RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The Italian culture and its traditions mark several cities in the Rio Grande do Sul highlands, the region where the first immigrant colonies were established in the south of Brazil.
Places like Caxias do Sul, Bento Gonçalves, Antônio Prado, Garibaldi, and Veranópolis have a variety of attractions to conquer the visitor, from enchanting landscapes to places full of history, with routes that make it possible to get to know different manifestations and cultural events, businesses, and local products.
They also offer gastronomy and lodging for all tastes and pockets. In other words: many reasons to plan a short trip and get to know – or even revisit – these addresses.
Still, for this year, Antônio Prado is getting ready to resume events in the year’s second half. But already in 2021, there has been an increase of more than 300% in the flow of tourists compared to 2019, before the pandemic, according to the Secretary of Trade and Tourism, Patricia Schenkel:
“Understanding the context and trends of the tourism market, we prepared strategically. We started a series of disclosures directed to an audience within a 400 km radius and are reaping the rewards.
“In the second semester, we will resume all the stopped events, such as the Italian Night, in August, the Expoprado, in September, and Nostro Natale, in December. And we will launch two new cycling and walking tours in the countryside.”
Antônio Prado has many other attractions – such as waterfalls, caves, and valleys in the town’s interior.
But walking through the streets downtown, admiring the details of the preserved houses, such as the lambrequins (characteristic ornaments carved in wood on the eaves of the houses), is to dive into the city’s past and understand why it is considered the most Italian city in Brazil.
WHAT TO SEE IN ANTÔNIO PRADO
Antônio Prado is 180 km away from Porto Alegre, for those who take the highway RS-122, between Vacaria and Caxias do Sul. In the central area of the town, there are 48 buildings listed by the Institute for National, Historic, and Artistic Heritage (Iphan).
They are houses built in the late 19th century and early 20th century that constitute the most complete architectural complex, in wood, of the Italian immigration to Brazil. Some of them house shops and cultural establishments.
Neni’s House (House 39, at Rua Luiza Bocchese, 34), built in 1910, was the first to be listed. Downstairs there used to be a jewelry store, and upstairs, the Bocchese family lived.
Today, it is home to the Tourist Information Center and the Municipal Museum, where pieces and objects show how life was at the time of the city’s formation.
It is open Tuesday through Friday, from 9 AM to 11:30 AM and from 1:15 PM to 5:30 PM. On Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays from 10 AM to 4 PM. For more information by phone: +55 54 3293 5656.
There are many other historical sites to be admired, such as the Francescatto Mill, on the Road to Linha 21 de Abril. Built in the 1930s, it has resisted time and still grinds corn.
Visitors can see the mill in operation and even buy the flour produced. Visits must be scheduled by phone: +55 54 3293 3207.
In the center of Linha 21 de Abril is Ferraria Marsílio, founded around 1900 by the immigrant Angelo Marsílio. The smithy worked for almost 90 years producing plows, carts, horseshoes and repairing tools.
To visit the place, watch a demonstration on the use of the forge, and hear stories about the family, it is necessary to schedule visits by phone: +55 54 3293 3946.
A WALK THROUGH BUARQUE DE MACEDO
Located a little more than 110 km from Porto Alegre and known as the National Sparkling Wine Capital, Garibaldi has one of the oldest roads in the state.
Walking down Buarque de Macedo Street, the main street of the city, and its surroundings, is an opportunity to catch a glimpse of colonial life.
Revitalized in 2016, the street – which was once an important road for trade in the region – has preserved buildings with century-old facades that deserve to be known. The wiring is underground, with no wires to get in the way, which is very rare in Brazil.
Thirty-five buildings form one of the most important architectural collections of the Sierra – the oldest building erected in 1878, which is today the headquarters of the Municipal Museum and the Historical Archives, and of the Garibaldi Artisan House. Information by phone: +55 54 3462 8118.
A plaque identifies each building and tells a little of its history.
With information from GZH
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