Besides being one of the most wooded cities in Brazil – the fourth, according to IBGE’s Census pf 2010, with practically one tree per inhabitant –, Porto Alegre is alsoknown by green broad bands that guarantee abundant shade in public areas dedicated to leisure and recreation.

   We have selected four big urban parks for you to hang out, run, exercise or simply admire the landscape along with relatives and friends on a nice sunny Sunday. They are: Parque Farroupilha (Redenção), Parque Moinhos de Vento (Parcão), Parque Marinha do Brasil and Parque Germânia.

   Almost anybody knows it by the official name: Carlos Simão Arnt, but for the nickname: “Encol Square” in honour to the company that adopted it. Located on Nilópolis Avenue, on Bela Vista Avenue, the well wooded environment attracts thousands of people, mostly on weekends. On Sundays, friend groups and relatives sit down on the grass or on beach chairs to cheap chat while drinking the traditional “chimarrão”(unsweetened yerba mate).

   With 22 mil square meters, big part of them covered by well clipped grass and ornamented by bushes, Encol Square offers equipments and a good structure. Its sidewalk and running track is rarely empty. Furthermore the new lights, inaugurated in 2016 literally made night turns into day, what allows the practice of outdoor exercise and collective sports with total safety.

   The square has benches, playground, indoor bocce ball court, dog space and three courts for diverse sports, one of them for practicing beach tennis, an easy to learn sport that attracts players of all generations.

Photos: Daniele Farias