RS · Brazil
Vineyards, immigrant towns and the mountain chill.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Get to know the place
Serra Gaúcha is the Brazil that smells like winter: streets of European architecture, fondue on the table, handmade chocolate and hotels with a fire burning in the fireplace. Between Gramado and Canela you'll find the parks, the canyons and the waterfalls; a little farther on, the Vale dos Vinhedos (wine valley) pours sparkling wine straight from the winery.
The region was settled by Germans and Italians, and it shows in everything. In Gramado and Nova Petrópolis, the German heritage is in the half-timbered houses, the gardens and the café colonial (a lavish afternoon spread of breads, cakes and cold cuts). In Bento Gonçalves, Garibaldi and Carlos Barbosa, the Italian heritage is in the cantinas, the Caminhos de Pedra and the Maria Fumaça steam train ride through the vineyards. Canela is home to the Cascata do Caracol (waterfall) and the Catedral de Pedra, and São Francisco de Paula leads the way to Cambará do Sul, where the Itaimbezinho and Fortaleza canyons cut through the Campos de Cima da Serra highlands.
It's a year-round destination: in winter, for the cold and the nights of wine; at the end of the year, for Gramado's Natal Luz Christmas festival; and in spring, for the gardens in bloom and for the grape harvest, which starts in summer. Distances are short, and in a few days you can combine food, shopping, nature and wineries in a single trip.
This destination brings together 10 cities: Caxias do Sul, Gramado, Canela, Bento Gonçalves, Garibaldi, Carlos Barbosa, Nova Petrópolis, São Francisco de Paula, Três Coroas, Cambará do Sul.
A look at the place
These pictures are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs. They may differ from the place.
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One destination, many paths
Start with one city or combine several in your itinerary.
Caxias do Sul combines city life and heritage tied to immigration in Serra Gaúcha. You can see monuments and cultural spaces, and explore rural routes around the city.
Gramado combines gardens, lakes and European-influenced architecture in Serra Gaúcha. You can walk around Lago Negro and mix outdoor outings with cultural activities in the center.
Canela combines architectural heritage and forested areas in Serra Gaúcha. You can visit the Catedral de Pedra and follow routes that lead from town to waterfalls and forest scenery.
Bento Gonçalves has a landscape and culture tied to Italian immigration and grape growing. You can explore rural routes and see historic buildings, trails and local traditions.
Garibaldi preserves historic houses and traditions tied to Italian immigration and winemaking. You can walk around the center and take in the rural landscape of the Serra Gaúcha valleys.
Carlos Barbosa brings together railroad memory and immigrant traditions in Serra Gaúcha. You can stroll through the Parque da Estação and explore the center, the local crafts and the town's rural roads.
Nova Petrópolis brings together gardens and German immigrant traditions in Serra Gaúcha. You can stroll around Praça das Flores, visit the Labirinto Verde (hedge maze) and explore the rural roads nearby.
São Francisco de Paula lies in the Campos de Cima da Serra highlands, among lakes, grasslands and araucaria forests. Walks along Lago São Bernardo can be combined with outings through the town's rural landscape.
Três Coroas lies in the Vale do Paranhana, among rivers and hills near Serra Gaúcha. You can stroll along the riverbanks, see the covered bridge and enjoy outdoor activities in the surrounding area.
Cambará do Sul lies in the Campos de Cima da Serra highlands, next to the canyons of the Serra Geral. You can hike trails in the national parks and see rock walls, grasslands and araucaria forests.
The local experience
Laid out in 1879, Rua Buarque de Macedo has dozens of buildings put up mostly between the 1880s and the 1930s, with French, Portuguese and Italian influences. The cobblestone paving and underground wiring preserve the old look of the ensemble.
Discover Centro Histórico (Rua Buarque de Macedo)
The town's postcard image, the lake is fed by eight springs and has landscaped shores, with pedal boats and an exercise area. Nearby are a small shrine and a mural honoring the tropeiros (cattle drovers) tied to the town's origins.
Inaugurated in 1954 by Getúlio Vargas at the entrance to the city, next to BR-116, it features a bronze group by Antônio Caringi depicting a farming couple with a child. The crypt beneath the sculptures now houses the Museu do Imigrante (Immigrant Museum).
Discover Monumento Nacional ao Imigrante
Opened in 1985 on a 10-hectare site, it recreates a German settler village with half-timbered buildings. There's a chapel, a parish house, a dance hall, a blacksmith shop, a school, a cemetery and a history museum.
Discover Parque Aldeia do Imigrante
The park is laid out around the railroad station opened in 1909, a building listed as a municipal heritage site. The tree-lined lawn has benches and a playground and hosts events throughout the year.
