Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
9
BRAZIL'S LITTLE ITALY
If you have your own transport, consider a trip to
Antônio Prado
, 184km north of Porto
Alegre, a small town founded in 1886 by a group of northern Italian immigrants. Often
regarded as the most Italian of Brazilian towns, the locals still speak Italian, celebrate traditional
festivals with fervour and take pride in cooking real Italian food. Antônio Prado also contains
the largest ensemble of Italian-style wood and masonry homes in the country (48 at last
count). Especially worth visiting are the
Casa da Neni
at Rua Luíza Bocchese 34, constructed
in 1910, and the
Farmácia Palombini
at Avenida Valdomiro Bocchese 439, whose interior has
remained unchanged since it opened in 1930. Many of the best-preserved houses are found
along Linha 21 de Abril (off the RS-122, 6km in the direction of Flores da Cunha).
Visit the local
Museu Municipal
in Praça Garibaldi (Tues-Fri 8.30-11.30am & 1.30-5pm, Sat,
Sun & public holidays 1-5pm; R$2;
T
54 3293 3935) for the history of the town, and to grab a
meal at the wonderful
O Porão
. See
W
antonioprado.com.br for more on the town.
EATING
★
O Porão
Av Valdomiro Bocchese 681
T
54 3293
3131.
Serves a blend of typical southern Brazilian food
and Italian classics, from
filé a parmegiana
to spaghetti
carbonara.
Daily 11am-11pm.
with just five en-suite rooms, TVs, free wi-fi and delicious,
wholesome break
fasts.
The living room and fireplace is
popular in winter.
R$95
Pousada Paraíso
Rua Antonio Raupp 558
T
54 3251
1352.
Simple mid-range hotel, with free wi-fi and a good
breakfast, just 200m from the bus sta
tion. R
ooms have a
balcony, TV, fan and private bathroom.
R$120
Restaurante Galpão Costaneira
Rua Dona Úrsula
1069
T
54 3251 1005.
Knocks out inexpensive, authentic
local dishes served in a rustic, but attractive, setting; the
comida campeira
buffet is a great deal (R$26), and there's a
craft shop at the entrance.
Mon-Sat 11.30am-3pm &
7.30-10.30pm, Sun 11.30am-3pm.
Vila Ecologica de Cambará do Sul
Rua Padre João
Pazza 1166
T
54 3251 1351,
W
vilaecologica.blogspot
.com.
All three en-suite rooms here feature rustic
furnishings and beds made of tim
ber, wi
th wood stoves,
free wi-fi, cable TV and DVD player.
R$120
Parque Nacional da Serra Geral
RS-012 • Daily 8am-5pm • Free •
T
54 3251 1277
Encompassing the wild borderlands between Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina
north of Aparados da Serra, the
Parque Nacional da Serra Geral
is home to the
jaw-dropping
Cânion Fortaleza
, some 8.2km long and more than 900m deep - the
views from the rim are mind-blowing. Unfortunately, getting here is not easy - the
main access point is 22km from Cambará do Sul on a dirt road, with no public
transport (RS-012, a continuation of Rua Getúlio Vargas in Cambará). Without a
car your best bet is to contact a tour operator in Cambará or Praia Grande (see p.620).
Vale dos Vinhedos
Over recent years the quality of
Brazilian wine
has been improving greatly, with some
of the most innovative producers located to the southwest of Bento Gonçalves in the
alluring, bucolic region of Rio Grande do Sul that has become known as the
Vale dos
Vinhedos
(“Valley of the Vineyards”). Even more than other wine-producing areas in this
part of the country, the economy and way of life here are dominated by wine, with grapes
growing on every patch of farmland - in 2010 it was awarded its own Denominação de
Origem (DO). It's worth visiting this region where, on the surface at least, the way of life
has changed little over the years. The calendar revolves around the grape, with weeding,
planting, pruning and the maintenance of characteristic stone walls - the main activities
during the year - leading up to the harvest between January and late March.
Bento Gonçalves
Approach
BENTO GONÇALVES
, 125km north of Porto Alegre, from any direction
and there's no doubting that this is the heartland of Brazil's wine-producing region.
