Caxias do Sul

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 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 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
Airlines serving Caxias do Sul include:

By bus


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!

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




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.
 * Localiza Rent a Car
 * Yes Renta a Car
 * Hertz
 * City Rent a Car

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.