Porto Alegre: among the largest cities in Brazil with an estimate population of 1.4 million residents, Porto Alegre is the capital of Rio Grande do Sul State at the south of the country.

The city’s history dates back to the mid 1700s when it was established for logistic purposes by the Portuguese colonizers to protect their colony from potential intrusion by the Spanish.

Today, Porto Alegre is a major industrial and commerce centre in southern Brazil. The City’s Port is one of the busiest along the country’s coastline and.

Porto Alegre is a very culturally diverse city mainly because of its location. Since its inception, the city has welcomed migrants from different cultures contributing to its current population. These include people of; German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, African and Arabian origin.

Despite major redevelopments to the city’s infrastructure and buildings, Porto Alegre has managed to maintain many of its historical buildings and is seen as a major cultural base in the state.

Transport:

The City has a well developed road network and a cheap and frequent bus transport system. The city is also served by the Salgado Filho International Airport which has a recently developed terminal building containing a large shopping mall. This airport is linked to the City centre by a subway line.

Attractions in Porto Alegre:

For the architectural historian, Porto Alegre has its fair share of historic buildings. Famous ones include; the Palacio Municipal situated near the popular public market, the Palacio Piratini: Constructed in 1896 and the Teatro Sao Pedro.
Other places to visit include; the Sao Pedro theatre, Jardim Botanico (the City’s botanical garden) and museums. There are also boat rides along the Guaiba River.