Torres, Rio Grande do Sul

Torres is a city located on the south shore of Brazil in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. It is 197 kilometers away from Porto Alegre, the state capital.

Population

*Urban population - 40,000
*Urban population during the summer - 300,000
*Rural population - 10,000

Total number of voters - 18,300

History and description

The municipality's name was inspired by the three basalt towers that fall into the sea, giving a singular characteristic to the beach.On March 21, 1878, by provincial law, Torres became a municipality. Today, with a population of forty thousand permanent inhabitants, Torres is an important tourist centre, with more than fifty hotels, restaurants and bars. Local cuisine is influenced by international and Mediterranean cuisine, with seafood prevailing.

Climate

The climate in Torres is divided into two very marked seasons. From October to April it is very hot and dry (24°C-36°C), the rest of the year is cold and humid (8°C-20°C).

On March 28, 2004, a strong Tropical Storm Cyclone Catarina hit Torres with winds of about 150 km/h causing extensive damage. This is a rare event for the region.

Geography

Unlike the rest of the state’s coast, which is an uninterrupted sandy beach, Torres boasts of four high rocky formations that fall into the sea. These vertical walls are almost 40 meters high and contain several caves created by the action of the waves along the years, locally called "furnas". These rocky formations rise up from the sea creating an impressive scenario.

Attractions

It is possible to visit the Ilha dos Lobos (Island of the Wolves), which is located directly in front of the Praia Grande beach, approximately 1700 meters off shore. It is also very pleasant to practice hiking in the nearby mountains of the Serra do Mar.

Itapeva Beach is 6 km away and is 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. Praia da Cal beach is between them. Praia da Cal beach is eight hundred meters long; it is one of the preferred places for surfing practice. It has this name because until 1940 there were several ovens of shell, shellfish and periwinkle toasting for the manufacture of mineral lime for chemical substances.

Prainha beach or Praia do meio beach is six hundred meters long and it is the most beautiful beach in Torres. It has rocky soil that gives it great natural beauty. Praia Grande beach is 2 km long; it is preferred for sea baths and it is where summer sport events happen: soccer, volleyball, surfing, kitesurfing and several others. Outdoor shows are also organized on Praia Grande beach.Clear

urfing

Torres has some of the best surf spots in the state. Some of the best Brazilian surfers are from Torres.

The surfing conditions are improved by the presence of rocky mountains and other geological formations that provide natural protection from strong winds and create good shape for the sea bottom.

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 in a point break near Ilha dos Lobos 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 Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Belo Horizonte. Since 1989 Torres has sponsored an annual hot air balloon festival, and in 1995, during its seventh edition, the city gained the title of "Brazilian Capital of Hot Air Ballooning".

External links

*pt icon [http://www.torres.rs.gov.br/ Official city site]
*pt icon [http://www.clictorres.com.br/ Official tourism site]
* [http://maps.google.com/maps?q=torres+brazil&t=k&hl=en Satellite photo map from Google Maps]