The Serra Gaúcha wine route connects Caxias do Sul to the smaller towns of the wine country — Bento Gonçalves, Garibaldi, Monte Belo do Sul — through one of the most picturesque highland landscapes in southern Brazil. The route winds through vineyard-covered hillsides, past stone farmhouses and cantinas, and through valleys that in the cooler months look remarkably like northern Italian countryside.
The cantinas along the route serve food in the Italian-colonial tradition: galeto (young roasted chicken), polenta, hand-made pasta, local salami, and the region's wines. Bento Gonçalves is the hub of the wine route and has the largest number of established wineries open for tastings; the Vale dos Vinhedos (Valley of Vineyards), between Bento and Garibaldi, is the most scenic section and the first Brazilian wine region to receive geographical indication status. A car is almost essential; guided tours from Caxias are also available.