The South - The Rough Guide to Brazil - page 626

There's not much to see in the town itself, although the magnificent Catedral
Angelopolitana , on the main square, Praça Pinheiro Machado, is worth a look as it's a
fair replica of São Miguel's church - this version was only started in 1929, however,
and completed in the 1970s.
ARRIVAL AND TOURS

9

SANTO ÂNGELO

By plane Santo Ângelo's tiny airport is 8km from
the centre at RS-218, Km 13. Brava Linhas Aéreas
( W voebrava.com.br)

flights to Porto Alegre (Mon-Fri 3.33pm; 1hr 10min),
though in the other direction they make a brief stop at
Santa Rosa. operates non-stop twin-prop

CROSSING INTO URUGUAY AND ARGENTINA
Most overland travellers cross the southern Brazilian borders via long-distance bus - in this
case formalities are fairly straightforward (everyone gets off the bus to go through immigration).
The borders here are generally open, meaning anyone can just walk across - if you are a
foreigner travelling independently, however, you need to find the nearest immigration post
to have your passport stamped; failing to do so will mean that you're likely to have di culties
entering or leaving Brazil later on. The main border crossings in the region are listed below
- there is also an additional border crossing to Argentina in São Borja (see p.633).
TO URUGUAY: CHUÍ/CHUY
By far the most travelled route between Brazil and Uruguay passes through Chuí , 527km
south of Porto Alegre (and 340km northeast of Montevideo). Buses entering and leaving Brazil
stop at the 24hr immigration of ce a short distance north of the town itself (Chuí/Chuy is
actually divided by the border, but there's no barrier between the two) on BR-471. The 24hr
Uruguayan customs is 3km further south on Rte-9. Regular buses connect Chuí with Pelotas,
Rio Grande and Porto Alegre, while the bus companies in Chuy service Montevideo (5hr). Most
nationalities can visit Uruquay visa-free.
TO URUGUAY: SANTANA DO LIVRAMENTO
There are no duty-free shops in Livramento or passport controls - the town simply
merges into the Uruguayan city of Rivera (497km west of Porto Alegre and 500km north
of Montevideo). Before leaving Livramento you'll need a Brazilian exit (or entry) passport
stamp from the Polícia Federal, at Rua Uruguai 1177, near the central park, and a stamp from
Uruguay's Dirección Nacional de Inmigración, at Avenida Presidente Viera s/n. If you have any
problems, head for the Uruguayan consulate in Livramento at Avenida Tamandaré 2101, 4th
floor ( T 55 3242 1416). Livramento's rodoviária ( T 55 3242 5322), at Rua Senador Salgado Filho
335, serves most points in Rio Grande do Sul, while from Rivera there are several departures a
day for Montevideo from its central bus terminal.
TO ARGENTINA: URUGUAIANA
Most travellers heading to Argentina from Brazil cross the frontier at Foz do Iguaçu
(see p.567), but if you find yourself in the south of the country, Uruguaiana , 694km west
of Porto Alegre, is the most convenient crossing - with Paso de los Libres on the other side
(around 740km north of Buenos Aires). Customs formalities take place at either end of the
1400m-long road bridge across the Rio Uruguai/Río Uruguay. Accommodation and
restaurant options are both better on the Argentine side of the border. The Argentine
consulate is at Rua 13 de Mayo 1674 ( T 55 3412 1925). Bus services from Uruguaiana are
excellent, and you can get to or from most of the important centres from Rio southwards.
From Paso de los Libres, there are equally good services to points within Argentina,
including Buenos Aires, Posadas and Puerto Iguazú.
Most nations do not need a visa to enter Argentina for up to 90 days, but you'll still need to
fill out an arrival card at immigration (and hand it in when you leave). However, Australian,
Canadian or US passport holders, prior to arrival in Argentina, must pay a US$160-equivalent
reciprocity fee by credit card online at the Provincia Pagos website ( W provinciapagos.com.ar).
You must print out the receipt and present it to the Argentine immigration o cer at the time
of entry (it's valid for 10 years and for multiple entries).