Vila Velha Guided Walking Tour

Tour Details

At the scheduled time, we’ll meet at Praça da Prainha to start this fun walking tour of Vila Velha. Ready to discover one of Espírito Santo’s most beautiful cities?

The tour begins at the impressive Convento da Penha. This Marian sanctuary sits atop a cliff 154 meters (505 feet) high, offering the most spectacular views of Vila Velha Bay. It’s also an important pilgrimage site in Brazil.

Next, we’ll walk over to the Church of Rosario, an 18th-century temple notable for its historical significance to the Afro-Brazilian community. Then we’ll explore the Casa da Memoria and the Homero Massena Museum, which house documents, photographs, and artifacts that tell the full story of the city.

After that, we’ll walk to the Marco Zero, marking the exact spot where Vasco Fernandes Coutinho landed in 1535, founding the city and beginning the history of Espírito Santo.

Nearby, we’ll see the Gruta da Prainha, a small natural cave where the first religious ceremonies and rituals were held by Jesuits and the early Portuguese settlers.

After soaking up the history of Vila Velha, we’ll walk back to the starting point, concluding a tour of approximately 4.5 hours.