Caxias do Sul - RS, Brazil: The Pearl of the Colonies

Caxias do Sul is the second largest city in the state of Rio Grande do Sul after Porto Alegre, the state's capital
Photo: Diego Mandarino

I live in Caxias do Sul, an industrial hub in the mountains in the south of Brazil. Although it is a prosperous city with half a million inhabitants, the “Pearl of the Colonies”, as it is also known, keeps many features of the quiet countryside village it once was. Its roots as a rural settlement (a colony) of Italian migrants in Brazil in the last quarter of the 19th century are still strongly felt in today's culture and habits of its population.

For example, many people have lunch at home instead of eating in a restaurant near their workplace or taking a lunchbox to work*. As a consequence, rush hours in Caxias include not only the usual morning and evening hours, when most people commute, but also the period at the end of the morning and beginning of the afternoon. Another example is that, even though the city does have a thriving downtown commercial area with many trendy stores, restaurants, and pubs, it all gets surprisingly dead on Sundays, to such an extent that it looks like an old-western town in the United States, with a ball of hay rolling on the main street. Not much cultural activity takes place here – that is, in the urban area; religious feasts and balls happen at different times of the year in rural communities in the municipality of Caxias do Sul, but those are usually meant for community members themselves and invited friends, not the general public.

Raffle during a rural community feast in Caxias do Sul
Photo: Diego Mandarino 

In fact, urban Caxias seems to be all about daytime, weekday business: it is essentially a Monday-to-Friday city (and arguably Saturday, when shops in town are open as well). Differently from other towns and villages in this region of mountain ranges, tourists in Caxias do Sul are typically industrial executives traveling for business, trying to strike good deals during their stay. Hotel occupancy is high from Monday to Friday, but laughable on weekends. That is even odder considering that traditional leisure tourism flourishes in towns close by, for the region is a major wine producer and its magnificent landscapes and cuisine attract countless visitors.

Superb food  

Caxias do Sul is, nonetheless, a vibrant city during weekdays, with high-quality restaurants, some of which bring about very localized activity - also on Saturdays and Sundays at lunchtime, amidst an awkwardly “sleepy” urban territory, with its tall buildings and wide, empty streets. Caxias is an outstanding destination if you enjoy eating out, so much so that some domestic tourists come from Porto Alegre – the state’s capital – and surroundings by car to have lunch in Caxiense eateries after a two-hour drive with a few enjoyable scenic features.

In this regard, much of the city’s strength lies in the Italian settlers' cuisine, which is marked by a variety of pastas and roasted chicken, and the Gaucho churrasco from Rio Grande do Sul. Other less-known specialties include a particular style of “xis” (pronounced like “sheeze”), a regional word used in the state of Rio Grande do Sul that comes from the English “cheese” and is an abbreviation of “xisburguer”, meaning a sandwich with hamburger and cheese (cheeseburger); and the local “bauru”, which, unlike the homonymous sandwich found throughout Brazil, is a dish that consists of beef steaks covered with slices of ham, cheese and tomato sauce, with rice and mayonnaise potato salad served on the side.

A wider diversity of cooking styles would be welcome, though. In any case, a handful of assorted ethnic restaurants have been established in town lately, and more will hopefully keep joining this promising colorful scene. 

A kiwifruit vineyard in Caxias do Sul
Photo: Diego Mandarino

As I mentioned at the beginning, Caxias do Sul is an industrial city, but agriculture has remained strong in the municipality since the early European settlers. The main crop is grape, as the region is a strong wine producer - the Grape Festival (Festa da Uva), usually held every two years during the harvest period, is the city’s only major tourist event. But Caxias is also important in the production of fruits and vegetables in general.

The Palanquinhos Canyon in the Caxiense country landscape
Photo: Suelen Mapelli

A charming soul...  

Despite the urbanization process that started a little over a hundred years ago, Caxias do Sul has kept its rural, colonial soul across several generations. And this is where liveliness, however not in urban’s terms, is still to be found to this day, along with stunning scenery. Just like João do Rio’s “charming soul of the streets” in early 20th century Rio de Janeiro, the Pearl of the Colonies also possesses a charming soul, but in its rural environment.

If you are a regular tourist in Rio Grande do Sul, you might rather want to visit other towns here in the Serra Gaúcha (the Gaucho mountains) region, which are more tourism driven. But if you search for a different experience, you might want to venture in the Caxiense scene. By car, preferably, so you can explore the innumerous country roads.

Interestingly enough, I think I would not have been able to make the most of what Caxias do Sul can offer had I not come to settle here (I am from a different Gaucho region myself). I think it is by truly becoming one with the locals that I have been able to experience some of the place’s unique attractions.

Church of the Rocca, on a Caxias rural mountaintop
Photo: Diego Mandarino

*Cultural note: in Brazil, the main meal is usually lunch, not dinner as it is in many other countries. We do not have just a sandwich and fruit around noon; we always sit at the table to eat, on a plate, foods like rice and beans, meat, potatoes, salad, oftentimes pasta, and so on. In some families, lunch and dinner are equally important. Lunch is always a big meal in Brazil.