Region
Northeast Rio Grande do Sul
Base yourself in Caxias do Sul or Bento Gonçalves for 3–4 days; day-trip to canyons, vineyards and colonial towns.
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Key facts · Brazil
- Best months
- Apr–May, Sep–Oct
- Currency
- Brazilian real (BRL, R$)
- Language
- Portuguese
- Plugs
- N · C · 127 V (Rio, São Paulo) or 220 V (Brasília, much of the Northeast)
- Time zone
- Brasília time UTC−3
Rules in force · 7Above 2,500 m (Bogotá, Quito, Cusco, La Paz) keep the fir…
- South America ↗Above 2,500 m (Bogotá, Quito, Cusco, La Paz) keep the first day light; sleep lower where you can (Sacred Valley before Cusco) and descend if headache comes with vomiting or confusion.
- South America ↗A yellow fever certificate is required on arrival in French Guiana, and asked for on some routes into Bolivia, Paraguay, Suriname and Guyana, or when arriving from Amazon areas — vaccinate at least 10 days before travel and carry the card.
- South America ↗Overnight buses are the norm in Argentina, Chile and Peru, but pick top-tier companies and keep valuables on your body; on-board thefts from overhead racks are the common loss.
- Brazil ↗US, Canadian and Australian citizens need an e-visa (about US$81 — check) applied for online at the official VFS portal before travel; EU and UK citizens do not. Check your passport with Brazil's Ministry of Foreign Affairs before booking.
- Brazil ↗Yellow fever vaccination is recommended for many areas, including the Amazon and Pantanal; check with a travel clinic at least 10 days before travel.
- Brazil ↗Keep your phone out of sight in the street and on beaches; phone theft is the most common crime against visitors in big cities.
- Brazil ↗Carnival 2027 runs about 5–10 February (Tuesday 9 February; Salvador from 4 February): book Rio, Salvador and Recife/Olinda months ahead or avoid those dates.
Northeast Rio Grande do Sul is the state's wine and canyon country. Caxias do Sul is the transport hub with hotels and restaurants; Bento Gonçalves is smaller, prettier and closer to the wineries. Both work as a base for Aparados da Serra National Park (1 h 30 min drive), the Italian-immigrant towns (São Marcos, Antônio Prado) and the Rota Romântica scenic drive. The region is best visited by car; public buses connect the main towns but are slow for the park.
Where to sleep
Sleep base
- Caxias do SulCity guide
Largest city, transport hub, good dining and hotel options.
Best Apr–May, Sep–Nov
JFMAMJJASOND - Bento GonçalvesCity guide
Wine-tourism centre, smaller and more atmospheric.
Best Mar–May, Sep–Nov
JFMAMJJASOND
Day trip
Plan the nights
How to split the nights, day-trips and what to do with your bags
Open Plan the nightsClose Plan the nights3 partsNights · Day-trips · Bags
Night sequences
- 3 nights
- Caxias do Sul 3, day-trip to Bento Gonçalves and wineries
- 4 nights
- Bento Gonçalves 2 + Caxias do Sul 2, day-trip to Aparados da Serra
- The canyon roads are unpaved in sections; a 4x2 car is fine in dry weather, but check conditions before going after rain.
- Winery tours often require advance booking, especially on weekends from October to March.
Day-trips door to door
| To | From | Door-to-door p50 | Last return | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aparados da Serra National Park | Caxias do Sul | 110 min | check | Drive only; no public transport to the canyon rim. |
| Bento Gonçalves | Caxias do Sul | 40 min | check | Frequent buses between the two; last bus around 22:00.Frequent buses between the two; last bus around 10:00 PM. |
| São Marcos | Caxias do Sul | 50 min | check | Bus or car; small town, morning visit. |
Bags between cities
check
When to go
Months and weather
Open When to goClose When to go2 partsSeasons · Climate
Seasons at a glance
Pick a month to see where to go.
