 Media Credit: pt.wikipedia.com Torres offers sunshine and a variety of landscapes. [Click to enlarge]
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Though it lacks international prestige compared to Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Porto Alegre, in all of its Gaucho glory, has a lot to offer the average tourist. The 1oth-largest city in Brazil, Porto Alegre is the capital of Rio Grande do Sul-the country's southernmost state-and by extension, the capital of southern Brazil's distinctive culture.
Getting to Porto Alegre isn't difficult; there are multiple flights out of Rio and Sao Paulo every day. At first glance, there may not be much difference between Porto Alegre and whichever city you flew out of. However, there are many things that you can do in Rio Grande do Sul that you can't do anywhere else in Brazil, or even anywhere else in the world.
Only in southern Brazil can you indulge your carnivorous side so completely. At an authentic Gaucho churrascaria, an endless procession of meat will be brought to your table throughout the night. You'll have to say, "não, obrigado" multiple times to the waiters. Chimarrão, a piping hot tea that you drink through a metal straw out of a wooden cup-even when the weather is hotter than the tea-is also a Gaucho staple. And due to the state's proximity to Uruguay and Argentina, you'll hear one of the most beautiful and unique variations of the Portuguese accent.
But Porto Alegre's attractions go beyond the culinary and linguistic. Make sure to visit Farroupilha Park on a Sunday for the Brique da Redenção-a weekly fair featuring local crafts, antiques, and food. Also worth checking out is the nearly 150-year-old downtown public market. Porto Alegre isn't lacking in art either: the Rio Grande do Sul Museum of Art (MARGS) features a number of exhibits showcasing classical Southern artwork, and the Ibere Camargo Museum, overlooking the Guaiba River, gives the Guggenheim's architecture a run for its money.
If you have the time, money, and navigational skills, it's worth getting out of the city to explore the other regions of Rio Grande do Sul. Gramado and Canela, featuring a breathtaking waterfall at Caracol Park, are two hours to the north by car; on the way, you'll be mesmerized by the hortensia flowers that spill over onto the roads. If you need a vacation destination over Christmas, consider Gramado, as the city hosts an extravagant celebration every December.
Rio Grande do Sul also offers quite a variety of beaches. Torres, less than three hours up the coast, features rocky cliffs that lead down to a sandy shore. Capao da Canoa, 45 minutes south of Torres, has no cliffs but is overrun with people in between Christmas and New Year's.
If you're loaded: Porto Alegre has a Sheraton Hotel where rooms cost about $330. Also consider visiting one of the city's upper-scale malls, like the newly-opened BarraShopping Sul. If you're there during the season, take in a game at one of Porto Alegre's two A-Series soccer teams: Grêmio (if you like blue) and Internacional (if you like red).
If you're frugal: The Master Executivo Hotel offers rooms for about $50, but the more dependable Holiday Inn offers rooms for a reasonable $90. There are many downtown stores that offer good deals on various items, and the square outside the public market is filled with street vendors who are willing to bargain.
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