Townapedia
Portico de Rio Grande (RS)
Portico de Rio Grande (RS) · Artur Emilio Alarcon Vaz, CC BY-SA 3.0
Centro, Rio Grande - RS, Brazil - panoramio (19)
Centro, Rio Grande - RS, Brazil - panoramio (19) · Sandro Gonçalves, CC BY-SA 3.0
Centro, Rio Grande - RS, Brazil - panoramio (20)
Centro, Rio Grande - RS, Brazil - panoramio (20) · Sandro Gonçalves, CC BY-SA 3.0
Centro, Rio Grande - RS, Brazil - panoramio (21)
Centro, Rio Grande - RS, Brazil - panoramio (21) · Sandro Gonçalves, CC BY-SA 3.0
Centro, Rio Grande - RS, Brazil - panoramio (17)
Centro, Rio Grande - RS, Brazil - panoramio (17) · Sandro Gonçalves, CC BY-SA 3.0
Centro, Rio Grande - RS, Brazil - panoramio (10)
Centro, Rio Grande - RS, Brazil - panoramio (10) · Sandro Gonçalves, CC BY-SA 3.0

Rio Grande, Brazil

Rio Grande is a town of 198,935 people in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, founded in 1737.

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Population198,935 GeoNames
RegionRio Grande do Sul
Elevation6 m 20 ft
Founded1737
Time zoneAmerica/Sao Paulo
Land area2,817.5 km²
Nearest airportRio Grande Regional Airport (RIG) 8 km

Why visit Rio Grande

Townapedia lists 21 museums and landmarks, 33 parks and trails, 211 places to eat, 22 places to stay and 10 attractions in and around town.

Highlights include Barra Rio Grande Lighthouse, Federal University of Rio Grande, Vagonetas dos Molhes da Barra and Estádio Aldo Dapuzzo.

About Rio Grande

Rio Grande (lit. 'Great River') is a municipality (município) and one of the oldest cities in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. It was the state capital from 1835 to 1845. It is the most important port city in the state and has one of the most important maritime ports in Brazil.

From the Wikipedia article Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Travel tips from other travellers: Rio Grande on Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Things to do10

Barra Rio Grande LighthouseCC BY-SA 3.0

Barra Rio Grande Lighthouse

Lighthouse · 9.4 km

Lighthouse in São José do Norte, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

Federal University of Rio Grande

School · 7.5 km

University and academic publisher

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

Farol da BarraCC BY-SA 3.0

Farol da Barra

Lighthouse · 9.4 km

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Cine Glória (antigo)

Cinema and theater

245-201 Rua Doutor Nascimento, Rio Grande

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Cineflix

Cinema and theater · 11.4 km

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CineSystem

Cinema and theater · 5.0 km

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Diamante No 6

Lighthouse · 9.1 km

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Farol Atalaia

Lighthouse · 9.5 km

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Farolete Baleias No 7

Lighthouse · 13.1 km

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Teatro Municipal (antigo Cine Theatro Avenida, de 1929)

Cinema and theater · 0.8 km

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Museums and landmarks21

Vagonetas dos Molhes da Barra

Monument and historic site · 14.0 km

07:30-18:00

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Leão Marinho

Monument and historic site · 7.8 km

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Museu Das Águas

Museum · 3.1 km

354 Rua Jornalista Maurício Sirotsky Sobrinho, Rio Grande

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Museu Histórico da Cidade do Rio Grande

Museum · 0.7 km

Rua do Riachuelo

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Abrigolândia

Monument and historic site

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Acervo Histórico Porto de Rio Grande

Museum · 0.8 km

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Braskem terminal

Monument and historic site · 4.2 km

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Busto de Giuseppe Garibaldi

Monument and historic site · 5.7 km

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CTG Chaleira Preta

Museum · 11.3 km

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DTG Estância de São Pedro

Museum · 4.2 km

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Galeria Pepita

Museum · 1.0 km

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Monumento ao Imigrante Italiano

Monument and historic site · 8.9 km

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9 more on the map.

