Summary
Are you heading to Porto Alegre, Brazil? Here is our selection of places to stay in this sunny city!
Porto Alegre is the capital of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. It is located near the natural lake Guaíba where the waters of the rivers Jacuí, Sinos, Caí and Gravataí meet. It is an open lake, which is why it is sometimes called the "Guaíba River", which has about thirty islands interspersed with small bays and channels that form the Jacuí archipelago.
Porto Alegre is made up of many neighborhoods and surrounded by hills, the morros, covered with vegetation and occupying 65% of the city's surface. It is a city that has been influenced by different cultures from the Uruguayan and Argentinean Pampa regions: the vocabulary and accent but also the music have been marked by the Gauchos, the herdsmen of the South American plains. For example, it is not uncommon to see people walking around drinking mate, a traditional drink of the Guaraní Amerindians that is prepared by brewing yerba mate leaves.
Would you like to spend a few days in Porto Alegre? Check out our list of places to stay in Porto Alegre.
Also to be read: The 6 must-do things to do in Porto Alegre
The port of Porto Alegre
Although the city is not on the oceanfront, many maritime activities are offered in Porto Alegre, thanks in particular to the port and its 8 kilometres of quay. Located on the banks of the Baier de Guaíba, this port is one of the largest in Brazil. If we advise you to stay close to this place, it is because it is so important that one of the most popular festivals in Porto Alegre is held there to celebrate Nossa Senhora dos Navegantes (Our Lady of the Sailors) and brings together more than 100,000 spectators. An event not to be missed.
Cidade Baixa
Considered the bohemian district of Porto Alegre, Cidade Baixa is also one of the oldest in the city. It is known for the large number of bars it houses and for its Redenção Park, one of the greenest areas in the capital Gaucha. By choosing to stay at Cidade Baixa, you will enjoy a friendly and popular atmosphere, taste a Brazilian beer, a strawberry caipirinha or party late into the night.
Bom Fim
Bom Fim is known to be the symbol of Jewish colonization in Porto Alegre but also a festive district where young people used to meet to remake the world. Today it is frequented by workers, intellectuals and members of alternative movements and there are many places dedicated to culture: universities, cafes, bookstores and a cultural space created in 1980 that offers a selection of concerts, traditional festivals, plays and readings. Sleeping at Bom Fim is therefore the assurance of enjoying the cultural life of Porto Alegre but also the few bars and discos to spend a good night.
Ipanema
Considered the place to relax for the less affluent population of Porto Alegre, Ipanema is nevertheless a place not to be missed in the city. Located on the banks of the Rio Guaíba, its name refers to the famous beach of Rio de Janeiro. This neighborhood was built in the 1930s to make it a tourist site to enjoy the beaches of Rio Guaíba.
Gramado
Finally, you will be able to sleep in Gramado, a city located 115 kilometers north of Porto Alegre and 830 meters above sea level in the Serra Gaucha. This beautiful place attracts many tourists every year because of its architecture that reminds us of the style of the villages in the Alps, its proximity to nature and the different activities offered to visitors.
