Calcite in unusual colors, an urban nature park and a museum of colonization history give Frederico Westphalen several clearly distinct themes. If you’re looking for a hotel in Frederico Westphalen, you can choose where to stay based on whether minerals, landscapes or local history are the deciding factor. The municipality is part of the Região Turística das Águas e Pedras Preciosas tourism region.
Calcite, green spaces and views across two states
Frederico Westphalen is home to the world’s only open-pit calcite mine, where calcite occurs in shades of blue, yellow-green, red, gray and white. This gives the town a clearly defined mineral theme, distinct from its natural and historical sites.
Known as Parque Municipal da Faguense, the Parque Natural Municipal da Vila Faguense Arcângelo Busatto is also called Parque Arcangelo Busatto. Its four hectares of green space are home to flora and fauna. Among the local themes, the mine represents calcite and the park green space and natural diversity.
The Monumento Cristo Rei offers views of the confluence of the Várzea and Uruguay rivers. There, the rivers separate the states of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina. This combines a specific landscape view with a distinctive location on the state border.
Collections and local history
The Museu Municipal da Imagem e do Som Wilson Jeohvah Lütz Farias houses machinery and household items from the municipality’s Italian colonization history. Its collection also includes an archive of documents relating to the 1918 colonization. The objects and written records highlight different aspects of local history.
The museum offers permanent exhibitions and lectures, as well as guided visits for student groups. If you’re planning to attend a lecture or a group program, confirm the dates in advance.
Routes and tourism highlights
Frederico Westphalen is part of the “Gemas e Jóias” and “Pedras e Águas que Encantam” routes, together with other municipalities. The municipality’s tourism offerings include stones, religious tourism and events. This classification adds themes that go beyond individual attractions to the specific things to see in town. If you’re planning your trip around an event, check the relevant dates.
More landscapes in the wider destination of Rio Grande do Sul
In the wider destination of Rio Grande do Sul, Cânion Itaimbezinho is located in Parque Nacional de Aparados da Serra on RS 429, 18 km from the center of Cambará do Sul. The upper trails, Trilha do Vértice and Trilha do Cotovelo, stretch for 5 to 9 km through araucaria forest and highland grassland to viewpoints and picnic areas. The Andorinhas and Véu de Noiva waterfalls can also be seen from Trilha do Vértice.
Trilha do Rio do Boi offers a different route: it is 8 to 10 km long and leads through Atlantic rainforest and riparian forest, along the canyon slope, past riverside rocks and through a river. The stated lengths and landscapes make for a specific comparison: the upper trails pass through araucaria forest and highland grassland, while Trilha do Rio do Boi takes in river and riverside landscapes.
Discover more destinations: Frederico Westphalen, Caxias do Sul, Rodeio Bonito, Novo Machado, Não-Me-Toque, São Jerônimo, Itati, Guaíba.
For the wider travel overview: Rio Grande Do Sul.