It's home to the Cascata do Caracol, a 131-meter waterfall that plunges through araucaria forest. There are viewpoints to see the waterfall from different angles.
The main attraction of the Parque Nacional da Serra Geral, it has cliff walls 7.5 kilometers long and up to 900 meters high. On clear days, the highest viewpoint takes in the Santa Catarina plain and the Rio Grande do Sul coast, and a trail leads to the Pedra do Segredo.
Built between 1953 and 1987 in English Neo-Gothic style, the Igreja Matriz Nossa Senhora de Lourdes has a 65-meter central tower. The carillon of 12 bronze bells, cast in Italy, was installed in 1972.
Its cornerstone was laid in 1895 and it opened in 1899. It stands on Praça Dante Alighieri and follows a simplified Neo-Gothic style inspired by the Basilica of Saint Anthony in Bologna. The interior has three naves, a Neo-Gothic high altar and stained glass from Germany.
Discover Catedral Santa Teresa
Opened in 1989 next to Praça das Flores, it's 28 meters across, with cypress walls over 2 meters high. The layout was inspired by the maze in Schönbusch Park, in Aschaffenburg, Germany.
A lake surrounded by pine trees and hydrangeas, with a tree-lined walking path and swan-shaped pedal boats. It's one of Gramado's postcard images.
At the top of the hill stands the Igreja Nossa Senhora das Dores, reached by a path lined with the Stations of the Cross. The site hosts the final scenes of the annual Passion of Christ reenactment and has a panoramic view of the town.
A preserved private area about 5 kilometers from the center, it has eight waterfalls spread along four trails of varying difficulty. The tallest, the Cascata da Ronda, is about 100 meters high.
Discover Parque das Oito Cachoeiras
The rapids of the Rio Paranhana make the town one of the top rafting destinations in southern Brazil, with a run of about 8 kilometers. Parks along the river also offer zip lines, treetop courses and rappelling.
Founded by Italian immigrant Manoel Peterlongo, it was the first in Brazil to make sparkling wine by the champenoise method. The basalt stone headquarters has a castle-shaped residence and an underground cellar open to visitors.
On the border with Santa Catarina, inside the Parque Nacional da Serra Geral, it has a viewpoint reached by a short, flat trail of about 600 meters. From the viewpoint you can see the twin waterfalls, which drop a combined total of about 100 meters.
Discover Cânion Índios Coroados
Built between 1913 and 1915 by Pedro Carlos Franzen from araucaria wood, without nails, it has been a museum since 1985. It keeps period furniture in its 18 rooms, plus an old sawmill and German immigrant houses.
Founded in 1931, the cooperative brings together hundreds of grape-growing families and is known for its sparkling wines. Guided tours tell the winery's story and include tastings.
Discover Cooperativa Vinícola Garibaldi
Created in 1968, this federal protected area covers about 1,600 hectares, with araucaria forest and areas of planted species. It has signposted trails, a grove of centuries-old araucarias and more than 200 bird species; visits require an appointment.
Discover Floresta Nacional de São Francisco de Paula
An open-air park with hundreds of miniatures of European castles, villages and train stations at reduced scale. It's especially popular with families and kids.
At 665 meters above sea level, it's one of the state's free-flight ramps, used for paragliding and hang gliding practice. From the top there's a wide view of the valley and the surrounding landscape; visits require an appointment.
A municipal free-flight ramp opened in 1989, it sits at 684 meters above sea level, about 4 kilometers from the center. The viewpoint offers a 270-degree view over the Vale do Caí.
About 70 meters long, the covered bridge crosses the Rio Paranhana and draws on German building traditions. It's one-way for vehicles and gets special lighting at night.
Discover Ponte Coberta Armindo Lauffer
Opened in 1978 at the Parque da Festa da Uva, the group of 22 buildings reproduces the village as it was in 1885, following the building techniques of the time. The buildings, almost all wooden, now house shops and spaces open to visitors.
Discover Réplica de Caxias do Sul de 1885
A covered stretch of Rua Madre Verônica, in the center, opened in December 1996 as a meeting point for locals and visitors. It's packed with cafés and restaurants and hosts events such as the opening of Natal Luz and Film Festival shows.
About 3 kilometers from the center, the Campo Bom stream forms two falls, the main one about 15 meters high. The surroundings have rock walls, araucaria forests, giant tree ferns and native grasslands.
Discover Cachoeira do Tio França
Rebuilt after a fire destroyed the previous church in 1920, it opened in 1924 with a Neo-Gothic design from France. The work was led by Friar Bruno de Gillonnay, with support from the local Catholic community.
