Porto Alegre City Information

Porto Alegre translates directly to "Happy Harbor" and is the eleventh most populous city in Brazil, with more than 4M people and is also the capital city of the Southern most state of Rio Grande do Sul.  The harbor is actually a giant freshwater lagoon navigable by even the largest of ships.  Like many harbor based cities, it is wealthy and one of the most wealthy cities in Brazil.  It has hosted the World Social Forum.  It is subtropical zone, with summer temperatures often rising above 90F.   The city is located at the junction of five rivers, and is one of the chief industrial and commercial centers in Brazil.  One of the most famous foods of Brazil, the churrasco (slow-grilled and -roasted meat), originated in Rio Grande do Sul. The traditional beverage is the "erva mate" which is hot tea like beverage that is shared amoung a group of people.   Watch out, it can contain contain 3-5 times the caffine of a cup of coffee!  The main airport is Salgado Filho International Airport (POA).