What to Do in Canela

The town of Canela, located in the Serra Gaúcha region of Rio Grande do Sul, is one of the most sought-after destinations for families and couples, especially in fall and winter, to enjoy some cool weather, even snow at times, and holidays like Christmas, since the whole town decorates for Natal Luz, known across Brazil.

Close to the bustling town of Gramado, just 9 km away, both towns are packed with attractions, and because of that, people sometimes mix the two up.

Both towns are also known for their hydrangeas, lining the roads, though only during spring.

Its population, based on 2020 estimates, is 45,000, with German and Italian colonization shaping the local architecture.

Here are our tips for what to do in Canela, to help you make the most of its attractions.

When to Go to Canela

Canela is a great pick year-round. If you’re traveling as a couple, we’d recommend winter, since the low temperatures are perfect for romantic outings, and the town can even see snow. Just note, that’s not something that happens every year. Winter also brings food and cultural events to town.

Between September and October, the International Puppet Theater Festival takes place, which people say is a lot of fun.

In August, the town hosts the Gramado Film Festival, at the Palácio dos Festivais. A red carpet is rolled out along Rua Coberta, where celebrities walk through. The winner receives a miniature Kikito, both the symbol of the town of Gramado and the god of good humor.

For scenic views and outdoor sports, it’s best to visit during summer or spring.

From October through January, the town gets fully decorated to celebrate Natal Luz, and Santa himself shows up to entertain the kids. Around Easter, there’s a chocolate festival called ChocoSerra.

What to Do in Canela

Catedral de Pedra de Canela

For anyone downtown wondering what to do in Canela, it’s worth a visit to the Catedral de Pedra, easy to reach since it sits on the main square, the town’s postcard landmark.

The spot is even more beautiful at night, thanks to the light show, running between 8 PM and 10 PM. You can also take a guided tour up the church tower for a sweeping view of the town, for R$15.00 per person.

This parish is dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes, and we’d recommend seeing the church both inside and out, since it’s simply stunning, built in English Gothic style, and the tower holds 12 Italian bronze bells.

Light show daily at 7:30 PM and 8:30 PM. Tower visits: Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 1 PM and 2:30 PM to 6 PM. Saturday and Sunday, 9 AM to 6:30 PM.

Catedral de Pedra de Canela by day

Catedral de Pedra de Canela at night

Skyglass Canela

This is the largest glass platform in the world, with a spectacular view over the Vale da Ferradura, standing 360 meters up in Canela. Skyglass is located in the former Parque da Ferradura, and it’s also Latin America’s first cable-stayed glass-and-steel platform.

Skyglass Canela

We did both experiences, which involve taking in the view either walking across the glass or riding beneath it, on a monorail with 10 suspended seats, named Abusado.

Abusado ride

Glass platform

Another attraction at the park is the Memorial do Ferro de Passar (Iron Museum), holding roughly 300 pieces in its collection, tracing the evolution of the clothes iron throughout history.

Memorial do Ferro de Passar

The park also has a food court, with a range of coffee and sweets so hunger doesn’t cut your visit short, plus shops for souvenirs from the company and clothing.

Shops

Price: R$170.00 per person for both experiences, or R$110.00 for just the glass platform, plus R$20.00 for parking. Photos are priced on a tiered scale based on quantity, and we thought it was worth it — we got 5 photos for R$35.00. Buy tickets here.

Bondinho Aéreo

A unique view of the natural beauty of Parque do Caracol, with a privileged view of the Cascata do Caracol waterfall, and finally, a full 360-degree view of the valley’s landscape. The Bondinhos Aéreos are enclosed cable cars carrying up to eight people along an 840-meter route.

At the station, there’s a lookout 60 meters up, offering another privileged nature view, along with a second lookout at 130 meters, marked trails covering local flora and fauna, and the art installation “Esculturas que Falam” (Sculptures that Speak).

This last one features 85 pieces carved from wood by sculptor Masaharu Hata (1938-2010), on display along with the sounds of the animals they depict.

Bondinho Aéreo

Parque do Caracol

Cascata do Caracol is one of the most-visited attractions in Canela and, without question, one of my favorites. It has ecological trails and hikes leading to the rapids, though unfortunately they’re closed at the moment.

The park has infrastructure with restaurants, restrooms, tables, and craft shops. It also has a panoramic elevator that takes visitors up to an observation deck, with a spectacular view of the area.

Parque do Caracol

Price: R$20.00 per person; buy tickets here.

Or R$56.00 per person for advance tickets here.

Castelinho Caracol

One of Canela’s earliest buildings, Castelinho Caracol, built from araucaria pine wood.

