Highlights
Golf
Designed by Dan Blankenship, Terravista Golf Course is located atop Trancoso’s iconic cliffs, offering breathtaking views across the fairways and out to sea. Celebrated as the best golf course in South America, it offers 70 hectares of playing area, lakes and native vegetation, utilising nature to provide natural hazards and stern challenges for even the most able golfers.
Beaches
Trancoso’s most obvious attraction is its soft-sand beaches, most that are protected by reefs and perfect for low tide swimming. For more deserted sands, Praia dos Coqueiros (Palm Tree Beach) is a small retreat, fringed by beautiful palms, while nearby, Praia da Pedra Grande (Big Rock Beach) has few tourists, but some restaurants and beach bars. The region’s most famous beach, Praias dos Nativos, has more facilities still. A great way to explore Trancoso’s beaches is by horseback, either independently or with a local guide.
Festivals
Trancoso is one of the oldest villages in Brazil, founded by Portuguese Jesuits over 400 years ago, and has its fair share of festivities as a result. Saint Sebastião’s Day in January and Saint Brás’s Day in February are the most famous, when unique local traditions can be enjoyed as residents gather on the Quadrado to celebrate. Trancoso’s New Year’s Eve is also considered legendary, with a whole week of festivities. The, otherwise quiet, village comes vividly to life, as celebrities, models and thousands of other visitors descend for a week of fun.