Parks, trails and playgrounds33

Estádio Aldo Dapuzzo

Sports field and stadium · 2.0 km

518 Avenida Presidente Vargas, Rio Grande

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

Estádio Arthur Lawson

Sports field and stadium · 8.6 km

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Parque/Praça do PSP

Park · 10.7 km

Rua Doutor Washington B. de Sá Freitas, Rio Grande/RS

24/7

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Espaço de Convivência do 4

Park · 7.8 km

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APTAFURG

Park · 6.9 km

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Deck

Park · 7.7 km

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Estádio Torquato Pontes

Sports field and stadium · 9.0 km

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Morrinho

Park · 7.8 km

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Parque Albatroz

Park · 10.4 km

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Parque de Exposições Filinto Eládio da Silveira

Park · 4.3 km

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Praça 7

Park

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Praça Barão de São José do Norte

Park

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21 more on the map.

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Restaurants and cafes211

Padaria do Primo

Bakery · Coffee Shop, Breakfast · 6.3 km

503 Rua Carlos Bulamarque, São José do Norte

07:30-20:00

Open in Google Maps · +55 53 991028964

Abelinha Pães e Doces

Bakery

292 Rua Vice Almirante Abreu, Rio Grande

Mo-Su 06:30-21:30

Open in Google Maps · +55 53 3231 5001

Angus Churrascaria móvel

Restaurant · Barbecue · 1.1 km

Rua Tiradentes, Rio Grande

16:00 as 23:00

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Golden Sushi

Restaurant · Chinese, Delivery · 1.6 km

346 Rua Marcílio Dias, Rio Grande

Fo-Mo 11:30-14:00 19:00-23:59

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Guacozé

Restaurant · Mexican · 1.5 km

348 Avenida Pelotas, Rio Grande

Mo-Su 18:30-23:30

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Atacadão de Sorvetes Eskimó Argentina

Ice cream · 4.0 km

503 Avenida Argentina, Rio Grande

Mo-Su 10:00-22:00

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Bauruteria Artesanal

Restaurant · Pizza, Burger, Tapas · 6.2 km

Rua Doutor Edgardo Pereira Velho, São José do Norte

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CLÃ - Cerveja, Larica e Arte

Bar and pub

460 Rua Benjamin Constant, Rio Grande

Mo-Su 18:00-00:00

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Padaria Fernanda

Bakery · 2.4 km

Rua Carlos Vignoli, Rio Grande

Mo-Su 07:00-21:00

Open in Google Maps

A Camponesa

Restaurant

386 Rua Andradas, Rio Grande

Open in Google Maps · +55 53 3035-5400

Copacabana

Restaurant · 0.7 km

Rua Marechal Floriano Peixoto

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KLAN Nikkei Fusion

Restaurant · Japanese

Rua Zalony

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199 more on the map.

History

The history of Rio Grande is as old as the history of the whole region. It was explored by Portuguese sailors led by Martim Afonso de Sousa who sought fortified places along the southern Brazilian coast for a defense against the French corsairs. He discovered the tributary which indirectly connects the Lagoa dos Patos and Lagoa Mirim to the Atlantic Ocean and called the place Rio Grande de São Pedro (lit. 'Large River of St. Peter').

In 1669, the Portuguese established a colony further down the South American coastline along the Río de la Plata, which they called Colônia do Sacramento. With the first permanent Portuguese settlement in the region, livestock was introduced and began to spread far and wide over the territory. With the new settlers, the Portuguese decided to make a church-sanctioned settlement and, in 1736, created the Freguesia de São Pedro which covered what is today all of Uruguay and Rio Grande do Sul.

From the History section of Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Where to stay22

Churches and places of worship39

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Shopping55

Gas and EV charging21

Schools, colleges and libraries79

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Healthcare62

Map of Rio Grande

250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.

Getting there and nearby towns

Rio Grande Regional Airport (RIG) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 8 km away.

  • São José do Norte 6 km northeast, about 6 min by car
  • Pelotas 37 km northwest, about 37 min by car
  • Capão do Leão 47 km northwest, about 47 min by car
  • Turuçu 69 km north, about 1 h 15 min by car
  • Pedro Osório 71 km west, about 1 h 15 min by car
  • Cerrito 70 km west, about 1 h 15 min by car
  • Morro Redondo 71 km northwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
  • Arroio do Padre 73 km northwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
  • São Lourenço do Sul 75 km north, about 1 h 15 min by car
  • Canguçu 90 km northwest, about 1 h 30 min by car

Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.

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Page built November 3, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.