What to do in Bento Gonçalves, Rio Grande do Sul? The answer is simple: I would loosen the belt and prepare space in the stomach, without weight in the consciousness by excess weight in the scale. The best thing about this trip is eating well.
In Bento Gonçalves, there is no shortage of charming restaurants in colonial mansions or in the gardens of centenary wineries. And there are the wines, of course – there are dozens of wineries, some of them with a hundred years of history to tell.
Although the Valley of the Vinedos also involves the municipalities of Garibaldi – famous for the sparkling wines – and Monte Belo do Sul, in this text I will talk about Bento Gonçalves, the tourist capital of the Valley and where most of the attractions are.
See also: What to do in Vale dos Vinhedos: itinerary and where to stay
Where to stay in Bento Gonçalves: hotel tips
5 travel itineraries in the south of Brazil
What to do in Bento Gonçalves
1 – The wineries of Bento Gonçalves
No matter how much you enjoy this type of tour, it is impossible to visit all the vineyards in a few days.
I would mix tours of large wineries with tours of family businesses. In the first group are Aurora, which is in the center of Bento Gonçalves, Casa Valduga and Miolo. In the second group are Dom Laurindo, Larentis and Torcello, but the list goes far beyond these options. Choose the one that suits you the most and enjoy the tasting.
On this subject, be sure to read our winery guide in the Valley of the Vineyards.
Although the focus of this text is Bento, those who are driving arrive in a few minutes in Garibaldi, the national capital of sparkling wines. I was there for one morning and found the town nice and with several wineries in the center, within walking distance of each other.
There are tours that lead to the wineries and solve the lives of those without a car (or without a driver of the round). The tour of the wineries of Bento Gonçalves and Garibaldi lasts eight others, includes transportation from your hotel and wine tasting. It costs R$ 540. Details and reservations here.

2 – The restaurants of Bento Gonçalves
There are dozens of restaurants in Bento Gonçalves, which creates an ungrateful task, since you will have a limited number of meals there.
I tested four restaurants and highly recommend them all: Pizza among Wines, Vanni House, Caldeira and Canta Maria. To learn more about this subject, be sure to read the text where to eat in Bento Gonçalves.

3 – Caminhos de Pedra, in Bento Gonçalves
A tourist route with 12 kilometers and almost 50 places that deserve to be visited. After the vineyards, the Caminhos de Pedra are the great attraction of Bento Gonçalves.
Imagine an ancient road, called the Palmeiro Line, which for decades was important for the disposal of goods and movement of people. But because of the opening of a more modern highway connected with the capital, this road fell into oblivion.
Which was a shame, since along the Palmeiro Line spread several colonial houses, erected with stone and wood by the Italian immigrants who arrived there in the late 19th century. Since they had no money, they used the materials that the nature of the region offered to spare.
In the 1990s, the tourist industry rediscovered the route and the old Palmeiro Line entered the tourist map of Rio Grande do Sul, gaining a name full of pomp: Caminhos de Pedra.

