Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
MUSEU ENTOMOLÓGICO FRITZ PLAUMANN
9
By bus
Nova Teutônia lies 10km south of the main road (SC-
283) between Chapecó and Seara; buses stop at the turning,
but it's a long walk from there - you'll need to take a taxi
from Seara or have your own transport. Reunidas
(
W
reunidas.com.br) runs 6 daily buses direct from Lages,
Joaçaba and Florianópolis to Seara and Chapecó (10-12hr).
Rio Grande do Sul
Closer in spirit to the pampas culture of bordering countries Uruguay and Argentina
than many parts of Brazil,
RIO GRANDE DO SUL
is at the heart of the south's
gaúcho
traditions, where cowboys still work the
campanha
, the
churrasco
is sublime and even
city slickers drink
chimarrão
in special gourd cups. Somewhat removed from the
nation's political heart, the state has had its share of movers and shakers nonetheless:
ex-president and dictator
Getúlio Vargas
was born here in 1882, and president
Dilma
Rousseff
rose to power in Porto Alegre in the 1970s - as she worked to help create
the Democratic Labour Party (PDT), the state's (and possibly Brazil's) most idolized
superstar, model
Gisele Bündchen
, was born in the small town of Três de Maio in 1980
(she's been living in the US, though, since 1997). Today Rio Grande do Sul is one of
the nation's most prosperous states, with plenty of attractions: the capital
Porto Alegre
is the cultural centre of the south, while its hinterland of quaint Italian and German
towns provides gastronomic allure. To really appreciate the size and raw beauty of the
region, however, you need to visit its sensational
national parks
.
Porto Alegre
The booming capital of Rio Grande do Sul,
PORTO ALEGRE
lies on the eastern bank
of the Rio Guaíba, at the point where five rivers converge to form the
Lagoa dos Patos
,
a giant freshwater lagoon navigable by even the largest of ships. In 1752 settlers from
the Azores arrived here, but it wasn't until Porto Alegre became the gateway for the
export of beef that it developed into Brazil's leading commercial centre south of São
Paulo, with a population today of some 4.5 million. Like most major Brazilian cities
it's not especially attractive, with a skyline of primarily tired 1960s high-rises, but the
Fundação Iberê Camargo
is a must-see for art lovers, the city is a fun place to eat and
drink and the
centro histórico
is undergoing something of a renaissance (in part thanks
to the 2014 World Cup).
Mercado Público and around
Largo Glênio Peres (Av Júlio de Castilhos) • Mon-Fri 7.30am-7.30pm, Sat 7.30am-6.30pm •
W
mercadopublico.com.br
Founded in 1869, the vast, elegant
Mercado Público
is at the heart of Porto Alegre's
commercial district. It contains an absorbing mix of stalls selling household goods,
food, a vast variety of herbs,
erva maté
(
yerba maté
or
chimarrão
) of all grades of quality,
items used in
Umbanda
rituals and regional handicrafts - and the city's most helpful
tourist o
ce (see p.611). It's also an excellent
place to eat
(see p.612 & p.614).
Just opposite the market, the century-old Bavarian-style
Chalé da Praça XV
- a
charming little bar and restaurant (see p.614) that was formerly the meeting place of
PORTO ALEGRE'S ART AND BOOK FAIRS
In late October Praça da Alfândega is occupied by the
Porto Alegre Book Fair
(
W
feiradolivro-poa.com.br), the largest of its kind in Latin America. Note also that the
three galleries in the
praça
are often closed before and after the
Bienal do Mercosul
(
W
fundacaobienal.art.br), a major contemporary art expo that takes place every two years
mid-September to mid-November (2015, 2017 and so on). During the expo galleries are
open Tues-Sun 9am-7pm.