Discover Igreja Matriz São Pedro
The original wooden chapel, from 1917, gave way to the current basalt stone church, which took eight years to build. Inside, the stained glass windows depict scenes from the life of the apostle Peter alongside Jesus.
Discover Igreja Matriz São Pedro Apóstolo
Along RS-235, it has more than 30 themed gardens with about 300 plant species, connected by paths totaling 8 kilometers. One of the highlights is the 102-meter wisteria tunnel.
Discover Mátria Parque de Flores
Founded in 1991 by the Urbani brothers, it has working replicas of steam-powered machines, such as a brickworks, a quarry and power plants. The facade reproduces the 1895 accident at the Montparnasse station in Paris, when a locomotive crashed through the wall.
Built in the late 19th century by Giuseppe Lucchese and his sons, with stones set in clay, the house became a museum in 1975. The collection, donated by the community, shows utensils, furniture, clothing and tools from the lives of Italian immigrants.
Discover Museu Ambiência Casa de Pedra
The Linha Imperial araucaria is 35 meters tall and 2 meters in diameter, the second largest in the state by that measure. A tourist attraction since 1998, it was listed as a municipal natural heritage site in 2023.
Discover Pinheiro Multissecular
Brazil's benchmark wine region, with dozens of wineries open for visits, tastings and lunch among the vineyards. The landscape of hills covered in grapes is a portrait of Italian settlement in southern Brazil.
A cooperative founded in 1931 by 16 families, it now has more than 1,100 members and is in the city center. The guided tour goes through the underground cellars, with casks and tanks, and ends with a tasting.
Opened in 1917 on the hilltop of Ana Rech, it replaced an 1881 wooden chapel and has two towers and a wide staircase leading up to it. Residents helped build it by passing the materials hand to hand up the hill.
Discover Igreja Nossa Senhora do Caravaggio de Ana Rech
Built in the 1980s in honor of the Italian immigrants, the church is shaped like a pipa, a barrel used in winemaking. Inside are stained glass windows, a wooden altar and pews decorated with bunches of grapes.
Opened in 2021, the glass platform juts out 35 meters over the Vale da Ferradura, 360 meters high. From there you can see the horseshoe-shaped bend of the Rio Caí, and the complex also includes a museum of clothes irons.
Opened in 2013, it was the first indoor snow park in the Americas, with 8,100 square meters of snow-covered area. It offers ski and snowboard lessons on a 120-meter slope, ice skating and snow tubing.
A steam locomotive that covers about 23 km between Bento Gonçalves, Garibaldi and Carlos Barbosa, with live music and wine and sparkling wine tastings on board. The stations preserve an early 20th-century feel.
A rural route that preserves stone and wood houses built by Italian immigrants, now turned into workshops, mills, cantinas and cafés serving café colonial. It's a step back into the daily life of the first settlements.
The main attraction of the Parque Nacional dos Aparados da Serra, with sheer walls about 700 meters deep and almost 6 km long. The Vértice and Cotovelo trails lead to the best viewpoints.
A brightly colored Tibetan Buddhist temple tucked into the mountains, open to visitors. The Eastern architecture in the middle of the Rio Grande do Sul forest surprises everyone who arrives.
Discover Templo Budista Chagdud Gonpa Khadro Ling
Your base to explore
Where you stay is part of the trip. Choose the area that best fits your itinerary.
A Blue Tree chain hotel on Rua Pinheiro Machado, with themed suites that evoke gaúcho, Italian and German cultures. It has a heated indoor pool, a sauna and event spaces, for business and leisure travel.
A hotel founded in 1916 near the Catedral de Pedra, run by the Corrêa family for four generations, with about 90 rooms and chalets on 8.5 hectares. It has its own history museum and hosts both tourists and weddings and events.
A hotel on Rua João Corrêa, in the center, with 35 rooms in categories ranging from standard to a suite with a bathtub, plus an accessible room. It serves breakfast with regional products, about 20 minutes from Gramado.
A hotel opened in 1998 on Avenida Borges de Medeiros, with 77 units including suites, rooms and lofts, a spa and the carousel that became one of the town's postcard images. It suits those who want to stay within walking distance of the Rua Coberta and the Igreja Matriz.
A hotel in a 1953 building inspired by the châteaux of the Loire Valley, heir to the inn opened in 1870 by immigrant Sebastiano Casacurta. It has 31 rooms, a wine cellar and a restaurant, and caters to those who come for wine tourism and the town's sparkling wines.
A hotel facing Lago São Bernardo, in a building constructed in the 1930s as a casino and reopened as a hotel in 1978. It has rooms with lake views, a playground and a party hall, for families, about 35 km from Gramado and Canela.
