Surroundings, Vitória

There are a number of interesting towns and attractions in the area surrounding Vitória.

Related Attractions

Vila Velha, Brazil

Home to a collection of colonial buildings, the upper town of Vila Velha is historical and interesting. The lower town in contrast is more popular for its scenic beaches and recreational opportunities.

Highlights:	Nossa Senhora da Penha Praia da Costa	Conceicao da Barra, Brazil Barra do Jucu

Nova Almeida, Brazil

Nova Almeida

In Nova Almeida, 48km/30mi from Vitória, in the commune of Serra, is the Igreja dos Reis Magos (Church of the Three Kings; 1558), which belonged to a Jesuit mission; it is now protected as a national monument. A particular attraction of the beaches of Barreiras, Grande and Capuba is the dolphins which can be seen there.

Comboios Nature Reserve

To the north of Nova Almeida, on a narrow coastal strip at the mouth of the Rio Doce, is the Comboios Nature Reserve (area 823 hectares/2033 acres), where turtles lay their eggs.

Jacaraipe, Brazil

Jacaraipe

29km/18mi north of Vitória is Jacaraipe, in the commune of Serra (pop. 115,000), the inhabitants of which live by fishing and the tourist trade. Particularly attractive are the beaches of Jacaraipe (in the town), Manguinhos (4km/2.5mi) and Carapebus (9km/5.6mi), to the south of the town.

Domingos Martins, Brazil

Domingos Martins, settled by Germans in the mid 19th C, still shows German the influence, with some half-timbered houses and local festivals.

Highlights:	Pedra Azul	Lutheran Church

Trindade (Martim Vaz)

Islands in the Atlantic

Trindade Martim Vaz

Trindade and Martim Vaz, 1100km/685mi off Vitória in the Atlantic, are the Brazilian islands farthest from the mainland. Trindade is 5.5km/3.4mi long by 2.7km/1.7mi across; its highest point is the Pico do Desejado (600m/1970ft). The island is the tip of a mighty extinct volcano emerging from a depth of some 6000m/20,000ft, and is accordingly covered with lava and volcanic sand. The vegetation consists of low-growing plants together with a small forest of giant ferns. Endemic species of animal include the turtles which come to lay their eggs on the islands of Trindade and Ascenção. The islands are under the jurisdiction of the Brazilian navy and have no provision for visitors.

Museum of the Settler, Santa Leopoldina, Brazil

Santa Leopoldina

Museu do Colono

50km/31mi north-west of Vitória is Cachoeiro de Santa Leopoldina, a center of German settlement in the 19th century. The commune now has a population of just over 30,000. The Museu do Colono (Museum of the Settler) contains material on German and Slav settlement in the region.

Hummingbird Museum, Santa Teresa, Brazil

Santa Teresa

Hummingbird Museum

90km/56mi north-west of Vitória (reached on a road branching off BR 101) is Santa Teresa (pop. 30,000). The main feature of interest is the Mello Leitão Biological Museum - a Hummingbird Museum founded by the natural scientist Augusto Rischi - in which over 3000 species of birds are represented. Attached to the museum are a plant nursery and an enclosure containing hummingbirds. Near the town are the Canaã valley (reached on the road to Colatina, 2km/1.3mi from the town) and the Nova Lombardia nature reserve.