Porto Alegre
From World travel guide
Porto Alegre is the capital city of Rio Grande do Sul, the southernmost state in Brazil.
Contents |
Understand
Get in
By plane
Porto Alegre's international airport is Salgado Filho (POA), located 4.3 miles (7km) from downtown. It's served by all major brazilian airlines (VARIG, TAM, GOL, BRA, Webjet) and some foreign ones (AEROLINEAS ARGENTINAS, OCEANAIR, PLUNA, UAIR). There is a train station (known as trensurb by locals) and bus stops near the airport. However, it is recommended to take a cab ("taxi" for locals) in order to leave the airport, because the nearby trensurb station is not exactly close to the airport facility and the available buses don't take you downtown and the cab rides are not very expensive.
The airport facility is somewhat modern (it has been built near 2001) and it has a shopping-like structure, with restaurants, shops and even movie theaters.
By car
Porto Alegre is served by two major highways: BR-116, crossing it North-South and BR-290, crossing it East-West. The first can be used to visit destinations like Gramado and Canela (both North); the latter gives access to/from Rio Grande do Sul's litoral (East) and to/from Argentina (West).
Be advised that some of these roads are dangerous, for they have poor signaling/conditions and lots of trucks. Keep your travels by car on these roads to the duplicated ones and, if possible, during the day.
By bus
The long distance bus station ("rodoviária") is located downtown and is served by several national and international lines (UNESUL, TTL, EGA, PLUMA, FLECHABUS, CHILEBUS). It is also connected to a trensurb station and several municipal bus lines.
Get around
See
- Sunset: Porto Alegre has a beautiful sunset over its main river, Guaíba. Best enjoyable at western places like Gasômetro and Ipanema. Beware that this event longs about five minutes only.
- Santuário Mãe de Deus, Rua do Santuário 400, Bairro Cascata (accessible from Av. Oscar Pereira): A beautiful church almost unknown by most porto-alegrenses. It is placed in an great location, with nice views of Porto Alegre and nearby cities landscapes. Built in 1992, it has a modern architecture and engineering, designed to support the strong winds of the location. It is somewhat difficult to get to this place, for there are no buses near and a cab ride from downtown would be pricey. However, if you rent a car in Porto Alegre, it's worth trying.
- Usina do Gasômetro
- MARGS, Praça da Alfândega, Downtown, phone (51) 3227-2311,
(fax (51) 3221-2646, e-mail museu.margs@terra.com.br), [1] (in portuguese): The local Museum of Art. Open from Tuesdays to Sundays, from 10am to 7pm. There's a permanent collection and an area that is often receiving new exhibitions. There's also a bistrot and a store that sells art books and souvenirs. The entrance is free.
- Museu de Ciências e Tecnologia da PUC, Av. Ipiranga 6681, Building #40, phone (51) 3320.3597 [2] (in portuguese): It is open from Tuesdays to Sundays, from 9am to 5pm. The entrance is 10 reais (5 reais for children under 12 and seniors).
- Praça de Shiga:
Do
- Parque da Redenção. Also known as Parque Farroupilha (the official name). Great gathering place at sunny weekends, when porto-alegrenses meet their friends to drink chimarrão and walk.
- Linha Turismo. Travessa do Carmo Street 84, phones (51) 3213-3464 and (51) 3212-1628: a tourist bus line that passes through 11 neighbourhoods and shows the main attractions of the city (parks, trees, statues, hospitals, churches etc), with audio guides in three languages. The trip is 28km long and lasts for about 1h20min, and the arrival is at the same departure address. From Tuesdays to Sundays (holidays included), at 9am, 10:30am, 1:30pm, 3pm and 4:30m (winter) or 10:30am, 1:30pm, 3pm, 4:30pm and 6pm (summer). The tickets cost 5 reais for the lower floor and 7 reais for the superior one (which has no ceiling).
- Planetário
- Cisne Branco Boat, Mauá Avenue, 1050, phone (51) 3224-5222, [3] (in portuguese).
Learn
Work
Buy
- Brique da Redenção: It is a large flea market near Parque da Redenção with lots of authentic gaúcho art, crafts, furniture and hand-made stuff. It happens every Sunday, from 9am to 6pm.
Eat
Budget
Mid-range
Splurge
Drink
Probably the most touristic aspect of Porto Alegre is the city night life. There are 3 neighboorhoods full of bars and places to dance.
- Cidade Baixa
- The corner between Gen. Lima e Silva Street and Republica Street is the center of the neighboorhood's nightlife. In the weekends, it's streets gets crowded of people drinking and having a good time. Cavanhas, Pingüim, Copão, Cotiporã are some of the bars where you can drink beer and grab some french fries. To dance MPB (brazilian music), historical street João Alfredo has many excellent options.
- Calçada da Fama
- Padre Chagas Street is full of more fashionable bars, like Lilliput and Dado Pub.
- Goethe
- Goethe Avenue has bars (Tri Bar, Arsenal, Dolphin's) and dance clubs (Manara, Kauaii, Café do Rock).
There are other bars in the city:
- Shamrock Irish Pub, Vieira de Castro Street, 32, [4] (in portuguese): Opens from Tuesdays to Sundays at 6pm (on Saturdays at 7pm).
- Bar do Beto
- John Bull Pub
Sleep
Budget
Mid-range
Splurge
Contact
Stay safe
Cope
Get out
Be aware when walking around the downtown, specifically in the dos Andradas street (commonly known as Rua da Praia), at midday lot of pick pocketers walk around.
External links
- Aeroporto de Porto Alegre (in portuguese).
- Rodoviária de Porto Alegre (in portuguese). Informations on lines and schedules.
- Map
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