Gramado, 115 km to the north east of Porto Alegre, is a charming small Brazilian town, famous for its green spaces, its Film Festival and ... its Christmases.

In Brazil, the term ‘gramado’ refers to an area of shaded lawn where travellers could rest on their way through. It is the ideal name for the town of Gramado, a lush haven of green with splendid views over the Serra Gaúcha Mountains. Perched at an altitude of 850 metres, it escapes the heat of summer. From June to August, during the winter in Brazil, it is common for snow to fall. Many houses are built in an Alpine style giving them a tiny, and rather unexpected, Swiss touch. And there is no lack of chocolates thanks to the famous Prawer company. In Avenida Borges de Medeiros, the main street in Gramado, craft shops with outdated kitsch jostle with fashion boutiques. However, Gramado is best known for its Christmas festivities. Its Natal Luz lasts for a whole two months, in a colourful fairy-tale atmosphere with dancing and singing. The town also attracts large numbers of visitors in August for its International Film Festival which awards the ‘Kikito de Ouro’. Gramado is inspired by nature and boasts magnificent parkland with numerous varieties of hydrangea. Parque Lagro Negro is home to the same species of tree as ... the Black Forest, in Germany. The Mini Mundo theme park lets you travel the world in minutes with its miniatures of famous monuments. Gramado is on the Rota Romântica or Romantic Route, a tourist itinerary through the state of Rio Grande do Sul. It is the perfect starting point for hiking or horseback rides, white-water rafting and rock climbing.