A hotel opened in 1964 by the Becker family in the building that housed the town's first hotel and first hospital, which the owners describe as the oldest hotel still operating in town. Today it runs on solar energy and suits those who want to stay in the center.
A budget hotel on Rua Doutor Carlos Barbosa, with a garden, terrace, bar and 24-hour front desk. It suits those visiting the town on business or using Carlos Barbosa as a base for the Maria Fumaça train, about 16 km away.
A boutique hotel on the Caminhos de Pedra, with stone architecture inspired by the homes of the first Italian immigrants, renovated in 2019 by the Benini and Parisotto families. It suits couples who want to stay on the rural winery route.
A glamping hotel from the Casa Hotéis chain on the Estrada do Faxinal, inspired by African lodges, with the Bee Wellness spa and a heated infinity pool. It offers access to Fazenda Camarinhas and suits those coming to see the canyons.
A budget hotel on Rua Borges de Medeiros, which cites 70 years of tradition in the city, with air-conditioned rooms, breakfast and parking. It suits families and business travelers who want to stay in the center.
A hotel in the Planalto neighborhood, less than 1 km from the Fundaparque Events Center and 1.5 km from the center, with four air-conditioned spaces for up to about 2,000 people. It caters to those attending trade fairs, conferences and corporate events.
A pousada in the Vila Suzana neighborhood, about 2 km from the Catedral de Pedra, with suites with fireplaces, an outdoor pool, a garden, a gym and an indoor beach tennis court. It suits couples and families who prefer to stay away from the bustle of the center.
A hotel with 47 years of history on Rua Buarque de Macedo, reopened in October 2023 after a renovation with 12 of its original 54 suites. It keeps a historic chapel, a memorial to the building and a sparkling wine bistro, for couples and small events.
A family-run pousada opened in 2000 and managed by the Schumann family, with German-inspired architecture and a homemade café colonial. It has gardens, a pool and a picnic area, for a quiet stay about 35 minutes from Gramado.
Lodging in shipping containers in the Loteamento Novo area, with a kitchen, fireplace and outdoor bathtub in each unit. Breakfast arrives in a basket on the deck overlooking the araucaria valley, for couples and families.
A pousada affiliated with Roteiros de Charme, 2.5 km from the center, with chalets with fireplaces and hot tubs. It has a pool, a sauna and a tree house for meals, for couples looking to unwind in the woods.
A pousada in business for 25 years on Rua Rio Branco, near the Parque da Estação, the Igreja Matriz and the shopping street. It offers simple rooms with breakfast, for those who want to get around the center on foot.
A pousada on RS-115, in the Sander neighborhood, 1.5 km from the center, with 22 rooms and breakfast overlooking the Rio Paranhana. It has a pool, trails and fishing, for those coming for rafting and the Serra.
A resort on Avenida das Hortênsias with more than 200 rooms on 30,000 m² of green space with araucarias, four restaurants and a convention center for up to 1,600 people. It caters to families and conference attendees who want to stay near the center.
A set of four themed cabins, one for each season of the year, in the Alpes de São Francisco development, surrounded by Atlantic Forest. It offers trails and guided walks, for couples who want to stay close to nature.
A hotel set in a restored former seminary, on 14 hectares in the Vila Suíça neighborhood, with chalets built inside century-old wine casks. It caters to families looking for trails and horseback riding without leaving the urban area.
The Fioreze family's chalets in araucaria forest in Linha Ávila, a rural area about 3 km from the center, with breakfast served on a wood-burning stove. It suits families with kids, who can feed the animals and fish on the property.
A hotel in the Fazenda Souza district, about 18 km from the center, with 46 rooms, two restaurants, a lake with trails and two auditoriums for 120 people each. It hosts retreats, groups and events in a rural setting.
A pousada founded in 1985 on Rua Munique, with living rooms, a library, pools for adults and children and a large garden. It serves café colonial and has event rooms, catering to families and work groups.
An Ibis chain hotel on Rua Buarque de Macedo, a seven-minute walk from the Parque da Estação, with a kids' area, auditorium and 24-hour bar. It caters to business travelers and tourists heading to the Chandon winery and the Parque Salto Ventoso.
A pousada in Capela de Santa Lúcia, in the Vale dos Vinhedos, 200 meters from the Pizzato winery and 3 km from Miolo. It suits those who want to tour the valley's wineries while staying about 12 km from the city center.
Cabins for couples and families inside the Parque das Laranjeiras, on the Estrada Geral de Linha Café, a park for rafting, rappelling, zip lining and canoeing. It suits those coming for adventure sports on the Rio Paranhana.
Cabins shaped like wine casks in Linha Anunciata, in São José de Costa Real, each with a fireplace, kitchen and ofurô. There are trails through the vineyards and a picnic area by the lake, for couples looking for a rural stay.
