Caxias do Sul is an exciting destination to visit when traveling in southern Brazil. Enjoy the laid-back ambiance of the city’s commercial districts, public plazas and religious monuments. Visit wineries in the Serra Gaúcha highlands and attend a lively wine festival. Although it was first inhabited by cattle herders and tribespeople, Italian immigrants arrived in the late 1800s, laying the foundations for one of Brazil’s most important wine regions.
Start your visit in the leafy Dante Alighieri Square, a popular social gathering place framed by a blend of colonial and modern architecture. On the square’s southern side is the pretty Caxias do Sul Cathedral, built by Italians in 1895. Watch a theater show and browse art exhibitions at Percy Vargas de Abreu Lima Cultural Center. Retrace the lifestyle of early Italian settlers at the Caxias do Sul Municipal Museum.
Stroll along the busy shopping thoroughfare Avenida Júlio de Castilhos to the São Pelegrino neighborhood. See a replica of Michelangelo’s Pietà sculpture at the São Pelegrino Church. Relax at Cinquentenario Park and attend performing arts events at São Carlos Theater.
A 10-minute drive north of São Pelegrino is the Casa de Pedra Museum, a 19th-century immigrant’s house decorated with period furniture. At Replica de Caxias do Sul get additional insights into the city’s Italian influence. Here you’ll find a re-creation of downtown Caxias do Sul as it looked in 1885.
If you like wine, take guided tours of bodegas such as the popular Cantina Tonet and Chateau La Cave. Plan your vacation to coincide with the Festa da Uva, a biennial viticulture festival with folkloric dancing, live music and exhibits by local winemakers. Explore more of the wine region via the Caminhas da Colonia, a 22-mile-long (35-kilometer) hiking route that connects four cities in the Serra Gaúcha.
Caxias do Sul is 80 miles (128 kilometers) north of Porto Alegre. Reach the town easily by comfortable intercity buses. Caxias do Sul Airport receives flights from Campinas and São Paulo.
