Caxias do Sul is the largest city in the Serra Gaúcha, the mountainous wine region of Rio Grande do Sul in southern Brazil. Italian immigrants from the Veneto settled here from 1875 onwards, and their legacy is everywhere — in the vineyards that cover the hillsides, the cantinas that serve galeto and polenta alongside local wine, and the Festa da Uva (Grape Festival), one of the biggest popular festivals in southern Brazil, held every two years since 1931.
The city has grown into an industrial powerhouse (metalworking, transport equipment, furniture), but the surrounding countryside remains deeply Italian in character. The Serra Gaúcha wine route through the smaller towns — Bento Gonçalves, Garibaldi, Monte Belo do Sul — starts from here and is one of the most pleasant drives in the south of Brazil. The city centre has the Dante Alighieri Square and the Municipal Museum, both worth visiting to understand the Italian immigration story. The climate is cooler than most of the country, with cold winters and occasional snow, making it feel distinctly European.