Book a full day to get to know the region, which receives about 350,000 tourists a year. Put “Stone Paths” on the GPS and start the trip – if you are not by car, you can hire the transfer with Bento agencies, since the area is away from the city, or go by bike (prepare to cycle a lot).
A good alternative to know the region is to take a guided tour of the Caminhos de Pedra. This tour lasts four hours, includes tickets of two attractions and, the best, transportation, which facilitates the life of those who are without a car or want to enjoy drinking in the various canteens of the region. It costs R$ 400 per person. Reservations and details here.
Another option is the Italian immigration tour, which passes through several attractions of the Caminhos de Pedra and includes typical lunch. It lasts eight hours, has transportation and costs R$ 280. Reservations and details here.
Now, a brief summary of some of the sights of the Stone Paths:
The Park House of the Ove
Casa da Ovelha Park offers experiences related to the production of wool and sheep meat, with milking demonstrations and typical products store.
There you can give bottle to some animals and accompany the herding of the herd, made by Border Collie dogs, in addition to buying sheep cheeses. It was one of our stops and I recommend it.
Winery Salvati & Sirena
A winery along the Stone Paths. It is the typical stop to taste wines and get to know the production process.
House of Pasta and Craft
As the name implies, this establishment highlights the artisanal production of pasta, offering fresh and local products. Only the house is worth the visit: it has wooden walls and the way of the colonial residences. Stop there even just to take a picture.
House of the Tomato
It has a little bit of everything: dehydrated tomatoes, sauces, extract, jam, juices, pests, beer, ice cream, chocolates and catchup. Casa do Tomato also operates in a beautiful residence, in Italian style. There is also a restaurant.
The House of Herb-Mate
Few things are more gaucho than chimarrão. Casa da Erva-Mate dives into this tradition, with the sale of articles and products linked to the most sacred hour of Rio Grande do Sul. Because of the surrounding garden, this is another mandatory stop for photographs.
House of Sweets Predebon
It is a ticket in the basement of a former colonial residence. Because of the location, it is usually the first stop of many people on this route.
The House of Weaving
A beautiful house, in colonial style and where you can meet and buy pieces made in hand loom.
The House of Confection
Surrounded by araucas, Casa da Confecção is a clothing store of its own manufacture. There you will find coats, blouses, pants, hats…
The Pedra Caminhos still have old mills, other wineries, restaurants (the Vanni House, which I indicated in the previous topic, stays there) and empórios. To learn more about this, read the text Caminhos de Pedra: an incredible tour in the Serra Gaúcha.
4 – Centro de Bento Gonçalves: what to do there
The center of Bento does not have the pomp of Gramado, Canela or other cities of the Romantic Route, but it is still interesting.
In an expert state in the art of building porticoes, the entrance of Benedict is a kite of wine. I had to stop there – and look what it rained the day I arrived in the region.

Portico Pipa, at the entrance of Bento Gonçalves
From there, keep climbing the street Silva Paes. On your left will be the Mother Parish of Christ the King, which is in the Rosas Square, the main one in the city.
On the right will be the Italian Epic Park, which tells the story of the arrival of Italian immigrants to Brazil and the colonization of this part of the Gaúcha Mountain. I will talk more about this attraction in the next topic, since this is a stop of Maria Fumaça.
The Aurora Cooperative, which involves more than a thousand families in the region and produces almost 40 million liters of wines and juices, is in the city center, on Rua Olavo Bilac, 500, and offers free guided tours.
Finally, if you stay in the center or have time left, it is worth taking a walk in Praça Achyles Mincarone, where the residents go for walk and take chimarrão.
There is the São Bento Church, also in the form of wine kite and decorated in order to honor the region of the Valley of the Vineyards.
The Memorial of the Immigrant is also in the city center, with a collection that tells the history of Italian immigration in Bento Gonçalves.
Be sure to include a shopping stop at Queijaria Valbrenta, which is in a nice house next to the Vallontano Winery, not far from the Maria Fumaça station. There are several options of cheeses, sweets and sausages, all artisanal production.
There is a guided tour focusing on the attractions of the center of Bento Gonçalves. The tour lasts four hours and costs R$ 150. It is a good option to know the region and the history of Italian immigration. Details and reservations here.
5 – Maria Fumaça Tour between Bento Gonçalves and Carlos Barbosa
Also in the center, 500 meters from the portico, is the Maria Fumaça station, which makes the tourist route of 23 kilometers between Bento, Garibaldi and Carlos Barbosa. Along the tour there are typical presentations – Italian and gaúchas –, wine tasting and beautiful landscapes.
The entry of Maria Fumaça costs R$ 215 per person, a value that also includes the entrance to the Italian Epic Park, which tells the story of the arrival of Italian immigrants to the region, highlighting the challenges and achievements of this group for the formation of the local community.
There you can wear typical clothes, taste local produce and also eat and drink, since there are several restaurants.
Book a full morning or afternoon for the tour of Maria Fumaça (including the park). The tour of Maria Fumaça itself takes an hour and the return between Carlos Barbosa and Bento is by bus (already included in the ticket).
Whoever wants, can only visit the park, since its entrance is practically next to the Maria Fumaça station. Entrance costs R$ 50 and can be purchased online.
Combo can be purchased. The Maria Fumaça train and the Italian Epic theme park can be combined with a visit to the Garibaldi Winery, with tasting. This tour costs R$ 460. Details and reservations here.
You can also combine Maria Fumaça, Epopeia Italiana and the harvest of a winery, which is the participation in the harvest of the grapes. Check the availability of this seasonal tour here.

