The South of Brazil - Rio Grande do Sul

More North Americans and Europeans visit the South of Brazil than is often imagined. Currently the vast majority are heading for the spectacular waterfalls at Foz do Iguacu and sadly miss the opportunity to take the time to explore the southernmost region of Brazil.

Sub-tropical, both the landscape and the climatic conditions in the south are markedly different to the rest of tropical Brazil. For starters, the south has four distinct seasons including a winter when between July and August, the temperatures dip noticeably.

The southern states of Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina and Parana are full of contrasts and surprises. It is the region responsible for Brazil’s fine wines and most of the country’s outstanding beef. It is the region where European influences mix with those of the “gauchos” and the rest of Brazil. It is the region where in the 17th century the Jesuits built their missions alongside the settlements of the Guarani Indians.

The south is home to Curtiba, a town considered to be near perfect by urban planners; to Blumenau, with its distinct Bavarian architecture and Germanic influences, including its own Oktoberfest; to Florianopolis and its outstanding beaches; to Porto Alegre, the largest and best developed city of the southern states and the gateway to the mountain resorts of Gramado and Canela and the Brazilian wine country.

Attractions in the south are equally varied and rewarding and range from the spectacular falls at Foz do Iguacu to the equally breathtaking Itaimbezinho Canyon, the largest in Latin America, from the picturesque railway journey between Curitiba and Paranagua to whale watching off the coast of Santa Catarina; from the mystical rock formations at Vila Velha to the historic missions in Sao Miguel, and from the sought after teaches of Santa Catarina to the majestic highlands.

There is the “Green Coast” of the south, the colonial charms of Parati situated in a setting so beautiful and with colonial architecture so well preserved that it has been referred to as the “baroque pearl of the tropics” in Brazil.

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