3 Best Performing Arts in The South, Brazil

Occupying what was Porto Alegre's finest hotel at the turn of the 20th century, the salmon-pink Casa de Cultura Mário Quintana has two art-house cinemas, one theater, and several exhibit rooms. The popular Café Santo da Casa, on the seventh floor, has regular jazz and classical music performances and gets busy with an after-work crowd.

With its conspicuous 350-foot brick smokestack, the Centro Cultural Usina do Gasômetro was the city's first coal-fired power plant—built in the late 1920s, when the city experienced rapid growth. Today it holds theaters, meeting rooms, and exhibit spaces on the banks of the Rio Guaíba. A terrace café overlooking the river is the perfect place to take in a sunset. The center is open Tuesday–Sunday 9–9. To find out what's on, it's best to call ahead, as there is little up-to-date information published online.

Formerly the Teatro São Teodoro (circa 1884), the Teatro Guaíra was rebuilt in its present location and reopened in 1974. It has a modern, well-equipped 2,000-seat auditorium, as well as two smaller rooms. Shows include plays, popular music concerts, and the occasional full-fledged opera.