A pousada on the Estrada da Reserva, in the Osvaldo Kroeff neighborhood, with rooms with private bathroom, TV and patio, and a breakfast buffet. It suits those looking for simple lodging as a base for canyon outings.
Hotel Villa Michelon is in the Vale dos Vinhedos area of Bento Gonçalves. It offers a restaurant; leisure park and sports courts; event center.
Spa do Vinho Condomínio Vitivinícola sits on a hilltop surrounded by 18 hectares of its own vineyards, in Bento Gonçalves. It has restaurants, pools in the Vino.Spa complex and wine therapy treatments.
Pousada Cantelli is on the Caminhos de Pedra route, in an 1878 stone house, in Bento Gonçalves.
Pousada do Chalé is close to the center of Bento Gonçalves. It offers breakfast, Wi-Fi, a heated pool, 24-hour front desk, parking and allows pets; air conditioning in selected room types.
Pousada Thiany is 800 m from the events park and five blocks from Shopping L'América, in Bento Gonçalves. It offers breakfast served by the adjoining bistro, an ofurô, coworking and a green area for walks.
Malbec Casa Hotel is at the entrance to the Caminhos de Pedra, in Bento Gonçalves. It offers breakfast, parking, 24-hour front desk, Wi-Fi in some public areas, solar-heated pool; small pets allowed by arrangement.
Dall'Onder Planalto is on Bento Gonçalves's Via Gastronômica (restaurant street), 200 m from the Grande Hotel. It offers breakfast, Wi-Fi, a restaurant, a bar, a gym, a kids' area and covered valet parking.
Hotel Vinocap is in the heart of Bento Gonçalves. It offers breakfast, Wi-Fi, air conditioning, heating, minibar, parking, gym, laundry, elevators and a 24-hour front desk.
Hotel Somensi is in the Cidade Alta neighborhood of Bento Gonçalves. It offers a country-style breakfast, covered garage, Wi-Fi, air conditioning and a 24-hour front desk.
Laghetto Viverone Bento is in the São Bento neighborhood of Bento Gonçalves. It offers breakfast, a restaurant, gym, Jacuzzi, sauna, kids' area, parking and allows pets.
Laghetto Viverone Estação is next to the Maria Fumaça Station, in Bento Gonçalves. It offers breakfast, Wi-Fi, a gym, game room, parking and allows pets.
Hotel Mont Blanc is in the São Francisco neighborhood of Bento Gonçalves.
Borghetto Sant'Anna is ten minutes from the center of Bento Gonçalves, at the start of the Rota das Vinícolas (winery route).
Cambará Eco Hotel is in Cambará do Sul. It offers breakfast, the Lago restaurant, air conditioning and heating.
Cabanas Brisa dos Canyons is in Cambará do Sul. It offers breakfast, Wi-Fi, air conditioning, parking; options with a kitchen; small pets on request.
Pousada Cardoso is 1 km from the center of Cambará do Sul, 18 km from Itaimbezinho and 20 km from Fortaleza. It offers breakfast, Wi-Fi, air conditioning, heater, private parking; small pets allowed; hot tub in the Master room.
Pousada Morada da Serra is in Cambará do Sul. It offers heating and air conditioning, Wi-Fi, minibar and gas water heating.
Pousada Aparados is in the center of Cambará do Sul.
Pousada Refúgio dos Coiotes is in Cambará do Sul. It offers a homemade breakfast; Restaurante do Lago.
Costão do Cambará is north of Cambará do Sul, bordering the Serra Geral and Aparados da Serra parks. It has its own restaurant; trails; pets allowed subject to the rules.
Pousada Cafundó is in the countryside of Cambará do Sul. It offers breakfast included; parking; Wi-Fi; hot tub with chromotherapy; heating; no pets.
Hotel Tissiani Canela is in Canela. It offers Wi-Fi, parking, breakfast, a library, a playroom, a coffee shop and room service.
Tri Hotel Canela is in Vila Suzana, in Canela. It offers breakfast, Wi-Fi, air conditioning, a heated adult and kids' pool, restaurant, bar, gym, kids' area, baby kitchen and paid parking.
Pousada Doce Canela is in Canela. It offers breakfast, air conditioning, heating and Wi-Fi.
Hotel Serra Nevada is in the center of Canela. It has a heated pool, gym, saunas, Jacuzzi, games, restaurant, bar, Wi-Fi and valet parking.
Blumen Hotel Boutique is less than 200 m from the Catedral de Pedra, in the center of Canela. It offers breakfast and a spa by appointment.
