Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Espírito Santo
A compact combination of mountains and beaches,
Espírito Santo
is one of the
smallest states in Brazil (with a population of only 2.6 million), but as Minas Gerais'
main outlet to the sea it is strategically very important. To a
mineiro
, Espírito Santo
means only one thing:
beaches
. During weekends and holiday seasons, thousands
flock to the coast, tending to concentrate on the stretch immediately south of the
historic capital
Vitória
- especially the large resort town of
Guarapari
. he best
beaches, however, lie on the strip of coastline another 50km south of Guarapari, and
in the north of the state, heading towards Bahia. The hinterland of Vitória, which is
far less visited, is exceptionally beautiful - an enticing mix of lush forest, river valleys,
mountains and granite hills. Since the latter part of the nineteenth century the area
has been colonized by successive waves of Italians, Poles and Germans, their
descendants living in small, attractive country towns such as
Santa Teresa
and
Domingos Martins
, which combine a European look and feel with a thoroughly
tropical landscape. All are easy to get to from Vitória, not more than a couple of hours
over good roads and linked by frequent buses.
2
Vitória
Founded in 1551 as the capital of Espírito Santo on an island formed by the Rio Santa
Maria delta,
VITÓRIA
is an a
uent and well-run seaside city vaguely reminiscent of Rio,
with a combination of high-rises, beaches, granite outcrops and irregularly shaped
mountains on the horizon. Like Rio, it has an old centre several kilometres from the
more fashionable beach districts, which are home to the best nightlife and restaurants -
at the beaches you can sample
moqueca capixaba
, the local speciality, as well as
especially good crab.
Though its beaches attract plenty of Brazilians in the summer and Vitória is
renowned for blue marlin and sailfish
fishing
, the economy is not driven by tourism;
the city is a base for offshore oil, home to the giant Arcelor-Mittal Tubarão steel plant,
Vale iron-ore railway operations and two ports: the smaller Porto de Vitória and the
Porto de Tubarão, which deals in iron ore exports but also a growing trade in grains
and soybeans.
Today the city is spread out over a vast area: the
centro histórico
contains most of the
sights, while the modern financial district lies several kilometres along the Baía de Vitória
in
Enseada do Sua
. The name of the street that hugs the shore between the two areas
changes as you go eastwards from the rodoviária; initially it's called Avenida Elias Miguel,
then Avenida Getúlio Vargas, Avenida Marechal Mascarenhas de Moraes, and finally
Avenida Beira Mar, with the whole stretch generally known to locals as
Avenida Beira
Mar
. The main beaches run north from here, beginning with
Praia do
Curva da Jurema
.
Centro histórico
Vitória's
centro histórico
is built into a steep hillside overlooking the docks along the
narrow Baía de Vitória, but the main streets are all at shore level. This is still technically
SECURITY IN VITÓRIA
Vitória boasts one of the highest GDPs per head in the country and a generally
high standard
of living
, but as with most cities in Brazil there are also high levels of poverty and crime in
places. Violence is unlikely to affect you, but take taxis at night and avoid wandering into
favelas
on your own. Areas to be especially careful of at night are around Curva da Jurema
and outside Shopping Vitória, and anywhere in the
centro histórico
; the Vila Rubim district
just to the north is especially prime territory for muggers.
