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Torres (Rio Grande do Sul)
Encyclopedia
Sites of interest
Tourists may visit the Ilha dos LobosIlha dos Lobos
Ilha dos Lobos is a small island on the Atlantic coast of Torres, Rio Grande do Sul state in Brazil.- Origin of the name :The island's name comes from the fur seals that are commonly observed on the island....
(Island of the Wolves), which is located directly in front of the Praia Grande beach, approximately 1700 meters off shore. Hiking is possible in the nearby mountains of the Serra do Mar
Serra do Mar
Serra do Mar is a 1,500 km long system of mountain ranges and escarpments in Southeastern Brazil, which runs in parallel to the Atlantic Ocean coast from the state of Espírito Santo to southern Santa Catarina, although some include Serra Geral in the Serra do Mar, in which case this range...
.
Itapeva Beach is 6 km away, located beyond Guarita park. It takes its name from Itapeva hill. Itapeva in Tupi–Guarani means "crushed stone". Guarita Beach is located in Guarita Park, surrounded by the towers "Centro" – Centre -, "Sul" – South -, and Guarita after which the park was named.
Furnas Hill is the largest of the towers. It is also called torre do Meio – Middle tower. It lies six hundred meters away from the city lighthouse. Cal beach lies between them. Cal beach is eight hundred meters long; it is one of the preferred places for surfing practice. Its name derives from the ovens located here until 1940 used to heat shells for the lime.
Prainha beach (or do meio beach) is six hundred meters long. It has a rocky soil. Praia Grande beach is 2 km long; it is preferred for sea bathing and sports such as soccer, volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
, surfing
Surfing
Surfing' is a surface water sport in which the surfer rides a surfboard on the crest and face of a wave which is carrying the surfer towards the shore...
, kitesurfing
Kitesurfing
Kitesurfing or Kiteboarding is an adventure surface water sport that has been described as combining wakeboarding, windsurfing, surfing, paragliding, and gymnastics into one extreme sport. Kitesurfing harnesses the power of the wind to propel a rider across the water on a small surfboard or a...
and several others. Outdoor shows are also organized on Praia Grande beach.
Surfing
Torres has some of the best surf spots in the state. Some of the best Brazilian surfers are from Torres.Rocky mountains and other geological formations provide natural protection from strong winds and create good shape for the sea bottom, creating ideal surfing conditions.
The best season for surfing is winter (May–September), with waves up to 3 meters high and cold water. During the summer the waves are smaller and the northeast wind usually jeopardizes surfing conditions.
It is possible to practice Tow-in surfing
Tow-in surfing
Tow-in surfing is a surfing technique which uses artificial assistance to allow the surfer to catch faster moving waves than was traditionally possible when paddling by hand.-History:...
in a point break near Ilha dos Lobos
Ilha dos Lobos
Ilha dos Lobos is a small island on the Atlantic coast of Torres, Rio Grande do Sul state in Brazil.- Origin of the name :The island's name comes from the fur seals that are commonly observed on the island....
and waves as high as 10 meters have been registered there; however, access is difficult and good conditions are rare.
Hot air ballooning
Currently, Brazil is the Latin American country with the largest number of hot air balloons and hot air balloonists. There are about 45 hot air balloons for 30 registered pilots divided into three hot air ballooning clubs. These are located in São PauloSão Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
and Belo Horizonte
Belo Horizonte
Belo Horizonte is the capital of and largest city in the state of Minas Gerais, located in the southeastern region of Brazil. It is the third largest metropolitan area in the country...
. Since 1989, Torres has sponsored an annual hot air balloon festival, and in 1995, during its seventh season, the city gained the title of "Brazilian Capital of Hot Air Ballooning".