About
Caxias do Sul sits in the wine country of Rio Grande do Sul, in southern Brazil. It is one of the country's best-known centres for sparkling wine, and much of its character comes from the Italian families who settled the region and brought their winemaking traditions with them.
What the city offers
- Wineries and tastings: Visitors can sample sparkling wines at producers around the city, and the wine route through the surrounding vineyards is the main draw for many travellers.
- Vineyard scenery: The rolling landscape of vines gives the area a green, open feel, especially when you move beyond the town centre.
- Italian heritage: The immigrant past shows in the colonial-style architecture and in the food and culture that remain part of local life.
When to go
The city is at its most lively in winter, when the Festa da Uva celebrates the regional grape harvest. It is a good time to see the community come together around the wine that gives the area its name, though the vineyards are worth a visit in any season.
Caxias do Sul suits travellers who enjoy slow afternoons of tasting, scenic drives and a town shaped by its immigrant history. Plan to spend a few days, so you can visit more than one winery and see the countryside around the city.