Olimpo

Around Olimpo, the coastal landscape ranges from fine sandy beaches to stone breakwaters. There are also opportunities to observe nature and explore cultural attractions in the wider destination of Rio Grande. This mix is useful when planning a trip because it offers very different options: beaches and walks, technical coastal structures, or oceanography and island culture.

Coast and Nature Around Olimpo

Built between 1909 and 1915, the Molhes da Barra consist of two stone breakwaters that extend 4 km into the Atlantic Ocean. Visitors can ride wind-powered vagonetas on rails out to sea. This combines the coast with an unusual engineering feature: the ride goes out along the breakwaters rather than along the beach.

The seaside resort of Balneário Cassino offers a different coastal landscape, with its 254 km of fine sandy beach. Together with Praia do Hermenegildo, it forms one of the largest continuous beaches in South America. At Balneário Cassino, visitor activities include walks along the coast, observing migratory birds and marine animals, and visiting an ecological boardwalk among protected dunes.

When looking for a suitable holiday rental, you can weigh these options against each other: Are you most drawn to the vastness of the beach, observing nature among the dunes, or riding out along the breakwaters? This way, the choice of location starts with the coastal experience you want rather than an unsupported assumption about individual accommodations.

Culture and Landscape in Pedro Osório and Arroio Grande

The Expofesta Regional da Melancia takes place annually in February in Pedro Osório; dates and programmes may vary. In 2020, the Expo Festa da Melancia recorded a visitor record, with around 30,000 visitors. This historical record describes that year and makes no claim about current visitor numbers or a current programme.

In Arroio Grande, the Museu Municipal Visconde de Mauá is dedicated to preserving the community’s memory, identity and culture. To this end, it preserves, researches and presents its museum collection. On Lagoa Mirim stands the Farol da Ponta Alegre, a former maritime signal lighthouse that is now in ruins and has been out of service since 1964. Praia do Pontal is a seaside resort on the same lagoon; during the summer months, it welcomes visitors from Arroio Grande and neighbouring towns, though seasonal visitor patterns may change.

These places offer different points of interest: the museum focuses on cultural memory, the lighthouse illustrates the historical role of a maritime signal, and Praia do Pontal is linked to seasonal swimming and beach activities. For trip planning, this makes it possible to choose between cultural history and a summer stay by the water.

Rio Grande: Oceanography, Port and Island Culture

In the wider destination of Rio Grande, the Museu Oceanográfico presents a public exhibition on life in the oceans and their dynamics. Displays, models, aquariums and equipment used in oceanographic research are included, along with hundreds of shells. The Museu Náutico in Armazém 4 of Porto Velho focuses on the maritime history of Rio Grande and the city’s close relationship with the Lagoa dos Patos estuary. The Museu do Porto complements this focus with the development of equipment for navigation and freight transport, as well as gear associated with port work.

Ilha dos Marinheiros also brings together a range of themes: visitors can see buildings and ruins of Azorean colonial architecture, as well as the chapels of São João Batista, Santa Cruz and Nossa Senhora da Saúde. The cuisine is influenced by Portuguese cooking; local crafts include wickerwork, woodwork and tapestry. Jurupiga is considered the island’s best-known handcrafted drink. Those interested in nature rather than collections and architectural history will also find Esec do Taim in Rio Grande, considered one of South America’s most species-rich areas for waterbirds.

On the 42-hectare Ilha da Pólvora, marshland provides habitat for birds, rodents, larvae and young fish, as well as molluscs and crustaceans. The island is reached by boat departing from the pier at the Museu Oceanográfico. In the wider destination of Rio Grande, coastal landscapes, wildlife and maritime collections are distinct trip-planning options.

See the overview of the wider destination: Rio Grande.