Talian's national capital, the mountainous municipality even has a replica of the Coliseum
Amidst valleys, vineyards and lots of greenery, a little piece of Italy is hidden in Rio Grande do Sul. In addition to natural beauty and man-made monuments, Serafina Corrêa is known for its friendly and cheerful people.
Around a thousand of the municipality's 15 thousand inhabitants live in rural areas, in places like the Silva Jardim district, which deserves to be on the itinerary. There, the hallmark is tranquility. Every now and then, a car passes by on the only street in the district, and residents sit in front of their houses.
In the district, there is a capital with the image of San Giuseppe, brought from Italy. In front of it, there is a cave, that of Our Lady of Lourdes — a place for a moment of silence, reflection and prayer.
The city's main tourist attraction is a kind of replica of the Roman Colosseum. In fact, on a street called Via Genova, there are four other buildings inspired by Italy: Romeo's Castle, Juliet's Castle, Marostica Castle, and La Rotonda, all close to each other. Inside, there are shops, but the architecture alone is worth a visit.
In the middle of Via Genoa, there is still the monument La nave degli immigranti, made in honor of Italian immigrants and the influence they left and which remains alive today. One of them is Talian, spoken in northern Italy and brought by immigrants to Brazil. Here, the dialect incorporated some words from Portuguese and, today, it is the most spoken in Serafina Corrêa — it is even in the municipality's legislation.
— Today, it is the national capital of Talian. For us, speaking Talian is perhaps easier than Portuguese itself — says the president of the Federation of Italian Associations of Rio Grande do Sul, Paulo Massolini.
For those who want to spend the night, nightly rates for a couple cost an average of R$200. Visitors will return home full of historical, beautiful, curious and typical memories of a city full of Italian influences.
How to go
From Porto Alegre, the trip takes just under three hours. There are around 220 kilometers along BR 448 and 386 and RS 130 and 129. It is worth making stops on the road to admire the landscape.
By Giulia Perachi
FOLLOW ITALIANISM