Show all 12 months, country by countryHide the 12-month table
| Country | JJan | FFeb | MMar | AApr | MMay | JJun | JJul | AAug | SSep | OOct | NNov | DDec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caxias do Sul | ok | × | ok | go | go | × | × | × | go | go | go | ok |
| Bento Gonçalves | ok | ok | go | go | go | × | × | × | go | go | go | ok |
| São Marcos | × | × | go | go | go | ok | × | ok | ok | go | go | × |
| Vacaria | go | go | go | go | ok | × | × | × | ok | go | go | go |
| Brazil (country-wide) | ok | ok | go | go | go | go | go | go | go | go | go | ok |
Computed from each country’s own data; hover a country name for the source. Advisory countries are left out.
Climate strip
| Zone | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast highlandsCaxias do Sul, Bento Gonçalves, Vacaria | cool | cool | ok | best | best | ok | ok | ok | best | best | cool | cool |
- Northeast highlands
- Summers (Dec–Feb) are warm, 25–30 °C (77–86 °F); winters (Jun–Aug) are cold, 5–15 °C (41–59 °F), with frost possible. Rain is spread year-round; the driest months are April and May.Summers (Dec–Feb) are warm, 77–86 °F (25–30 °C); winters (Jun–Aug) are cold, 41–59 °F (5–15 °C), with frost possible. Rain is spread year-round; the driest months are April and May.
The best months are October–November (spring, vineyards green) and March–May (autumn, harvest season). July is peak winter cold but also the time for the Festa Nacional do Vinho in Bento Gonçalves.
Getting in and passes
Arrival times and regional passes
Open Getting in and passesClose Getting in and passes2 partsGet in · Passes
Get in
| From | To | How | p50 | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Porto Alegre (POA) | Caxias do Sul | Bus (Viação Caxiense) or car (BR-116 / BR-448) | ~2 h by bus, ~1 h 30 by car | Buses from Porto Alegre's rodoviária run every 30–60 min. |
| Porto Alegre (POA) | Bento Gonçalves | Bus (Unesul) or car (BR-116 / RS-122) | ~2 h 30 by bus, ~2 h by car | Bento has no airport; fly into POA and drive or bus. |
| São Paulo (GRU/CGH) | Caxias do Sul | Flight to Hugo Cantergiani Airport (CXJ) + taxi | ~1 h 30 flight + 15 min taxi | Azul and Gol fly from São Paulo; flights are daily but limited. |
Regional passes
Car rental
buyThe only way to reach the canyons and smaller wineries efficiently.
Regional bus pass (Cartão TRI)
checkUseful if you stay in Caxias and only visit Bento by bus; not valid for the park.
Eat and move on
Regional food and where to go next
Open Eat and move onClose Eat and move on2 partsFood · Go next
Regional food
| Dish | Where | Timing / trap |
|---|---|---|
| Churrasco (barbecue) | Caxias do Sul and Bento Gonçalves | Gaúcho-style grilled beef; rodízio restaurants charge per person. Check. |
| Italian cuisine (polenta, galeto, risotto) | Bento Gonçalves, São Marcos | Colonial Italian influence; many wineries serve lunch paired with wine. |
| Vinho (wine) | Bento Gonçalves, Vale dos Vinhedos | Tasting rooms open 10:00–17:00; book ahead for tours.Tasting rooms open 10:00 AM–5:00 PM; book ahead for tours. |
Go next
Grande Porto Alegre
plannedBus or car ~2 h
Capital city, lake district, and the coast.
Southeast Rio Grande do Sul
plannedCar ~3 h via BR-116
Pelotas, historic towns and the Lagoa dos Patos.
Central West Rio Grande do Sul
plannedCar ~4 h via BR-285
Santa Maria and the Quarta Colônia wine region.
Northwest Rio Grande do Sul
plannedCar ~3 h via BR-285
Passo Fundo and the upper Uruguay River.
Southwest Rio Grande do Sul
plannedCar ~5 h via BR-290
Pampas, gaucho culture and the border with Argentina.
Planning aids
Built from this guide's own data
Open Planning aidsClose Planning aids2 partsIn numbers · Going in…
Region in numbers
- Where to sleep
- 2 bases
- Day trips
- 3, 40 min to 1 h 50
- Nights suggested
- 3–4 nights
- Ways in
- 3 listed
- Best months
- Apr, May, Sep, Oct
Going in…
Pick a month for the weather in each zone of the region, plus the country-wide rating and holidays.
Pick a month.
Deep dive
Photos, reading and every source
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Ask about Northeast Rio Grande do Sul
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