Santa Cruz do Sul

Santa Cruz do Sul  is a city in central Rio Grande do Sul. The city sits about 150 km from the capital, Porto Alegre.

Understand
The city of Santa Cruz do Sul was founded in 1844 and is famous in the region for its annual events, including Rio Grande do Sul's Oktoberfest, a German culture festival, and ENART, a festival celebrating the gaúcho culture of the state. Both events attract masses of visitors to the city and mobilize the entire economy of the region.

Even outside these events, Santa Cruz do Sul is itself a charming city with a fantastic cathedral and a lovely main shopping street. Together with the neighboring, heritage-rich towns of Sinimbu and Rio Pardo, as well as the surrounding German-colonised rural area, the region is a worthy side-trip from Porto Alegre or the Serras Gaúchas region.