Rio Grande do Sul

The state

Brazil's southernmost state borders Uruguay and Argentina and has a character of its own. The open grasslands of the Pampa, found in Brazil only here, shaped the gaúcho ranching culture of churrasco, chimarrão and the Semana Farroupilha, while the northeastern highlands of the Serra Gaúcha were settled by German and Italian immigrants from the 19th century. The result is a state of wine valleys around Bento Gonçalves and Caxias do Sul, alpine-style resort towns in Gramado and Canela, deep basalt canyons on the edge of the plateau and the ruins of the Jesuit Guarani missions in the northwest. Porto Alegre, on the shores of Lake Guaíba, is the political and business capital.

For agencies, the Serra Gaúcha is the core product: wine and gastronomy programs, family and group travel, and incentives built around Gramado's events calendar, notably the film festival in August and the long Christmas season. Porto Alegre works for conferences and as the arrival point, with the Serra about two hours away by road. The canyons and the missions reward special-interest itineraries but require longer transfers. Winter brings cold weather and occasional snow in the highlands, which is itself a draw for the domestic market.