Jangal das Araucárias is in the center of Canela. It offers Wi-Fi, heating, covered parking, breakfast, a heated pool and the Piño Cozinha restaurant.
Pousada Ruppenthal is in the center of Canela. Breakfast and parking are included in the booking.
Laghetto Viverone Canela is in the center of Canela. It offers breakfast, pool, spa, sauna, gym, kids' area, restaurant, bar; paid parking; pets allowed.
Hotel Pousada do Bosque is a five-minute drive from the center and two minutes from the Parque do Caracol, in Canela. It offers breakfast; air conditioning; Wi-Fi; private parking; playground; game room; baby kitchen; 24-hour front desk.
Don Ramon Hotel & Spa is in Canela. It offers breakfast; afternoon tea; concierge; butler; spa; dinner in the wine cellar.
Sky Ville Canela is 300 meters from the main square, in Canela. It offers breakfast; heated pool; hot tubs; ofurôs; Wi-Fi; air conditioning; heating; paid parking; playroom.
Hotel Pequenino is in Canela, on the avenue between Gramado and Canela, less than 3 km from the Catedral de Pedra and 650 m from Mundo a Vapor. It offers breakfast; Wi-Fi; air conditioning; parking; 24-hour front desk.
Samuara Hotel is a few minutes from the center of Caxias do Sul. It offers a pool; trails; air conditioning.
Cosmos Hotel is in the center of Caxias do Sul. It offers breakfast; Wi-Fi; air conditioning; heating; parking; pets allowed; gym.
Tri Hotel Smart Caxias is in the Nossa Senhora de Lourdes neighborhood of Caxias do Sul. It offers breakfast; Wi-Fi; air conditioning; paid parking; business center; 24-hour front desk.
Tri Hotel & Flat Caxias is in the center of Caxias do Sul. It offers breakfast; Wi-Fi; air conditioning; paid parking.
Tri Hotel Executive Caxias is in the Pio X neighborhood of Caxias do Sul. It offers breakfast; Wi-Fi; air conditioning; gym; restaurant; bar; paid parking; room service.
Swan Caxias do Sul is in the center of Caxias do Sul. It offers breakfast; gym; heated pool; restaurant; bar; room service.
ibis Caxias do Sul is nine minutes from the center of Caxias do Sul. It offers optional breakfast; air conditioning; Wi-Fi; parking; dogs allowed; restaurant; 24-hour bar; kids' area.
Hotel Pieta is in the center of Garibaldi. It offers Wi-Fi throughout the hotel; pets allowed; access for people with disabilities; monitored parking.
Pousada Botte di Vino is in Garibaldi. It offers breakfast in the room; Wi-Fi; air conditioning; kitchen or kitchenette; private parking; pets allowed; ofurô (Japanese soaking tub).
Villa Bella Hotel & Spa Gramado is 1,500 meters from the center of Gramado, overlooking the Vale do Quilombo. It offers a bistro; spa; accessible rooms.
Hotel Ritta Höppner is 900 meters from the Rua Coberta, in Gramado. It offers breakfast; afternoon tea; restaurant; heated indoor pool; parking; electric vehicle charging; kids' area.
Hotel Recanto da Serra Gramado is in the center, about 150 m from Rua Torta and Avenida Borges de Medeiros, in Gramado. It offers breakfast; restaurant; heated indoor and outdoor pools; Wi-Fi; paid parking; gym; sauna; up to two pets of up to 10 kg allowed, in the chalets only.
Wood Hotel is in the center of Gramado. It offers bikes for guests; Ocre bar; electric vehicle charging.
Laghetto Siena is in the center of Gramado. It offers breakfast; Wi-Fi; heated pool; sauna; gym; restaurant; room service; paid parking; pets allowed; kids' area.
Hotel Serrazul is in the center of Gramado, close to the main attractions.
Villa Flor Ecoresort is close to the center of Nova Petrópolis. It offers breakfast.
Hotel Alles Berg is in the center of Nova Petrópolis. It offers breakfast; restaurant; gym; pool; private parking; garden; lounge; accessible rooms.
Pousada Verde Paraíso is in the Dos Boêmios neighborhood of Nova Petrópolis. It offers breakfast included; enclosed monitored parking; trails; museum on the property.
Pousada Bina's Haus is in the Linha Imperial area of Nova Petrópolis. It offers breakfast; private parking; high-speed Wi-Fi; café.
Pousada Brombatti is in the Pousada da Neve neighborhood of Nova Petrópolis. It offers breakfast; Wi-Fi; air conditioning; heating; pool; spa; gym; covered garage; elevator; accessible bathroom; no pets.
Tedesco Eco Park is in the Campos de Cima da Serra highlands, in São Francisco de Paula. It offers a restaurant; air conditioning; Wi-Fi; pets allowed in the Master and Luxo tents.