The site functions as a museum, holding antique furniture from the Frazen family, and offers delicious apple tea with cinnamon and a delicious applestrudel. Admission used to be free, but now there’s a fee.

Castelinho Caracol

Price: R$15.00 for admission, plus whatever you order. Buy tickets in advance here.

Vinícola Jolimont

Jolimont is one of the state’s first wineries, founded in 1948 by a Frenchman. It spans 27 cultivated hectares at an elevation of 830 meters.

The property produces quality grapes, since the climate, mountainous terrain, and excellent soil make the Terroir Morro Calçado ideal for growing.

In 1982, Jolimont won its first gold medal at an international competition in Spain, with its Vinho Fino Terroir Morro Calçado. Since then, the brand has gone on to win numerous awards at international competitions.

The tour walks you through how the wines are made, stored, and takes you through the winery’s interior. It wraps up with a tasting of wine, juice, sparkling wine, and beer, all available for purchase on site. It runs about 45 minutes.

The site also has a lookout, with views of Morro Calçado and the vineyards, right in the middle of the vines.

Vinícola Jolimont

The tour costs R$65.00 per person, and you also get to take home your tasting glass. Book here.

Embutidos Família Chaulet

This family handcrafts cured meats like salami, lean copa, and seasoned cheeses. You’ll pair the Vinícola Jolimont’s wines and sparkling wines with these products, then head to the shop a bit further ahead. The cheeses and cured meats are really tasty, but priced well above average, and the space ends up feeling small and disorganized for the number of visitors.

They also offer custom knife handles, engraving your family name, for example.

Família Chaulet

Parque Terra Mágica Florybal

A theme park centered on the story of magic, offering fun for both kids and adults. Visitors are greeted by the Gigante Semeador, a giant carrying the Florybal World on his shoulder to protect it. In his left hand is the seed of good, a cocoa seed that draws you into the world of chocolate.

The park is full of sculptures, the sound of waterfalls, and the pleasant scent of preserved forest. It’s also filled with dinosaurs, a primate area, an Indigenous village, and life-sized big cats that not only move electronically but also make sounds. You’ll also find mammoths, gnomes, sorcerers, and the Santuário.

It also has a 7D cinema, shops, a food court, a Florybal Chocolates store, and finally, a children’s theater focused on environmental awareness.

Parque Terra Mágica Florybal

Price: R$90.00 per person. Website.

Vale dos Dinossauros

Here you can get up close with animatronic dinosaurs, which make sounds and move just like the real thing, drawing attention right at its imposing entrance, quite reminiscent of Jurassic Park.

Vale dos Dinossauros

Price: R$90.00 per person. Buy tickets here.

Mundo Gelado do Capitão

This is the first ice park in Latin America, and also the coldest, with temperatures dropping as low as -23°C, the lowest ever recorded there.

A thoroughly Instagrammable spot, with several sculptures carved from ice, like a sofa, a table, a bed, and even a sled. The ice cave spans 140 square meters and stretches 40 meters. Inside, Captain Jack carved several ice sculptures, including a life-sized replica of the prehistoric woolly mammoth, standing 2 meters tall, along with Scrat, the Ice Age squirrel, Elsa, and Olaf.

To enter, visitors are given a proper coat to handle the cold, though it’s a good idea to already wear long pants and closed shoes, since it’s genuinely freezing. The bar offers five different drinks, along with non-alcoholic options.

Mundo Gelado

At the end of the first part of the tour, visitors reach a souvenir shop, where you can grab a good coffee, hot chocolate, or Captain Jack’s exclusive ice cream.

Hot Minis, a space inside Mundo Gelado do Capitão in Canela, holds a rich collection of scale-model miniatures, showing off replicas like BMW, Audi, Jaguar, Porsche, Lamborghini, Ferrari, Bugatti, Mustang, and many other iconic machines.

Hot Minis

Price: R$39.90 per person. Website.

Museu Egípcio de Canela

The mind behind this traveling museum, visual artist Essam Elbattal, a native of Sharkia, Egypt, has shown a deep interest in visual art since childhood, and from a young age dedicated himself to creating works inspired by ancient Egypt, basing his work on research from international Egyptologists.

The artist’s private collection holds more than 400 pieces, including a pyramid over 8 meters tall, mummies, sarcophagi, and burial chambers. These pieces are replicas of some of the most famous historical artifacts on display at museums in Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor, the Louvre, London, Berlin, and the Vatican, spread across a themed space of more than 1,000 m².

The replicas are all on display, and the museum sits along the road to Parque do Caracol.

Museu Egípcio

Price: R$40.00 per person. Buy tickets here.

