waterfront
Along Porto Alegre's spruced-up
waterfront, the Casa de Cultura Mário
Quintana , Rua dos Andradas 736
(Mon 2-9pm, Tues-Fri 9am-9pm, Sat &
Sun noon-9pm; free; W ccmq.com.br),
was a hotel between 1918 and 1980; the
poet Mário Quintana was a long-time
resident. Pride of place is given to his
room, which is maintained in the state
it was in when he lived here. At the
western tip of the peninsula, housed in