AMARTE Biocentro de Desenvolvimento Integral is in Três Coroas. Its Reset Natural program includes lodging, breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Flavors of the destination
A café colonial opened in 1986 in a century-old house on Rua João Leão, with a view of the valley. It serves more than 45 sweet and savory items at the table, for those who want to try the town's German-tradition spread.
A café opened in 1936 by Antônio Comunello on Rua Buarque de Macedo, inspired by the cafés of Buenos Aires. By day it serves coffee, ice cream and bauru sandwiches; at night it turns into a pub with live music and pizza.
A café and restaurant opened in 1999 on RS-020, in the Tainhas district, near the junction with the Rota do Sol. It serves snacks, à la carte dishes, lunch and country-style products, a stop for those traveling through the Campos de Cima da Serra.
A restaurant opened in 2022 in an old mansion on Rua Prefeito João Alfredo, with chef Roberta Rech and grill master Fernando Schimanoski. The cooking draws on gaúcho tradition and the open fire, with a fire area featuring a parrilla grill and pit smokers that opened in 2025.
A restaurant opened in 2008 in a wooden house with a stone basement built in 1935 by Pietro Strapazzon and restored in 1996 by the Caminhos de Pedra project. Chef Jerusa Vanni runs a kitchen with Italian roots, and there's a glass table over a well.
A bar and restaurant opened in 1953 on Avenida Itália, in the São Pelegrino neighborhood, whose signature dish is still the Bauru do Danúbio (sandwich). It's open for lunch, for those who want to try a traditional city spot.
A Tibetan restaurant on Rua Alagoas, in the Águas Brancas neighborhood, created by Tibetan chef Ogyen Shak and Drika Shak. It serves Tibetan and Asian dishes to visitors in Três Coroas who want to try the cuisine of Tibet.
A fondue house opened in 1982 by the Tomasini family in an Alpine-style chalet on Avenida das Hortênsias. It was one of the first in Brazil to specialize in the dish and caters to those who want the full cheese, meat and chocolate sequence.
A pizzeria opened in 2008 on Rua Rio Branco, near the Tramontina store, with savory and sweet pizzas from a wood-fired oven. It offers all-you-can-eat pizza and pasta, for families and groups in the center.
A restaurant in the center specializing in fresh trout, with ingredients from its own organic garden, pinhão (araucaria pine nuts), queijo serrano (local mountain cheese) and honey. The tables were made from the wood of demolished houses in town, and there are vegetarian and vegan options.
A rustic-style restaurant on Rua Dona Úrsula, with a menu of crepes, seafood and a list of Brazilian and imported wines. Dishes include camarão na moranga (shrimp served in a pumpkin), for dinner in the center.
A galeteria (spit-roasted chicken restaurant) on BR-470, in the town where Paulo Geremia founded the Di Paolo chain three decades ago. It serves all-you-can-eat galeto with capeletti soup, polenta and pasta in a rustic dining room with stone walls.
A fondue house opened in 2014 on Avenida Osvaldo Aranha, rebuilt after a fire in 2016. It serves cheese, meat and chocolate courses, with a vegan option, and also runs Espaço Chez for snacks and wine.
A restaurant in the Vale dos Vinhedos devoted to the cooking of the gaúcho, Uruguayan and Argentine pampas, prepared over fire. It revives country recipes, ingredients and techniques and appeared on 2023 lists by Exame and Prazeres da Mesa magazines.
A bistro opened by the Klauck Moraes siblings in their great-grandfather's 1950s house, next to the Igreja Matriz São Pedro, with recipes handed down from the grandmother the restaurant is named after. The menu revolves around risottos and there's a garden out back.
A Spanish and Mediterranean restaurant in the Exposição neighborhood, with a focus on seafood. It serves tapas, paella and grilled seafood, for dinners in an intimate setting.
A restaurant in the center known for a sandwich more than 30 centimeters long and weighing about 2.5 kilos, made for four people. It also serves xis (the local loaded burger sandwich) and an all-you-can-eat or by-the-kilo buffet, for those looking for a casual meal.
A restaurant in the Mátria Boulevard complex, on RS-235, that blends mountain, Argentine and Uruguayan cooking. The menu revolves around the parrilla (grill), with lunch for families and groups of friends.
A restaurant on Avenida 15 de Novembro decorated with antiques from local German immigrant families. It serves cheese fondue, meat cooked on a hot stone and chocolate fondue, as well as German recipes, for those who want dinner in the center.
A restaurant and churrascaria on Avenida Santa Maria, in the center of Três Coroas, simple in style and popular with locals. Lunch is a buffet, with grilled meats, salads, hot dishes and desserts, and it's a handy stop between outings in the Vale do Paranhana.