Mundo a Vapor

This interactive museum on the history of machines around the world is a park filled with miniature paper mills, potteries, blacksmith shops, and more. At the entrance, the famous train accident that happened in Paris in 1895 was rebuilt at full scale.

The Montparnasse accident happened when a train departing Granville bound for Paris was running several minutes late, so the engineer tried to make up for lost time. The train pulled into the station too fast, and its air brakes failed to stop it in time. After passing the intermediate stop, the train crossed the station lobby and crashed into the wall, and the locomotive fell through and ended up dangling outside.

Mundo a Vapor

Price: R$52.00 per person. Website.

Museu da Moda

A museum showcasing historic fashion, dating back to before Christ. Not just the clothing but also the objects and accessories are replicas of pieces once owned by the most important women of their era.

This is 4,000 years of women’s fashion history. The pieces were created based on research by businesswoman and designer Milka Wolff and the museum’s curator, Débora Elman.

Museu da Moda

Price: R$49.00; learn more here.

Museu do Automóvel de Canela

A spot for anyone into vintage cars. Inside, you’ll find not just cars, but also antique motorcycles.

Price: R$29.00. Website.

Museu do Automóvel

Museu do Caminhão

A heavyweight attraction. The American Old Trucks themed museum tells visitors the story of the “giants of the highway.” The collection on display features trucks from various decades, both European, American, and Brazilian.

From a 1946 Ford to trucks built in the 1990s, more than 60 trucks are on display, telling the story of these massive vehicles and their technological evolution.

Price: R$59.90.

Museu do Caminhão

Where to Eat in Canela

Both Canela and Gramado have a wide range of restaurants for every taste, and their themed restaurants are especially well known. Since we love nature, we ended up choosing a restaurant a bit farther out, but it’s absolutely worth the trip, both for the food and the setting.

Estação Campos de Canela

Estação Campos de Canela (Instagram) is the revitalized former Canela train station. The space brings together cultural and entertainment venues, commercial kiosks, shops, a residential area, and a food hub with pubs, a brewery, and restaurants for every taste.

Estação Campos de Canela

Tango Café e Bistrot

We stopped by to check it out and ended up eating at Tango Café e Bistrot, a steakhouse, and we loved the place. We ordered an entrecôte (R$75.00), which was delicious, and the portion was so big there was no room left for dessert — but the space is super pleasant, with great service.

Tango Café e Bistrot

Bêrga Mótta Comfort Food and Ecoparque Sperry

Bêrga Mótta is a restaurant built around the concept of comfort food, focused on bringing back the flavors of family recipes through traditional cooking techniques and top-quality regional ingredients.

The vegetables are grown and harvested on site, you pay a fixed price and eat as much as you like, with dishes served at the table.

Starters: rice-and-banana fritters with cinnamon are served. Even mixing sweet and savory, it’s worth trying. The salad is genuinely fresh, since, as mentioned, it’s picked straight from the on-site garden.

Main course: pot roast so tender it melted in your mouth, chicken roasted in dark beer with golden potatoes, and finally, pork with caramelized onion in cachaça and gorgonzola cheese. I wasn’t a big fan of the sauce, since I thought it was too sweet.

Sides: polenta with colonial cheese, rice, beans, farofa, and the risotto of the day.

There’s also a pasta option, Tortei and Fettuccine.

Desserts: dulce de leche mousse with brownie, meringue, and strawberries, our favorite of them all. There was also sagu with wine and vanilla cream, and spoon-style brigadeiro. Order the house tea — it’s really good!!

On Saturdays, they serve build-your-own pizza cooked in a wood-fired oven, and on Sundays, they serve costelão (slow-roasted short ribs), cooked slowly in the oven, with pumpkin purée topped with cheese and roasted vegetables.

For families with kids, there’s a kids’ menu, with breaded filet strips, rice, beans, and salad.

Bêrga Mótta Comfort Food

Prices: kids — Saturdays R$60.00 and Sundays R$70.00; adults — Saturdays R$120.00 and Sundays R$140.00.

Ecoparque Sperry

This restaurant sits inside Ecoparque Sperry, located in the Vale do Quilombo, 5 km from Gramado and 10 km from Canela. The property spans 20 hectares of Atlantic Forest, with streams, waterfalls, and canyons that are beautiful to see.

It has three waterfalls along a clean, easily accessible trail, and we were genuinely charmed by the spot — a great walk to take after a meal.

Ecoparque Sperry

Estância das Cucas

There are several cuca flavors here, but we found them a bit too sweet for our taste, since we prefer cucas made with just fruit. We ordered one with strawberry and condensed milk, and overall we liked it — if you prefer sweeter cucas, this is a great spot.

Estância das Cucas

Learn more about our trip through the region in Bento Gonçalves and Gramado.