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The Diocese of Caxias do Sul.
Praça Dante in 1933.

Caxias do Sul is the second largest city in the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul after the capital city of Porto Alegre. It is a major industrial center in the region dealing mostly in metallurgy, bus manufacturing, and grape production. It is a strong center of Italian-Brazilian culture and seen as the Capital da Serra Gaúcha or Capital of the Gaucho Mountain Range. It is one of the wealthiest cities per capita in Brazil. It's also a sleepy and traditional Italian-type city that was home to 517,000 people in 2020.

Understand

The history of Caxias do Sul starts before the arrival of the Italians, when the region was being roamed by cattlemen and occupied by Indians. Back then, the region was called "Indians' Field". The Italian immigrants' occupation, mostly farmers from the Veneto region (northern Italy), started taking place in 1875 in Nova Milano. Hence, they were in search of a better place to live. They also met people from Lombardy, Trento, and other places. Although they had gotten some governmental support, such as tools, supplies, and seeds, everything had to be reimbursed.

Two years later, the colonial headquarters of the Indians' Field was given the name Caxias Colony. The town was created on July 20, 1890 and acknowledged in the same year, on August 24. Many economic cycles marked the evolution of the city throughout that century. The first one is connected to the most peculiar aspect of its cultural identity: the growth of vines and the production of wine for own consumption at first, and later on, for commercialization.

On June 1, 1910, Caxias do Sul was elevated to the category of city. On the same day, the first train arrived connecting the region to the state capital. Although the immigrants were farmers, many of them used to perform other activities. They settled down, urbanized the region, and started a fast-paced process of industrialization.

In the countryside, subsistence agriculture concentrates on the cultivation of grapes, wheat, and corn. Home-based manufacturing started to emerge and the overproduction was commercialized. Home-based manufacturing and Caxias do Sul evolved from having small home-based workshops to today's big factories, which are known internationally.

Nowadays, Caxias do Sul is an important city, and due to its industrious colonists, is home to vast vineyards, wineries, a varied industrial park, and a rich and dynamic market. Those attributes grant this land great importance, the reason why Caxias do Sul, called "pearl of the colonies", is considered the center of the Italian presence in Southern Brazil.

Caxias do Sul is today the hub centralizing the region more diverse than Brazil, with its industrious settlers, its vast vineyards, his winery, his varied industrial park and a rich and dynamic trade, which gives the land a further dimension, why Caxias do Sul, the "Pearl of the Colonies", is, by itself, the pole centralizing the Italian brand in southern Brazil.

Climate

Caxias do Sul
Climate chart (explanation)
JFMAMJJASOND
 
 
 
159
 
 
27
17
 
 
 
155
 
 
27
17
 
 
 
111
 
 
25
16
 
 
 
120
 
 
22
14
 
 
 
141
 
 
19
11
 
 
 
156
 
 
17
10
 
 
 
189
 
 
17
9
 
 
 
145
 
 
19
10
 
 
 
163
 
 
20
10
 
 
 
179
 
 
22
13
 
 
 
144
 
 
24
14
 
 
 
141
 
 
26
16
Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
Precipitation+Snow totals in mm
Source: National Institute of Meteorology (INMET)
Imperial conversion
JFMAMJJASOND
 
 
 
6.2
 
 
80
63
 
 
 
6.1
 
 
80
63
 
 
 
4.4
 
 
78
62
 
 
 
4.7
 
 
72
57
 
 
 
5.5
 
 
66
52
 
 
 
6.1
 
 
63
49
 
 
 
7.5
 
 
62
48
 
 
 
5.7
 
 
66
49
 
 
 
6.4
 
 
67
51
 
 
 
7
 
 
71
55
 
 
 
5.7
 
 
76
58
 
 
 
5.5
 
 
79
61
Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
Precipitation+Snow totals in inches

Caxias do Sul has a mountainous climate and is extremely cold in winter, but with mild summers. In colder months, temperatures can drop to 8°C (46.4°F), with temperatures below that in a some years; in summer, averages range from 26 °C (78.8 °F) to 16 °C (60.8 °F). Every year there is rain; there is no dry season in Caxias do Sul. Frequently, frosts occur in winter, with the possibility of snow.

Get in

Caxias do Sul is 128 km from Porto Alegre.