A bean-to-bar chocolate maker on the VRS-855 road, on the Caminhos de Pedra, that makes chocolate from bean to bar. The building uses reclaimed bricks and works as a shop and café with savory dishes, a stop for those touring the route.
A restaurant on BR-116, in Vila Cristina, that grew out of a gas station built in 1983 by Simone Rizzi's father. It serves a regional and international buffet, grilled meats and coffee, and sells its own olive oil.
A German restaurant on RS-235, in the Dos Boêmios neighborhood, with traditional dishes and contemporary takes. Besides lunch, it serves coffee, afternoon tea, cocktails and wine, and welcomes pets.
A brewery founded in 2003 in Canela's Industrial District, with a restaurant, beer garden and pub in a native forest setting. The menu has German food, pasta, pizza and snacks, for those who want to try the house-brewed draft beer.
A burger joint with a bar and a relaxed vibe on Avenida João Corrêa, in Três Coroas. The menu features handmade burgers with homemade fries and draft beer, and it draws locals and visitors looking for a casual meal.
A cantina created by Ademir Troian and Elaine Maestri, with all-you-can-eat trout fillet with 12 sauces and galeto primo canto (spit-roasted young chicken). Dishes come with grilled cheese and polenta, and the cooking follows the tradition of Italian immigration.
A family osteria on the Estrada do Sabor, in Linha São Jorge, with a packed-earth floor, wooden tables and family photos. Chef Odete prepares Italian comfort-food recipes from memory with organic and biodynamic ingredients.
A restaurant on Avenida Júlio de Castilhos, in the center, with an all-you-can-eat buffet of grilled meats, cheeses, salads and hot dishes. It serves locals and visitors looking for a buffet meal downtown.
An Italian restaurant on Avenida das Hortênsias, near the Igreja do Relógio, with pasta, steaks, fish and meat fondue on a hot stone. It has a climate-controlled wine cellar with Brazilian and imported labels, for those who want dinner within walking distance of the center.
A Japanese restaurant on Rua Assis Brasil, with sushi, temaki, hot dishes and combos. It offers dine-in and delivery, an Asian option for those in town.
Before you go
A little planning leaves more time to enjoy the journey.
Salgado Filho Airport, in Porto Alegre, is about 120 km from Gramado via BR-116 and RS-115 (around 2 hours by car). Caxias do Sul has a regional airport, about 40 km from Bento Gonçalves. There are buses from Porto Alegre to Gramado, Canela and Bento Gonçalves.
June to August, for the cold and the cozy fireplace atmosphere. October to January, for Gramado's Natal Luz. January to March, for the grape harvest at the wineries of the Vale dos Vinhedos. July and the Natal Luz season are the busiest: book your lodging in advance.
Plan 4 to 5 days: two or three for Gramado and Canela, and one or two for the Vale dos Vinhedos, in Bento Gonçalves. To include the canyons of Cambará do Sul, add one more day, because the drive is long and the tours start early.
Gramado is the best base for most people: it has the widest choice of hotels and restaurants, and Canela is 8 km away. Canela tends to be quieter and more affordable. If wineries are your priority, spend one or two nights in Bento Gonçalves, in the Vale dos Vinhedos. For the canyons, there are rural pousadas (guesthouses) in Cambará do Sul.
Take your trash with you, follow the signs and support local businesses. In natural areas, follow the visiting guidelines.
Get your questions answered
Not for Gramado and Canela, which are connected by bus and have taxis and ride-hailing apps. For the Vale dos Vinhedos, the Caminhos de Pedra and the canyons of Cambará do Sul, a car makes things much easier, because the attractions are spread across the countryside. If you don't drive, you can book tours with transportation.
The two are neighbors and complement each other. Gramado has the busier center, the shops, the restaurants and the events, such as Natal Luz. Canela is quieter and closer to the nature attractions, such as the Cascata do Caracol, the Parque da Ferradura and the Catedral de Pedra.
It can snow on rare winter days, mainly in the higher areas, such as Cambará do Sul and São Francisco de Paula, but you can't plan your trip counting on snow. What is guaranteed from June to August is the cold, with frequent frost in the early morning.
Yes, but it makes for a rushed day: the two areas are about 100 km apart. It's best to spend a night in Bento Gonçalves, visit the wineries at a relaxed pace and, if possible, take the Maria Fumaça steam train to Garibaldi and Carlos Barbosa.
Natal Luz usually starts in late October and runs until mid-January, with parades, shows and the whole town decorated. It's the most popular time of year, along with the July school holidays, so book lodging and show tickets in advance.
