Passo Fundo in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil is sometimes called A Terra de Gente Boa (the Land of Good People),Capital do Planalto Médio (Capital of the mid-plateau), Capital Nacional da Literatura (National Capital of Literature), Lugar de ser Feliz (The Place to be Happy) and Capital do Norte (Capital of the North, referring to northern Rio Grande do Sul). It has one of the strongest gaúcho cultures of any city in Rio Grande do Sul. (The word gaúcho in Portuguese is written with an acute accent to differentiate it from the Spanish "gaucho" and is roughly pronounced like "gow-OO-shu.")
The city is home to some 200,000 people and lies in the north of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil's southernmost state.
Passo Fundo has a strong concentration of gaúcho culture which manifests itself in its gaúcho and more modern tchê music (bands that play guitar, drums, and accordion), rodeios at the CTGs or Centers of Gaúcho Traditions, agriculture, animal husbandry with a heavy emphasis on cattle, and dance. If you're looking to spot gaúchos in the streets, this is a not a bad place to start as it's fairly common to see older citizens walking around town in the pilcha (typical gaúcho dress consisting of boots, gaucho pants called bombachas, a belt called a guaiaca, shirt, a typically red scarf called a lençol, and flat-brimmed hat). In general, citizens who identify with gaucho culture under 60 years of age generally only wear gaúcho clothing at gaúcho-specific social functions like dances or parties. They will wear regular street clothes outside of those functions.
- COLEURB. Coleurb provides municipal bus transport around Passo Fundo with stops all around the city.
COLEURB. Coleurb provides municipal bus transport around Passo Fundo with stops all around the city.
Taxi fare is regulated by city law. Flag 1 selected on the taximeter represents the normal fare. Flag 2 occurs from 22:00 - 06:00, on weekends and holidays. However, there is no difference between Flag 1 and Flag 2 in Passo Fundo.
| Price Table | Flag 1 (Bandeira 1) | Flag 2 (Bandeira 2) |
| Starting Price | R$3.48 | R$3.48 |
| Per Kilometer | R$3.59 | R$3.59 |
| Per hour stopped | R$10.44 | R$10.44 |
| Airport to City Center | R$40.00 | R$40.00 |
- Catedral de Nossa Senhora Aparecida. The cathedral is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Passo Fundo.
Catedral de Nossa Senhora Aparecida. The cathedral is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Passo Fundo.