By plane

1 Aeroporto Hugo Cantergiani (Campo dos Bugres Airport CXJ  IATA), Avenida Salgado Filho 3451, ☏ +55 54 3901-1219. There are flights to Caxias do Sul via São Paulo airports (GRU IATA and CGH IATA) and Campinas (VCP IATA). However, as Porto Alegre Airport (POA IATA) has more commercial flights, many travelers fly to Porto Alegre and take a comfortable executive bus to Caxias do Sul, which is just two hours away. Compare fares for both airports. (updated Feb 2015)

Airlines serving Caxias do Sul include:

By bus

The main intercity bus station (rodoviária) in Caxias do Sul.

2 Estação Rodoviária de Caxias do Sul (Intercity bus station), Rua Ernesto Alves 1341, ☏ +55 54 3218-3000, . Comfortable and air-conditioned executive coaches are available from Porto Alegre and many other cities throughout Rio Grande do Sul state to Caxias do Sul. The bus station has a snack bar, shops with newspapers, magazines, and souvenirs. It also has a baggage storage services (guarda volumes, located in Sector 6, west side of the station) if you plan on just visiting town while waiting for another bus. Most travelers coming from the metropolitan Porto Alegre region will take the CAXIENSE busline to Caxias do Sul. If traveling to Caxias do Sul from another area, check the bus station website where you can check schedules, verify bus fare, and even purchase tickets (although a CPF, Cadastro de Pessoas Físicas, or Natural Persons Register Number is necessary). Most foreigners simply show up at the time of travel and purchase a ticket. In general, there are vacancies on the buses if you're not traveling during a holiday. (updated Feb 2015)

Intercity busline companies that operate at the Caxias do Sul intercity bus station:

By car

The main road route to Caxias do Sul is via BR-116 and takes 129 km (80 mi) to travel, in a journey of just over 2 hours. The stretch of highway between Porto Alegre and Ivoti is divided with four lanes, with 67 km (42 mi) in single lane.

An alternative route to Caxias do Sul is to take the BR-116 and from São Leopoldo, take the RS-240 and RS-122 highways. The road is a divided highway in 4 lanes until the city of São Vendelino, with 19.5 km (12 mi) of road in single lane. This route is one of the most used by travelers heading to the Serra Gaúcha region.

Both the BR-116 and RS-122 are well-maintained roads, however, it's required careful driving, especially when going around the mountains, due to their many sinuous and sharp curves in the road. Obey all speed limit signs!

Get around

By taxi

Taxi service in Caxias do Sul is very reliable. You will nearly always get a taxi from a taxi queue instead of hailing one off of the street. Use usual precautions and make sure that you know what the starting fare should be before getting into the taxi and which flag or "bandeira" should be used for that time of day. If the taximeter starts running before your driver even starts the trip, ask him or her to zero out the taximeter (zerar o taxímetro). Normal working days during working hours are "bandeira 1" which is less expensive.

By bus

Visate local buses can take travelers all around the city.
  • VISATE (Viação Santa Tereza de Caxias do Sul), ☏ +55 54 3215-8000, toll-free: +800-051-6133. Municipal bus service is provided by VISATE. Most bus routes that pass through the center of the city have the subdivision (bairro) name in the name of the route. It's best to have a map of the city and it's subdivisions if planning a trip. The VISATE site has a list of all routes and maps as well. (updated Feb 2015)

By car

There are a couple of places to rent a car if you're planning on seeing points outside of the center of the city or if you plan to travel throughout the Serra Gaúcha.

