Urso de Óculos

With its cobbled streets and local atmosphere, the riverfront strip (the Orla in Portuguese) is the soul of Itacaré. Here’s our top 10 of what to to see on the riverfront:

1. Watch great football from morning till night.
Forget Maracanã! The best football is right here on the beach on the riverfront of Itacaré. Local teams start practicing around 6am and the action does not stop until after 10pm.

2. Buy fish directly from local fishermen.
The brave fishermen of Itacaré bring in their catch in the early mornings at the small port at the end of the Orla, a little further down the road from the bookshop. Fish doesn’t come much fresher than this.

3. Watch horses doing nothing.
The local horses are pretty relaxed. All they do all day is chill and look at the view.

4. Take a canoe trip up the river.
Hire a local guide to take you on a traditional dugout canoe up the Contas River. You can stop for lunch or a snack at one of the restaurants, offering fresh crab, coconut water, cocoa juice, caipirinha and other local delights!

5. Wander past the colonial mansions.
Along the riverfront you will see lots of houses built at the time of the region’s cocoa boom. Rich estate owners constructed Portuguese style mansions, a visual example of Itacaré’s colonial past.

6. Gaze at colourful boats, yachts and traditional canoes
From ocean crossing catamarans to traditional dugout canoes, the harbour at the rivermouth shelters all kinds of vessels.

7. Check out the nature.
The Contas River Estuary is home to many fascinating birds, plants and flowers. Flanked by atlantic rainforest and mangroves, there is always some life to be spotted around the river.

8. Improve your volleyball technique.
By watching the teams playing on Coroinha beach on the riverfront every afternoon from around 4pm.

9. Watch the sun-set over the River.
As you watch the sun set ponder this thought: The source of the Contas River is in Chapada Diamantina, about 620km away from the sea!

10. Visit us.
What better way to relax after your stroll down the waterfront than with a cuppa, a brownie and hundreds of books.

Can you add to this list? Please feeel free to leave a comment in the box below.