Rio Grande do Sul

Hey people, what’s up? The south of Brazil is composed of three states: Paraná (whose capital is Curitiba), Santa Catarina (whose capital is Florianópolis), and Rio Grande do Sul (whose capital is Porto Alegre). Today in our Dica we’re going to learn a little about the last one! We will take a look at their cuisine (the amazing gaucho steak), the Brazilian gaúcho habits, their flag, map and nice things to do in Rio Grande do Sul!

A Little Bit About This State

These three states in the south of Brazil are known for their cold climate and European background, completely different from places like Rio de Janeiro. People from there are called gaúchos, and they have a wide variety of cultural diversity from their shared European and Brazilian cultural heritage.

Map and Localization

Cuisine

Rio Grande do Sul’s culinary specialty is the gaucho steak, renowned throughout the country. The gaucho Brazilian barbecue is the most well known style of barbecue here, because of the way they cook the meat. It’s the place to go to have an incredible feast of high-quality gaucho steak. It’s also very common in Rio Grande do Sul to drink chimarrão, a type of green tea. No matter if it’s hot or cold, this beverage is the drink of choice for gaúchos throughout the year!

Characteristics  

Rio Grande do Sul is especially well known for the many violent of the past along the borders with Uruguay and Argentina. Over centuries they had to learn how to defend themselves and their land. The typical landscape of this State is the rolling hills of the pampas. Winter is very severe in this state, so Gaúchos always wear a poncho, a long cloak made of sheep’s wool.

Flag

The Rio Grande do Sul flag has clear inspiration in masonic references, and has as the motto ” Liberdade, Igualdade e Humanidade” (Liberty, Equality and Humanity). There is no consensus on the meaning of the colors of the flag. There are two theories:

• Some people say the green band represents the pampas forest, the red symbolizes the revolutionary ideal, and the yellow represents the national riches of the territory.
• Some sources claim that the colors would symbolize the Brazilian official colors separated by the red of the war.

Places in Rio Grande do Sul

Below, check out some incredible places and things to do when you are in Rio Grande do Sul:

Gramado

This European-like city is the ideal place for a romantic getaway, famous for its chocolate factories and vineyards.

Porto Alegre

Porto Alegre is the state’s capital, and a must-see if you’re looking for that perfect balance of nature and city. You can also enjoy some great clubs and parties at night!

Bento Gonçalves

Like a window to the past, Bento Gonçalves has a rich Italian background and it’s filled with incredible vineyards.

Torres

Rio Grande do Sul is not just European architecture or cold climates — you can also find beautiful beaches in Torres!

That’s it, people! Stay tuned for more dicas to come! If you do come to Brazil, make sure to visit this amazing place. You will for sure love the amazing gaucho Brazilian barbecue and take a look around Porto Alegre. After all, now you know everything about it, from their history to their map!

See you next time.
Hugs from Rio de Janeiro!

Click on the links below to read more related Dicas
Brazilian Barbecue
What is a Gaúcho
History of Tiradentes