Porto Seguro

Population: 95,721
Distance from Salvador: 714 km (444 mi); Rio de Janeiro: 1135 km (706 mi); São Paulo: 1572 km (977 mi); Vitória: 600 km (373 mi)

Porto Seguro is where the History of Brazil started. The first spot of Brazilian mainlaind to be seen by the Portuguese was Santa Cruz de Cabrália, named after Pedro Álvares Cabral, the captain of the fleet which discovered Brazil.
Cabral didn´t set foot on Cabrália, though. He sailed about 30 km southwards, until he found a bay where the waters were particularly tranquil. He called the bay Porto Seguro, which means Safe Haven.
The landscape hasn't changed much since Cabral's fleet saw it and Caminha described it in his letter to the King of Portugal. One hundred beaches are framed by the Atlantic Rainforest and cliffs ranging in color from white to red.
Porto Seguro is today one of the main touristic destinations in Brazil, particularly among young people, who come for the beaches and the almost non-stop parties. In town, the busiest place is Passarela do Álcool (Alcohol Catwalk), lined with bars which stay open all through the night. It´s possible to find tranquility in one of the many hotels scattered along the coast.
The stretch from Porto Seguro to Caravelas is called the Costa do Descobrimento (Coast of the Discovery). The restaurants, resorts and quality inns of Arraial D'Ajuda, Trancoso and Caraíva offer charm and sophistication. Further south, Cumuruxatiba is the current tourist magnet, combining simplicity with the modern equipment required for boat or jeep excursions. Spectacular coral reefs and humpback whales await divers at the National Marine Park of Abrolhos, close to the pleasant historical city of Caravelas.

Porto Seguro - Historic Center

In a radius of less than one kilometer, on the top of a small hill, it is possible to visit important landmarks of Brazilian History.
Marco da Posse. A marble monument marking Portugal's possession of Brazil engraved with the royal seal of the Portuguese Crown and the cross of the Order of Christ, brought from Portugal by the Gonçalo Coelho expedition, in 1503.
Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Pena. Built in 1535, this church holds Brazil's first religious statue, of Saint Francis of Assis.
Museu do Descobrimento. Museum of the Discovery. The former site of the House of Representatives and the Jail, and a great example of the 18th century architecture.
Igreja da Misericórdia. Church of Mercy. Built in 1526. Features a remarkable image of Christ on the cross.
Igreja de São Benedito. Built by the jesuits, probably in 1549. Enjoy the breeze and the magnificent view of the coast.
Ruins of the Colégio dos Jesuítas. The Jesuit school was created in 1551. Today there are native dance and capoeira presentations held on the site in front of the ruins.

Porto Seguro - Beaches

The beach kiosks that made lambada such a hit in the late 1980s are still all the rage, but the soundtrack today includes axé and forró. Check them out if you like lots of action, crowded beaches and the convenience of seaside services.
Terapuã beach has many hotels and kiosks that are always crowded. There are shows day and night, dance lessons, exercise classes, restaurants, as well as water sports, helicopter flights and paragliding. In the center of town, Cruzeiro's coral reefs mix with the dark waters of the Burunhaém river, but is not suitable for swimming.
The nearby Curuípe (with clear coral pools at low tide), Itacimirim and Mundaí beaches are more serene. The Rio dos Mangues beach offers a quiet mangrove area and pools where the river is dammed by the reefs, but also the popular Barramares kiosk.
The last two beaches, Ponta Grande, with crystal clear waters and reefs, and Mutá, are long and nearly deserted.
Coroa Vermelha, in Santa Cruz Cabrália, is a pleasant bay with shallow waters, reefs and a few kiosks. In the surrounding area there are many people selling arts and crafts made from brazilwood by the Pataxó indians. There is also a cross marking the first mass held in the country.

Porto Seguro - Eco tours

The small district of Santo André, 30 km (19 mi) north of Porto Seguro, is a ten-minute ferryboat ride from Santa Cruz Cabrália, and the point of departure for a drive to explore the roughly 50 km (31 mi) of wilderness beaches, and the villages along the road leading to historical town of Belmonte. It is a pleasant day excursion, but hotels await for overnight visits.
The Parque Ecológico do Santuário preserves 450 hectares (1,112 acres) of the Atlantic Rainforest and offers trails, a suspension bridge, flying foxes, river swimming, chalana (a small flat-bottomed boat) excursions, fishing (the catch must be released back into the river) and a pony farm for children.
Belmonte, the last stop, has many mansions from the cocoa era.

Hotels in Porto Seguro

Hotels in Porto Seguro. List of hotels in Porto Seguro.

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