Always on the List

Gramado guaranteed fun from january to december

With attractions for all ages, and renewed each year, the city in Rio Grande do Sul has become one of the major tourist spots in the country – and not just in wintertime

By Luiz Maciel

Brazil has several winter destinations that welcome tourists on their July vacations in order to enjoy the fondue, hot chocolate and walks between valleys and mountains that enable such spectacular photos. And then there is Gramado, in Serra Gaúcha, which is unique in offering so much more than these traditional winter attractions. It is a place from which you return with experiences that are not found, in such a combination, in any other part of the country.

There are so many points of interest in Gramado, that it is not even possible to mention them all here. However, it is natural to start this list with Snowland, which is a snow theme park that remains unrivaled in Brazil, although it has been open now for some eight years. With an area equivalent to two football fields, Snowland reproduces an alpine village with a snowy mountain, a ski slope, ice skating and, of course, a café-restaurant for the visitors to refresh themselves between one form of entertainment and another. In the café area – which includes stores and electronic games – the temperature is 18 degrees. In the icy surroundings, the cold can reach minus 5 degrees.

Located at an altitude of 850 meters, Gramado is one of the few Brazilian cities that can register snow blizzards without causing any surprise, from June to August. With Snowland, however, the feeling of winter is now guaranteed all year round, with the certainty of snow and fun for the entire family.

Another great differential of Gramado is its museums. They are not merely there to capture tourists. Some of them particularly appeal to children, such as the Mini Mundo, which is a miniature city assembled with breathtaking precision and detail, with 133 buildings, 505 vehicles, 3,268 inhabitants and 290 animals. The Medieval Museum, where visitors are welcomed by a knight in armor, is another sure-fire attraction for anyone who has already been hooked by stories of warriors, wizards and monarchs from that turbulent time.

Chocolate, which is indispensable in any mountain environment, is honored, not by one but by two museums in Gramado. In the Chocolate Kingdom, you can learn all about how this delight is made from cocoa, from its discovery to the modern manufacturing process. In the Chocolate World, five tons of the product is used to model houses, animals and even a four-meter-high Eiffel Tower. In both, of course, there is a huge variety of chocolate for sale. Other interesting options are the Hollywood Dream Cars, with a collection of vehicles from the 1920s to the 1960s, all in immaculate condition, including a 1929 Model A Ford. At Super Cars, you can drive around in a Maserati or a Lamborghini.

Gramado, like Las Vegas, could be a success just with the endless number of indoor attractions that it offers. However, it goes far beyond this, because it is immersed in an exuberant nature. Those who arrive in Gramado in the summer – another high season in the city, due to the many Christmas events featuring light and sound that extend from October to January – realize this right away on the road that climbs up to the destination, adorned by hydrangeas in bloom on both sides. In the city, an unmissable outdoor tour is the Lago Negro, which the children – and parents alike – will love to explore by pedal boat.

It must be remembered that Gramado is the epicenter of a very special region, which deserves to be better known by those planning a stay of at least seven days. In the city of Canela, for example, just 6 km away, there are two must-see tourist destinations: the Cascata [Waterfall] do Caracol and the Gothic-style Stone Cathedral. Further away, two hours by car, is the Itaimbezinho Canyon, which a natural beauty that Brazil still knows little about, which is a shame because it is our version of the American Grand Canyon – albeit somewhat smaller but much greener. Also a two-hour drive away, is Bento Gonçalves, in Vale dos Vinhedos, where it is possible to visit the vineyards and take a steam train ride to Carlos Barbosa, which received the first Italian immigrants from Rio Grande do Sul. It’s a full day program.

Gramado, with a fixed population of only 36,000 inhabitants, is visited by around 6.5 million tourists a year. So many people cannot be wrong.

Natal Luz is the Christmas event that happens in Gramado every year. There are many shows, open and free for the public or some are paid. This year, it is from october 27th to january 29th 2023. You can buy the tickets here. See the video beside:

Services

Where to stay
Gramado has an extensive hotel network, with around 27,000 beds and options for all levels. These are some of the well-structured hotels to welcome entire families:

Casa da Montanha
Located in the center of the city and close to several attractions, it has a children’s playroom, an indoor pool and a carousel that is popular with the young ones. At Christmas, the schedule includes the arrival of Santa Claus.

Laghetto Stilo Vita
Very central and close to the Rua Coberta, it has a restaurant, heated pool, kids’ space, games room and a fitness center. Furthermore, the hotel is pet friendly and has parking.

Villa Bella Concept
The structure for the children’s entertainment is a strong point: it includes monitors and even a mascot who appears at breakfast time to play with the little ones. It is further away from the center, but it makes up for this with the beautiful view of a valley and a free shuttle to the center.