After the Pelotas Marathon: São Lourenço do Sul

The Route: Pelotas → São Lourenço do Sul → Pelotas Logistics: About 73 km by road. A bus connection from Pelotas to the town's terminal on Rua Mariz e Barros exists, but the published timetable is old, so check it or book a car. Marathon Month: October Duration: 2 nights

Pelotas ──(about 73 km, bus or car, roughly 75 to 90 minutes)──> São Lourenço do Sul
                                                                          │
              Pelotas (PET) airport ◄──(car or bus, same road)───────────┘

The Pelotas Marathon finishes in the Mercado Público on a Sunday in October. São Lourenço do Sul is a small town on the Costa Doce, the stretch of lagoon shore south of Porto Alegre, and it asks little of tired legs.

October in São Lourenço do Sul: spring, which is not the bathing season. State tourism and travel writers describe the Costa Doce as a summer destination, so do not plan on warm lagoon water, a running boat tour or open seasonal kiosks. Plan walks, meals and a cultural stop. The regional weather record for Pelotas gives October mornings around 13°C to 14°C and afternoons near 22°C, with rain on about ten days of the month.

Getting There

The distance from Pelotas is about 73 km. At 50 to 60 km/h that is roughly 75 to 90 minutes before stops. The municipality has published a bus connection between Pelotas and the town's terminal at Rua Mariz e Barros 1715, but the timetable attached to that notice is old, so ask the operator for current departures and baggage rules. A booked car is the lower-risk option. Keep your main luggage in Pelotas if your hotel will hold it for you.

Night One: The Waterfront

State tourism describes São Lourenço do Sul as a lagoon-side municipality on the Costa Doce and the starting point of the Caminho Pomerano, a cultural route linked to the area's Pomeranian settlers. On the first afternoon, walk the waterfront in short stretches with benches at each end. The shore is flat, and a 20-minute stroll then a seat is a sensible limit on the Monday after a marathon. Eat early, and ask your accommodation where the locals have dinner.

Day Two: A Cultural Stop

Use the second day for one prebooked stop on the Caminho Pomerano. The route is a cultural trail through the Pomeranian farming country, and individual stops need arranging, so ask the town's tourism office or your hotel to book a guide or a car with a driver. Do not plan on turning up at a farm gate. Avoid stacking stops: one visit of 60 to 90 minutes with a seated lunch is a full day for post-marathon legs.

Where to Stay and Eat

Choose a hotel or pousada in the town centre or on the waterfront side, with a lift or a ground-floor room, and ask about breakfast hours and luggage storage. Book early and confirm the room type, since a small town has a limited choice. For dinner, ask for the lagoon fish and local cooking, and confirm the opening hours, since small-town restaurants may close on Mondays.

Getting Home