Flights
Your final destination is the Salgado Filho Airport, in Porto Alegre (POA). If you come from outside South America, you are likely to fly through São Paulo (GRU) or Rio de Janeiro (GIG) International Airports.

Distance from main Brazilian cities
Rio de Janeiro: 1.553 Km
São Paulo: 1.109 Km
Brasilia: 2.027 Km

Transportation
A Taxi ride from the airport to the city center costs about R$ 20.00 (USD 8.50).

Language
The official language in Brazil is Portuguese, but some people in Porto Alegre understand Spanish. Youngsters are more likely to be able to speak English. You will surely find English speaking people to help you at hotels, travel agencies, and in some shops and restaurants. Bus and taxi drivers may understand Spanish, but are unlikely to speak English.

Money
The Brazilian currency is called Real (R$), which is worth about 0.42 of a US Dollar (check here). Major currencies can be exchanged by Reais at "casas de câmbio" (money exchange). You can also withdraw local currency from ATMs at the airport and several other locations. Credit Cards are widely accepted.

Visa
Brazil adopts a policy based on reciprocity. As a consequence, nationals of the following countries do not need a Visa to travel to Brazil:

Andorra, Argentina, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Monaco, Morocco, Namibia, The Netherlands, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, The Philippines, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Sovereign Order of Malta, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Trinidad & Tobago, United Kingdom, Uruguay, The Vatican and Venezuela.

Nationals of other countries must obtain a Tourist Visa. Passports must be valid for at least six months. The first entry into Brazil must be made within 90 days from the date the visa is issued. Please contact the Brazilian Embassy or Consulate in your country of residence (US, UK, Japan, and other countries).