Torres
Basalt towers standing on the beach at the top of the Rio Grande do Sul coast, with a nesting island offshore.
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The Rio Grande do Sul coast is a single sandy line for hundreds of kilometres with one interruption, and Torres is it: basalt outcrops from old lava flows standing directly on the beach, weathered into the towers that gave the town its name. The Parque da Guarita protects the main group, with walkways over the rock, small coves between the outcrops and a viewpoint at the top. Offshore, Ilha dos Lobos is a rock where South American sea lions haul out in winter, visited by boat but not landed on. The Mampituba River marks the Santa Catarina border at the north end of town. Torres also holds an international balloon festival each spring, which fills the place completely and is the busiest week of its year.
What you actually see
- Basalt towers on the sand - the only rock interruption in a long sandy coast.
- Parque da Guarita - walkways over the outcrops and coves between them.
- Ilha dos Lobos - sea lions hauled out offshore in winter.
- The balloon festival - the spring week that fills the town.
When to go
October to April for the beach; winter for the sea lions. Two days.
Honest expectations
The sea here is cold and often rough with strong current. The town is a Gaucho summer resort and empties out of season, when much of it closes. The balloon festival means full hotels at raised prices. Ilha dos Lobos is viewed from a boat only.
Nearby
Praia Grande and the canyons are inland; Passo de Torres is over the river in Santa Catarina.
What to pack for Torres
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.