What to Do in Canela: the 10 attractions worth your day (and the right order)

Canela lives in Gramado's shadow when it comes to marketing and beats it on nature. A 131-metre waterfall, a canyon, a glass platform suspended over the valley — and almost all of it within 15 km of downtown, which completely changes how the day is organised.¹

That's why this guide isn't just a list: it's a list in order. In Canela, the difference between a good day and a tiring one is how many times you cross town.

The 10

1. Caracol State Park — the 131-metre waterfall

A hundred preserved hectares around the Caracol Falls, which drop 131 metres in free fall. There are viewpoints, a 927-step staircase down to the base and a cable car. Open daily from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.²

When to go: right at opening. After 11 a.m. the main viewpoint gets crowded, and the photo without people in it stops existing.
About those 927 steps: going down is easy; coming back up is the part nobody mentions. If you have any doubts about your fitness, the cable car exists for exactly that.

2. Skyglass Canela — Latin America's first suspended glass platform

It juts 35 metres out from the cliff, 360 metres above the Caí River, over the Vale da Ferradura. You can walk on the glass or pass underneath it, on a ten-seat suspended monorail called Abusado.³

When to go: on a clear day. With thick fog — common on a winter morning — you pay to see white. If you woke up to fog, flip the order of the day and leave Skyglass for the afternoon.

3. Parque da Ferradura — the canyon

A canyon above the horseshoe bend of the Caí River, with trails, a viewpoint, abseiling and a treetop course.⁴

When to go: after Caracol, on the same side of town. Doing the two on different days means crossing Canela twice for nothing.

4. Stone Cathedral — the symbol, and what costs money in it

The Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes, in basalt stone and English Gothic style. Visiting is free; the tower climb and the sacred art museum upstairs are paid. At night there's a light show on the façade.⁵

When to go: twice. Late afternoon for the stone in low light, and after dark for the light show. It's the only attraction in town that repays both visits.

5. Alpen Park — the toboggan roller coaster

Sixty thousand m² with the Alpine Coaster — a sled that runs down the mountain on 37 rails — plus a zip line, a treetop course and a climbing wall.⁶

Who it's for: it's the town's adrenaline stop, and the one teenagers like most. Couples on a quiet trip usually find it skippable.

6. Mundo a Vapor — and the train that crosses the garden

A museum of miniature steam locomotives and factories, fully covered. There's a train ride through the gardens.⁷

When to go: save it for the rainy day. It's one of the few Canela attractions that doesn't depend on the weather — and on a sunny day it would be wasting the sun.

7. Space Adventure — original NASA pieces

An exhibition with original pieces from space missions and a planetarium show.⁸

Who it's for: with children and teenagers, it's the attraction that tends to surprise. It's covered too.

8. Estação Campos de Canela

The old railway station, now with shops, restaurants and kiosks — from sweets to wine and hot chocolate.⁹

When to go: late afternoon, or on a rainy day. It's where the outing turns into a stop, and the railway architecture is the most period-looking outdoor backdrop in town.

9. Praça João Corrêa and downtown

The central square, across from the cathedral, with free cultural programming throughout the year.¹⁰

When to go: downtown Canela is done on foot in an hour, and it's the natural break between two parks.

10. The artisans' little houses

The Canela Artisans' Association, with its rows of colourful little houses.¹¹

When to go: on a cloudy day, and that's not a consolation prize. Saturated colour under strong sun blows out and turns into a blot; under grey skies, the colour looks exactly as it is.

Canela or Gramado?

The wrong question. The two towns are less than 10 km apart and complete each other:

Whoever stays only in Gramado goes home without having seen the Serra; whoever stays only in Canela goes home without having seen the town. A good itinerary mixes both.

📖 The list from the other side: what to do in Gramado, the 10 attractions worth your day.

The gap between parks

Canela is a town of driving: park, car, park. The gaps appear on their own — the morning the fog never lifted, the afternoon between one park and dinner.

That's where a short, indoor activity fits. Ours is one of them: an old-fashioned photo session takes about an hour, costumes and set included, and we have a studio in Canela as well as in Gramado. Said in full — it's our business, and it's why this blog exists.