See

Interior of the São Pelegrino Church in Caxias do Sul.
Casa de Pedra (House of Stone Museum) shows Italian immigrant life in 19th-century Caxias do Sul
Vineyards in Caxias do Sul.
Museu de Uva e Vinho Primo Slomp (Museum of Grapes and Wine)
Waterfall in Galópolis
Castelo Chateau Lacave
  • Museu Casa de Pedra (Stone House Museum), Rua Matheo Gianella, 531. 09:00 to 17:00. Built in 1878 by the Lucchese family, houses objects, furniture and utensils used by immigrants at the time of colonization. Considered a Living Museum in Latin America. 
  • 1 São Pelegrino Church, Av. Itália, 54, B. São Pelegrino (Av. Itália, corner with Av. Rio Branco), ☏ +55 54 3221-2567, . 08:00 - 18:00, generally closes at noon for lunch. Catholic cathedral which houses works by Italian-Brazilian artist Aldo Locatelli. In the lobby, there's a replica of the Pieta of Michelangelo, a gift from Pope Paul VI by occasion of the Centennial of the Italian Immigration. The high relief bronze doors show epic scenes of colonization times, and were created by artist August Murer. 
  • 2 Replica of historic Caxias do Sul, Rua Ludovico Cavinatto, 1431 (beside the Grape Festival Pavilions). Architectural complex of 15 wooden houses, including a church and a bandstand, obeying strictly the standards prevailing at the time (1885), and reproducing the Julio de Castilhos Avenue. 
  • 3 Roman Catholic Diocese of Caxias do Sul (Catedral Diocesana), Rua Sinimbu 1976-2108 (On Rua Sinimbu adjacent to Praça Dante Alighieri (central square of the city)), ☏ +55 54 3221-2564. Inspired by the Basilica of St. Anthony in Bologna, was built in the Italian Gothic style, presenting ten altars: the main one and nine lateral ones. 
  • Municipal Museum, Rua Visconde de Pelotas, 586 - Centro, ☏ +55 54 3221-2423. The collection consists of pieces for the everyday life of settlers in the region, mostly Italian immigrants and acculturation with other neighboring groups. The museum functions as memory center of the city. 
  • 4 Monumento Nacional ao Imigrante (National Monument to the Immigrant) (at the east end of Avenida Júlio de Castilhos on BR-116). Inaugurated in 1954, the monument celebrates the immigrants to the Brazilian nation, specifically, Italian immigrants in southern Brazil like those in Caxias do Sul. Parking is available. 
  • Museu de Uva e Vinho Primo Slomp (Museum of Grapes and Wine), Rua Luiz Franciosi Sério, 350 Bairro Forqueta (in Bairro Forqueta which is to the southwest of urban Caxias do Sul down RS-122). Tu-Su 09:00-17:00. 
  • 5 Belvedere da Cascata Véu da Noiva (Bridal Veil Falls outlook) in Galópolis (Ssuth of Bairro Galópolis on BR-116; the outlook is on the east side of the road; be careful pulling in and out of this outlook since BR-116 is very narrow and winding along this stretch of the road). 

Do

  • 6 Castelo Lacave winery, BR 116 - Km 143, ☏ +55 54 4009-4822. The castle was built by Uruguayan businessman Juan Carrau from 1968-1978 in the style of an 11th-century medieval castle and functions as an active winery. You can take a tour, sample wine or grape juice and eat at the restaurant located in the complex. R$10 for adults, R$5 children ages 6-11. 
  • 7 Marcopolo Bus factory, Av. Rio Branco, 4889 - Bairro Ana Rech, ☏ +55 54 2101-4000. Tour the Marcopolo Bus Factory, one of the largest bus companies in the world. 
  • 8 Festa da Uva (GrapeFest - occurs ever even-numbered year in February/March), R. Ludovico Cavinatto, 1431. This biennial agricultural convention celebrates everything from this Italian region of southern Brazil. 

Buy

Eat

Drink

Traditional gaucho venues

Sleep

Budget

Mid-range

Splurge

Go next

  • Bento Gonçalves - The Wine Capital of Brazil.
  • Gramado - A German-themed tourist city on the Rota Romântica (Romantic Route).
  • Canela - Gramado's sister city. There are plenty of eco-tourism opportunities here (river rafting, hang gliding, hiking) and one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the state at the Parque do Caracol.
Routes through Caxias do Sul
Novo Hamburgo ← Nova Petrópolis ←  S  N  → Vacaria → Lages
Garibaldi ← Farroupilha ←  W  E  → São Francisco da Paula → Terra de Areia
São Vendelino ← Farroupilha ←  W  N  → Flores da Cunha → Antônio Prado
Start of Road ←  W  E  → São Francisco de Paula
Feliz ← Vale Real ←  S  N  → Start of Road


This city travel guide to Caxias do Sul is a usable article. It has information on how to get there and on restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please feel free to improve it by editing the page.
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