Frost almost guaranteed, occasional snow and the highlands at their most beautiful. What to expect from winter in Vacaria and how to make the most of it.
Some people discover Vacaria in summer, on their way to the coast. But anyone who knows the town knows that winter is when it is at its most beautiful.
At 971 metres above sea level in the highlands of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil’s southernmost state, Vacaria is among the coldest towns in the country. This is not light-jacket cold. It is real cold, the kind that surprises visitors who assume Brazil is all beaches and heat.
What to expect
Frost is practically guaranteed in June and July. Early in the morning the fields turn white and car windscreens freeze. For anyone who has never seen it, it is a spectacle. For locals, it is routine.
Snow happens occasionally. Not every year, but often enough to make the news when it does. The Campos de Cima da Serra are one of the few regions of Brazil where it is possible at all.
Sub-zero temperatures show up in the small hours of winter nights. During the day it usually stays between 8 and 15 °C with sun.
Why it is worth coming in the cold
The landscape changes. The high fields under frost have a particular early-morning light that does not exist at any other time of year.
The food makes sense. High-altitude wine, home cooking, barbecue, soup. The cuisine of the Serra was made for the cold, and winter is when it feels right.
The town is calmer. Outside event weeks, winter is low season for tourism. You get everything done without queues or competition.
Fewer people, more room. For a quiet weekend, it is the best time.
What to bring
It sounds obvious, but every year someone gets it wrong: a genuinely heavy coat, not a mid-season jacket. Gloves and a hat if you will be outdoors in the morning. Closed shoes. And a spare layer, because the swing between the small hours and midday is large.
Where to warm up
Here is the practical detail: a heated room and a hot shower are not optional in Vacaria in winter. They are the minimum.
All our rooms have air conditioning, which in winter works as heating. And covered parking means you do not have to scrape ice off the car in the morning.
If you are thinking about seeing the highlands in the cold, talk to us on WhatsApp. Winter usually has good availability, except during event weeks.