Rio Grande

Fishing boat arriving in the city

Rio Grande is the oldest city in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, the most important port city in the state and has one of the most important maritime ports in Brazil. It's also the former state capital from 1835 to 1845.

Understand

Rio Grande is situated on the banks of the Lagoa dos Patos, a large lagoon that extends along the coast. The city's strategic location has made it an important port throughout history, playing a significant role in the development of Brazil's maritime trade.

With a population of approximately 200,000, Rio Grande is a relatively smaller city (especially when compared to neighboring Pelotas). This allows visitors to enjoy a more relaxed and authentic Brazilian experience. The city's atmosphere is friendly and welcoming, making it an ideal destination for anyone looking to immerse themselves in the local culture.

Get in

By plane

Rio Grande has an airport, Gustavo Cramer Airport (RIG  ^IATA), however, this airport does not receive regular commercial flights. An option for those who prefer to fly can be to take a flight from Porto Alegre to João Simões Lopes Neto Airport (PEL  ^IATA), in Pelotas, and from there, take a comfortable intercity executive bus to Rio Grande.

By bus

The company that operates the route between Porto Alegre and Rio Grande is Planalto. The bus route takes about 5 hours.

By car

• from Porto Alegre, take the BR-116
• from Pelotas, take the BR-392.

See

Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church

• 1 Oceanographic Museum (Museu Oceanográfico Prof. Eliezer de Carvalho Rios), Rua Heitor Perdigão, 10, ☏ +55 53 3231-3496. tu-su, 9h - 11h30 and 14h - 17h30. Maintains a public exhibition on the life and dynamics of the marine ecosystem and its relationship with the environment, presented in panels, models and various equipment used in oceanographic research. Several thousands of shells, which are part of the museum's collection of molluscs, the biggest and most important in South America. Adjacent to the Antarctic Museum, a reproduction of the first installations of the Comandante Ferraz Antarctic Station, which houses a collection of panels, photos, equipment over Antarctica and some objects used by Brazilians, detailing the history of the conquest of that continent, the dynamics of the sea and life at the South Pole, and the Brazilian effort to maintain a base in its inhospitable environment . Also a collection of geological and biological samples from Antarctica. 
• 2 Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church (Igreja Nossa Senhora do Monte Carmelo). 
• 3 Rio Grande Library (Bibliotheca Rio-Grandense), Rua General Osório, 454, ☏ +55 53 3231-2842, contato@bibliotecariograndense.com.br. Founded in 1846. 
• 4 St. Peter Cathedral (Catedral de São Pedro). Built in 1755, refurbished in 1997. Very fine collection of sacred art from 18th and 19th centuries.  
• 5 Old Customs House (Prédio da Alfândega), R. Mal. Floriano Peixoto, 300, ☏ +55 53 3234-4000. Built in 1804 in Neoclassical style. In the 70s and 80s, the building underwent restoration works. Its premises today house the Receita Federal (IRS) and the Historical Museum of the City of Rio Grande. 

Eat

• Churrascaria Leão do Parque, Av. Pres. Vargas, 516, Parque, ☏ +55 53 3231-6466. Barbecue restaurant. 
• Plaza Grill, R. Gen. Bacelar, 457, ☏ +55 53 3232-1190. Self-service buffet. 
• Restaurante Sal Da Terra, R. Luiz Lorea, 389, ☏ +55 53 3231-9458. Buffet with focus on salads. 

Sleep

Budget

• 1 Hotel Taufik, Rua Gen. Neto, 20, ☏ +55 53 3035-3100. /. 

Mid-range

• 2 Hotel Atlântico Cidade, Rua Duque de Caxias, 55, ☏ +55 53 3236-1350. Each room gets its own a/c unit, so you can imagine all of that buzzing. And if you're lucky, you might get a room overlooking the square. R$134. 
• 3 Hotel Villa Moura, Rua Gen. Neto, 165, ☏ +55 53 3231-3933. Has a gym and breakfast that doesn't disappoint with all the cakes and dainties to choose from. 

Go next

• Pelotas - the National Sweets Capital, a city with historic architecture and a vibrant cultural life.

Routes through Rio Grande

Pelotas ←

N  S

→ Chuí