Porto Alegre

Porto Alegre sits on the Guaiba, a body of water that is either a river or a lake depending on which local you ask, and the argument is genuine and unresolved. The sunset over it, seen from the Gasometro power station on the waterfront, is the city's daily ritual. The Mercado Publico of 1869 is the other centre of gravity - two floors of produce, spices, fish and bars, restored after a fire in 2013 - and the Fundacao Iberê Camargo on the shore, by the Portuguese architect Alvaro Siza, is a white concrete building with external ramps that is among the best modern galleries in the country. Chimarrao, the shared gourd of mate, is drunk continuously in the parks. In May 2024 the city was severely flooded.

History

The settlement began in 1752, when 60 Azorean couples brought over under the Treaty of Madrid to settle the mission lands handed to Portugal stayed instead at Porto de Viamão, the town's first name, as the boundary work dragged on. The official founding date is 26 March 1772, when Manuel Sepúlveda, governing under the assumed name José Marcelino de Figueiredo, created the parish of São Francisco do Porto dos Casais, renamed a year later Nossa Senhora da Madre de Deus de Porto Alegre; it became the capital on 24 July 1773, and from 1824 immigrants arrived from Germany, Italy, Spain, Poland and Lebanon (Wikipedia, Porto Alegre).

What to look for

• The Guaiba sunset - the daily gathering at the Gasometro waterfront.
• The 1869 Mercado Publico - produce, fish and bars over two floors.
• Fundacao Ibere Camargo - Siza's white concrete gallery with external ramps.
• Chimarrao in the parks - the shared mate gourd as ordinary practice.

When to go

October to April. Two days.

What to expect

The centre has significant social problems and needs care, particularly at night. Recovery from the 2024 flood is uneven and some riverside areas remain affected. The Guaiba is not swimmable. Summer heat and humidity are heavy.

Nearby

Nova Petropolis and the Serra Gaucha are north; the coast is east.

Key facts