Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The Costa Verde
The Costa Verde (Green Coast) stretching south of Rio,
past Paraty and Trindade (see pp106-107) , deserves its
name. Rainforests swathe the coastal mountains, which
reach almost 9,143 ft (2,787 m) in the alpine meadows
and the forests of Parque Nacional do Itatiaia. From
here, they plunge down into steep ridges to meet an
emerald ocean, tinged with turquoise at numerous long
sandy beaches. Beyond are a scattering of breathtaking
islands set in aquamarine and sitting in the deep,
bottle-green Atlantic. The largest, Ilha Grande, is parti-
cularly lush, with trees covering its rocky mountains
and sheltering its spectacular strands of fine white sand.
The island is also the playground for the rich, who host
extravagant parties in the Antipodean summer.
unspoilt by development
and heavy tourism. The only
settlement of any size is the
two-street Vila do Abraão ,
the port town and main
village on the island. Tour
operators and hotels in
Abraão offer a range of trips
around the island, many of
them on pretty, painted
wooden fishing boats. The
most popular trip is to the
sheltered cove at Palmas , to
the east of the village, from
where a trail leads to Lopes
Mendes to the east, one of
Ilha Grande's longest beaches,
washed by powerful surf.
Other trips include snorkeling
in the clear waters of the Saco
do Céu or visits to the 18th-
century Igreja de Santana at
Freguesia de Santana.
Self-guided trails from
Abraão lead throughout the
island. Many of them are
steep and rocky, but offer
wonderful views out over the
Atlantic. The most challenging
is to the 3,248-ft (990-m) high
peak of Pico do Papagaio.
Although most of the 75-sq
mile (193-sq km) island now
forms part of the Parque
Estadual da Ilha Grande, Ilha
Grande's pristine state owes
more to its long isolation than
to efforts at conservation.
From the earliest colonial
days the island was a noto-
rious pirate lair. It then
became a landing port for
slaves destined for Rio and
in the late 20th century an
infamous prison for political
prisoners. Ruins of the prison
buildings remain, covered
in thick vegetation.
Angra dos Reis 2
Rio de Janeiro. * 114,000. @ from
Rio. n Rua Caravelas, (024) 3367
7826. www .angra-dos-reis.com
This unprepossessing port is
today mainly a jumping-off
point for the islands of Ilha
Grande and Ilha da Gipóia. It
was once a charming colonial
town and vestiges of its once
dignified past are hidden
among the ever-expanding
favelas . Angra dos Reis was
once as pretty a town as
Paraty . The main church,
Nossa Senhora do Conceição ,
was built in 1626 in front of
the docks, while the nearby
Nossa Senhora do Carmo
dates from 1593. The colonial
naval complex lies some
2 miles (3 km) north of the
town center towards the
Praia do Bonfim.
Town church in Vila do Abraão, Ilha
Grande, against a lush backdrop
Ilha Grande 3
Rio de Janeiro. * 3,000. g from
Angra dos Reis. n Parque Estadual
Peig, Av Beira Mar, Vila do Abraão,
(024) 3361 5553. ® Vila do Abraão.
www .ilhagrande.com.br
The most romantic and pretty
of southeastern Brazil's many
islands, Ilha Grande remains
Environs
Ilha da Gipóia , an hour's boat
ride off the port of Angra dos
Reis, is the second largest
island in the bay after Ilha
Grande, and is known for its
stunning white sand beaches
such as Jurubaíba, Praia do
Dentista, and Norte. Most of
the beaches here are bustling
with bars floating offshore,
which can be reached by the
yachts and boats that ply the
waters of the bay.
The forested Serra do Mar
lies 25 miles (40 km) inland
from Angra. On weekends
and holidays, visitors can take
a picturesque train journey
there. Train tickets should be
booked a day in advance
from the tourist office.
Pristine beach alcove surrounded by lush green forest, Ilha Grande
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp370-72 and pp396-7
 
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