Castelo do Garcia d’Ávila

Dating from 1552, the Castelo was the first great Portuguese edifice in Brazil. Desperate to colonize, the king of Portugal granted lands to merchants, soldiers and aristocrats; a farmer named Garcia d’Ávila, endowed with this tract of land, chose this ocean-view plot for his home. Today, it’s an impressive ruin with sweeping views. It’s 7km outside of town – take a taxi.