The town of Vitória is beautifully set on an island, its entrance second only to Rio's. The beaches are just as attractive, but smaller, and the climate is less humid. Five bridges connect the island with the mainland. Vitória dates from 1551 and takes its name from a battle won by the Portuguese over the local indigenous people. There are a few colonial remnants, but it is largely a modern city and port. The upper, older part of town, reached by steep streets and steps, is much less hectic than the lower harbour area which suffers dreadful traffic problems. A rail connection westwards to Minas Gerais provides transport for export of iron ore, coffee and timber. Port installations at Vitória and nearby Ponta do Tubarão have led to some beach and air pollution.
Ins and outs, has connections with Belo Horizonte, Brasília, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador and São Paulo amongst others. From the airport you can take a taxi or bus to the centre. The
is 15 minutes' walk west of the centre.
Information is available from
, with friendly staff and a free map; or
Instituto Jones dos Santos Neves
.
On Avenida República is the huge
, an oasis of quiet, with a lake, play- ground and tiny zoo. Other parks are the
, with good views from
the 312-m summit, and the
, 6 km from the centre at Praia do Canto.
Two islands reached by bridge from Praia do Canto are
and
.
Colonial buildings still to be seen in the city are the
, Rua José Marcelino in the upper city (1551), now an art gallery; the church of
, Rua Francisco Araújo (1766) and the ruins of the
(1591), also in the upper city. In the
, or
, on Praça João Climaco (upper city), is the tomb of Padre Anchieta, the 16th-century Jesuit missionary and one of the founders of São Paulo. The
was built in 1918 and stands in Praça Dom Luís Scortegagna. The
, on Praça Costa Pereira, often presents plays as well as holding jazz and folk festivals.
, reached by a bridge across the bay, has an excellent beach, but is built up and noisy: take a bus from Vitória marked Vilha Velha. Visit the ruined, fortified monastery of
, on a hill above Vila Velha; the views are superb. The Dutch attacked it in 1625 and 1640. There is also a pleasant ferry service to Vila Velha.
Urban beaches such as
can be affected by pollution (some parts of it are closed to bathers), but it is quite pleasant, with fair surf. South of the city is Vila Velha , but for bigger waves go to
, which is 10 km further south.
There is a hummingbird sanctuary at the
, a library including the works of the hummingbird and orchid scientist, Augusto Ruschi. Hummingbird feeders are hung outside the library. Also in the municipality is the
Dr Augusto Ruschi Biological Reserve
(formerly the Nova Lombardia National Biological Reserve), a forest rich in endemic bird species, including several endangered hummingbirds, Salvadori's antwren, cinnamon-vented Piha, russet- winged spadebill, Oustalet's tyrannulet, rufous-brown solitaire and hooded berryeater. Before visiting, permission to visit must be obtained from
, www.ibama.gov.br.
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