Novo Hamburgo is a city in Grande Porto Alegre, located in the Sinos River Valley.
Understand
Initially occupied by Portuguese, the city prospered from the arrival of immigrants of German origin to the region in the 19th century. The city was named after the German city of Hamburg and until today, a large part of the population of Novo Hamburgo has German ancestry. From the 1980s, Novo Hamburgo became known as "the national capital of shoes" and began to attract many industries in the sector. Nowadays, Novo Hamburgo is an important industrial center in Rio Grande do Sul. The economy of the city is based mainly on the manufacture of shoes and the associated leather goods supply chain.
Get in
By car
The main road access routes to the city are via BR-116 (departing from Porto Alegre), BR-448 (an alternative route from Porto Alegre, widely used to avoid traffic jams on BR-116) and RS-239 (connecting Novo Hamburgo to Maquiné, near the north coast of the state)
By bus
Generally, long-distance buses terminate at Porto Alegre Historic District (at most times, under the Conceição viaduct, located at 600 metres of Central Bus Station of Porto Alegre). From there, public transit can be taken to Novo Hamburgo.
By train
A commuter train service (Trensurb) connects the Historic District of Porto Alegre to the downtown of Novo Hamburgo. You can take the train from the airport to many stops in Novo Hamburgo and to cities beyond (Porto Alegre, Canoas, Esteio, Sapucaia do Sul, and São Leopoldo). The fare is R$ 3,30 and there's a station near the Porto Alegre Central Bus Station and Porto Alegre Airport.
- 1 Novo Hamburgo station (Estação Novo Hamburgo), Av. Nações Unidas.
Get around
See
- 1 Schmitt-Presser Museum (Museu Comunitário Casa Schmitt-Presser), Av. Gen. Daltro Filho, 929. Located in a house built in the first half of the 19th century, the museum is one of the oldest examples of German architecture in Rio Grande do Sul. It contains various objects that tell the story of German immigration in the region.
Do
Buy
Eat
Drink
Sleep
Learn
- Feevale University (Universidade Feevale) offers trades training and full degree programs in traditional academic areas through two campuses in the city (and one in the neighboor city of Campo Bom). This school operates primarily as a traditional community college with many students of the city studying in the nearby Unisinos (in São Leopoldo) or in universities in Porto Alegre; however, with its upgraded status to a university this is changing. The university also has exchange programs with many universities abroad.
Stay safe
Novo Hamburgo is no longer among the 10 most violent cities in Rio Grande do Sul and the crime rate has dropped sharply since 2018. However, as in any large city, it is necessary to be careful and avoid showing large amounts of money or jewelry. Remember that you are still in Brazil!
Connect
Go next
| Routes through Novo Hamburgo |
| Porto Alegre ← São Leopoldo ← | S  N | → Nova Petrópolis → Lages |
| Portão ← Estância Velha ← | E  W | → Sapiranga → Taquara |