Canela sits on a high plateau in the Serra Gaúcha, at around eight hundred metres, and the altitude gives the town a cooler, damper character than the plains you have just left. Hydrangeas line the streets and gardens, the araucaria pines stand against the sky with their odd umbrella shapes, and in winter it is cold enough for frost and, occasionally, a dusting of snow. About thirty-three thousand people live here, and the town has fuel, food and plenty of places to stay, though its fancier neighbour Gramado, a few kilometres away, gets more of the crowds.
The town's landmark is the Catedral de Pedra, a neo-Gothic church of grey stone finished in the 1950s, with a tall spire and a small square in front. It is not ancient, but it is photogenic against a misty sky. Not far away, the Parque do Caracol protects a waterfall that drops more than a hundred metres into a forested canyon, and a path leads to viewpoints, with a long staircase for those who want to see it from below. The surrounding area is full of forest trails, farms and lookouts over the Rio Caí valley.
The food is distinctly southern: fondue, chocolate, cured meats, and sausage with a German accent, alongside fresh trout and pinhão, the large seed of the araucaria pine, eaten boiled in winter. It is a place where you can eat three desserts in a day without much guilt, since the cool air seems to demand it. German and Italian immigrants shaped the culture of the region, and you will see their influence in architecture, in the cafés and in the local festivals.
For a motorcyclist, the finish is satisfying. The last part of the Rota Romântica climbs through steep, wooded hills, with bends, short climbs and moments of fog, and the road surface is generally good though it can be slippery after rain. Fog is common, sometimes so thick that you must drop speed sharply, and temperatures can fall quickly after dusk. Weekend and holiday traffic around Canela and Gramado can be heavy, with long queues, so a weekday visit is much more relaxing. If the clouds lift, the view out over the plateau is wonderful.