Santa Cruz do Sul is a German-Brazilian city in central Rio Grande do Sul, about 150 km from Porto Alegre. It made its money from tobacco and keeps a strong immigrant identity in its churches, festivals, food, and tidy civic spaces.
The city is best known for Oktoberfest, one of Brazil's major German-culture festivals, but it is not only an event town. The neo-Gothic St. John the Baptist Cathedral dominates the centre, Parque da Gruta gives a quick patch of green close to town, and the international racing circuit adds an unusual modern draw.
Santa Cruz do Sul is worth a day if you are already exploring the interior of Rio Grande do Sul or timing a trip around the festival calendar. Outside Oktoberfest, it is quieter, but still distinct enough to stand apart from a generic service city.