EZTrip.com International Destination Guide and Hotel Listings

Around 70km west of Gramado and 37km north of Nova Petrópolis is CAXIAS DO SUL , Rio Grande do Sul's third-largest city. Italian immigrants arrived in Caxias (as the city is known) in 1875, but the only obvious indication of the city's ethnic origins is its adegas, now huge companies or co-operatives that produce some of the state's poorest wine. Caxias' most important wine producer is the Château Lacave but, 9km from town, it's not worth the effort involved in getting there. A better bet is the cantina tours offered by several wine producers in the city centre, followed by free tastings: Riograndense, Rua Os 18 do Forte 2346, are especially used to receiving visitors. If you're interested in the history of the region, the Museu Casa de Pedra (Tues-Sun 8am-5pm) is worth a look. Housed in a late nineteenth-century stone farmhouse, it contains artefacts relating to the first Italian immigrants. The most important festival in Caxias is the Festa Nacional da Uva (odd-numbered years), a celebration of Italian traditions and local industry - most importantly wine production.

Inexpensive hotels are located just off the main square, Praça Rui Barbosa, and you'll find the tourist office (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm; tel 054/223-3679) here, too. Food in this "Italian" city is not at all sophisticated but there are a few simple restaurants serving fairly authentic dishes: try the Alvorado, Rua Os 18 do Forte 200 (closed Sun evening), for chicken and polenta, or Belaria, Rua Marquês do Herval 1124, for homemade pasta.

Caxias is a major transport centre and buses run to towns throughout Rio Grande do Sul, and to states to the north, from the Rodoviária , seven blocks from Praça Rui Barbosa.