Porto Alegre has a history of 217 years. Founded in 1772, with the foundation of brick factories and stone houses covered with clay roofing constructed on Rua da Praia, where the Usina do Gasômetro is located today, Porto Alegre has leisure and service structures ready for the oncoming of the century. At the big "churrascarias" (barbecue restaurants) and traditional centers, tourists encounter "chimarrão" (a piping hot herb tea served on special gourds called bombas/bombs) barbecue, typical dances and "gaúcho" tradition. Porto Alegre is a city of contrasts and monuments. The river is near the modern Beira-Rio (Riverside) Avenue, 5.5 in length, reach the South zone beaches. From Santa Tereza and Turista hills, one has a dazzling view, which extends to Viamão, Cachoeirinha, Alvorada, Gua'ba and Gravata', the neighboring countries.

SERVICES

TRF o.w. Airport / Hotel - Passengers will be met at the arrival gate and will be accompanied to the hotel. Guide will assist passengers with handling of luggage at the airport, at the hotel and check-in procedures. Gratuities are included.

TRF o.w. Porto Alegre / Gramado or Canela (133km)Passengers will either be met at the arrival gate or be picked-up at the hotel by a guide and boarding a vehicle will be transferred to the cities of Gramado or Canela in the mountain resort area. Guide will assist passengers with handling of luggage at the hotel, at the airport and check-in procedures. Gratuities are included.

TRF o.w. Porto Alegre / Caxias do Sul (131 km) - Passengers will be either met at the airport gate or be picked-up at the hotel by a guide and boarding a vehicle will be transferred to Caxias do Sul. Guide will assist passengers with handling of luggage at the hotel, at the airport and check-in procedures. Gratuities are included. Caxias do Sul is the biggest economic and social center of the region. Its Italian restaurants are famous, and the "Festa da Uva", held every two years, shows the richness of the grapes' production. Highlights: São Pelegrino's Church with panels painted by Aldo Locatelli, Immigrants Monument, Municipal Museum and Casa de Pedra (Stone House).

TRF o.w. Porto Alegre / Novo Hamburgo (48 km)Passengers will be either met at the airport gate or be picked-up at the hotel by a guide and boarding a vehicle will be transferred to Novo Hamburgo. Guide will assist passengers with handling of luggage at the hotel, at the airport and check-in procedures. Gratuities are included. In Novo Hamburgo, the shoe-land, visitors find the largest shopping center for shoes, leather goods and handicrafts.

H/D City Tour Duration: 3 hrs. Operated daily at 9:00. Tour will pass by downtown Porto Alegre, visiting its monuments, Government Palace, São Pedro Theater, the Cathedral and public market.

F/D Wine Counties Tour with Lunch Duration: 8 hrs. Operated daily at 8:30. This tour will visit the cities of Garibaldi and Bento Gonçalves, or Bento Gonçalves and Caxias do Sul, depending on the weather and time of the year. These are the wine producing centers in Brazil and tour will visit wine cellars and tour members will be invited to wine tasting.

F/D Gramado + Canela Mountain Resort Towns Tour with Lunch Duration: 8 hrs. Operated daily at 8:30. Gramado is permanently involved with tourism and tourists. Built in Bavarian style, it is a city aimed at pleasing the visitor. Besides its excellent hotel network, restaurant and colonial coffee-shops, the main attractions are: Lago Negro (Black Lake), Knorr Park - a 4.5 hectares area, Narcisos Waterfall, Vale do Quilombo Belvedere - on the road between Canela and Gramado, Montanha Square, Rosas Square and Cascata da Morte (waterfall) with a 30 mt drop over a rocky bottom. Canela at 99 mt above sea level recalls a typical village of the European Alps. The Parque do Caracol (park) with its waterfall can be seen from a Belvedere up the valley.

F/D Itaimbezinho Canyon Tour with Lunch Duration: 8 hrs. Operated daily at 8:30. This area is called "Fields on top of the Mountains" - unlike the Grand Canyon in the United States, Itaimbezinho is a 4km long canyon system with drops of 500 mts deep, has all mountains covered by dense vegetation, forming the Aparados da Serra National Park, at the highest region of the state. After a visit to the area, return trip to Porto Alegre will pass by the city of São Francisco de Paula. Lunch will be at the Gaucho Tradition Center (a typical gaucho barbecue and homemade food). After lunch, tour of São Francisco de Paulo, visiting "Campos de Cima da Serra" - a hamlet (the highlands - dales) and visit to the Salto Dam.

F/D A Day at the Farm Tour with Lunch Duration: 8 hrs. Operated daily at 8:30. Tour departs Porto Alegre after breakfast, to visit some farms. First stop will be at a cattle-raising farm 110km away. In this farm they breed "Charolês" beef cattle, Suffolk sheep and Crioulo horses. Visit continues to the slaughter house and embryo transplant lab. Lunch will be at the farm's main house (Casa Grande) with local folk music. The house, by a lake is in a preserved area with native trees. After lunch a leisurely walk around the property visiting the silos and grain selection department. Rice and soybeans are planted in the months of October, November and December and harvested in March, April and May.

Porto Alegre by Night Tour with Dinner Duration: 3 hrs. Operated daily at 20:00. Leaving the hotel, tour will pass by the downtown area and floodlit city. Dinner will be at a typical restaurant that serves delicious food that is a mix of the immigrants' traditional dishes and those of the gauchos.