Guarapari - municipality of Brazil

Guarapari is a popular beach resort town in Espirito Santo, counting about 127,000 people in 2020, a figure that quickly multiplies in high season.

Understand

Guarapari is a very popular holiday escape for people from landlocked Minas Gerais state and for people from Vitória and Vila Velha. The place is fervent between Christmas and Carnaval, with smaller peaks on school holidays throughout the year.

Get in

By plane

Guarapari has a small domestic airport with no regular passenger traffic.

Vitória Airport (VIX) - also known as Eurico Salles Airport - in the capital city of Vitória, is the closest airport to Guarapari. It receives daily flights from most state capitals in the country. Among the main airlines serving the airport are LATAM and Gol. A number of smaller carriers also serve the airport, including Azul, TEAM, and TRIP.

A taxi to/from Vitória Airport will set you back about R$ 150. There are two daily, direct buses between the airport and Guarapari, by Alvorada, R$ 20, 1,5 hours. From the airport at 09:30 and 16:30. From Guarapari at 08:10 and 14:50. Otherwise, take a bus Alvorada to Vila Velha, get off near Terminal Vila Velha, and to take a local bus to the airport. Total travel time is about 2 hours, and it costs around R$ 10.

By bus

The new (2015) bus station is possibly the most modern, and definitely the most shopping-mall-like in all of Brazil. Its being situated some 7 km out of town, on the main highway BR-101, makes it somewhat inconvenient. Consider long-distance buses to Vila Velha), as an alternative. Main lines include Vitória (some via Vila Velha), Rio de Janeiro (3 times daily, 8 hours, via Campos and Niteroi, by Kaissara, 100 R$) and Belo Horizonte.

Frequent local buses (R$ 2.50) run straight to downtown, only slightly slower than taxis (Fixed price R$ 35)

The bus company Alvorada still runs hourly buses (more frequent during peak hours) to Vitória via Vila Velha, until 21:00, by the coastal route. I.e. no need to go to the main bus station.

By car

Guarapari is on the coast 53 kilometers south of Vitória on highway 60, officially nicknamed Rodovia do Sol. There is also easy access from BR-101. You can locate a car at Vitoria Airport (Hertz, Localiza, among other companies), and drive south taking Rodovia do Sol.

Get around

Many local buses run throughout the night. Taxis are few on Praia do Morro. None have meters, but there should be a table available showing fixed prices between different neighbourhoods.

See

Do

• Lounge about on the beach at Praia do Morro. At its northern end there is a small nature reserve with a 1.5-km trail that leads to a small deserted beach.
• There is a kind of an amusement park in the closed down part of a quarry, not far from Praia do Morro: Pedreira Adventures. (dead link: December 2020) During high season parties are hosted here, -an amazing setting!
• There is rental of windsurfing equipment and small sailboats near Quisque 55 at Praia do Morro. Lessons are also given. Kayak rental nearby.

Buy

• Plenty of cheap T-shirts along Praia do Morro, where most shops are open evenings only

Eat

• Restaurante Cantinho do Curuca, capixaba moqueca. Av. Beira Mar de Meaípe.
• Restaurante Gaeta, capixaba moqueca. Av. Beira Mar de Meaípe.

Drink

• Kiosks line the beaches and always have plenty of beer, caipirinhas, and coconut water.
• Quiosque 16 at Parai do Morro has live acts most every night until 22:00, R$ 1-2 cover charge.
• Restaurante Janaina by Quiosque 40 at Praia do Morro has live pagode every friday and sunday.
• Bar-come-club Tonteria is in the city center High season nightlife concentrates in Meaípe:

• Multiplace MAIS. Stiffly priced, huge.

• Casa Marracini, Rua Fernando de Abreu, 121 - Guarapari - ES, 29200-685, +55 27 3261-1616. Restaurant specializes in Italian pasta, grilled meats and seafood

Sleep

Praia do Morro is probably the best option for tourists. Also many hotels in the city centre. Furnished and equipped apartments for short term rent abound. Real estate agencies on every corner can offer you something.

• Pousada MonaSol, Avenida Praiana 427, Praia do Morro (just inland from beach kiosk no. 13). Completely refurbished 2008. Doubles R$ 139
• Pousada Enseada Verde, +55 27 3272-1376. Meaípe.

Connect

The telephone area code for Guarapari is 27 (as well as in central and northern parts of Espírito Santo).

Go next

• Vitória - The capital of the state of Espírito Santo, famous for its bay, beaches and nightlife.
• Vila Velha - Famous for Convento da Penha (a 16th-century hilltop Franciscan convent), and the beaches of Praia da Costa, Itapuã, and Coqueiral de Itaparica.
• Domingos Martins - To get a taste of a town colonized by German immigrants, and the famous Pedra Azul (Blue Rock).
• Santa Teresa - To get a taste of a town colonized by Italian immigrants.
• Itaúnas - Famous for its dunes and forró, a Northeastern Brazilian dance.
• Rio de Janeiro - World-known city famous for its breathtaking landscape and annual carnival.