6 – Adventure tourism in Bento Gonçalves
Those who prefer more radical walks can rafting in Rio das Antas, which has 13 kilometers of rapids, or trails, jeep, ziplines and climbing in Vale das Antas. Local tourism agencies offer several packages for this traveler style.
Another more adventurous option is the quadricycle tour of the Valley of the Vineyards. You will drive one of these vehicles in the middle of the landscapes and vineyards of the Serra Gaúcha. It costs R$ 200 per person. Details here.
Should I rent a car to get to know Bento Gonçalves?
Apart from the obvious problem of drinking and driving, for which the only way out is to have a driver of the round, I have no doubt that going by car is by far the best option.
If you get off in Porto Alegre, rent a car at the airport and follow a trip. Another advantage of the vehicle is that you can easily unite the Valley of the Vineyards with Gramado and Canela, which are a few hours away by road there.
In this text we explain how to ensure the vehicle daily with better cost/benefit.
If it is without the car, the solution is to hire tours for wineries that include transfer. There are several of them cited throughout this text – expect to spend between R$ 350 and R$ 500 per person.
How many days stay in Bento Gonçalves?
Stay at least two nights to enjoy not only Bento Gonçalves, but the other attractions of the region. If you have more time, don’t be afraid to spend there. Three days is the minimum ideal time.
Many people also know Bento Gonçalves and the Valley of the Vineyards in a back from Gramado. It is not ideal, but you can do it. It is 114 km, distance that can be traveled in 2h30 of road.
How to create your itinerary by Bento Gonçalves: three days
Assembling a 3-day itinerary by Bento Gonçalves is simple. Look at all:
Day 1 : Arrive in Bento and spend the morning in the Historic Center, visiting the Via del Vino Square and the Christ King Church. In the afternoon, go to the station and take the tour of Maria Fumaça, with the right to know the Italian Epic Park. In the evening, dine at one of the many Italian restaurants in the center of Bento Gonçalves.
Day 2: Dedicate this day to the Stone Paths and attractions. Have lunch in one of the Italian canteens in the region. The dinner can be there too.
Day 3: It’s time to meet wineries. Choose three or four and spend the day between wine tastings.
Accommodation in the center of Bento Gonçalves
- Hotel Laghetto Viverone Bento, which has daily rates from R$ 250 in the double room. It is a new hotel, with a view to the city and whose strongest point is precisely the location.
- Practically next door is Dall’Onder Vittoria, which seems to be as good as and where I found daily in the same average of R$ 250 for the double room.
- The Hotel Vinocap has daily rates from R$ 200 in the double room and is also praised by the location.
- Pousada Don Marini has daily rates from R$ 155, family atmosphere and good location – this is one of the most sought after hostels in the center of Bento Gonçalves.
- Já a Pousada Florenza is a little further away from the center, but has a great breakfast and cozy atmosphere.
Quick questions about Bento Gonçalves
What can’t you do in Bento Gonçalves? Visit wineries and walk the Stone Paths.
What to do in Bento Gonçalves during the day? Walk the Stone Paths. Another good option is to make this route – or stretches between wineries – by bicycle.
What to do in the center of Bento? Get to know the Church Christ the King and walk through the streets and squares of the city.
What to do in Bento Gonçalves on Sunday? In general, wineries and restaurants open on Sundays.
What to do in Bento Gonçalves with children? Get to know the Italian Epic Theme Park. The tour of Maria Fumaça is another great attraction of the region.