Bay tours
By boat.
jsilvares — CC BY 3.0 · Stefânia Masotti — CC BY-SA 2.0 · MarcoXavier2005 — CC BY-SA 3.0 · jsilvares — CC BY 3.0 · jsilvares — CC BY 3.0
Penedo is a granite mass rising about 135 metres from the waters of Vitória Bay at the mouth of the Aribiri River, on the mainland side in Vila Velha, yet it is listed as natural heritage of Vitória across the water because it is one of that city's defining landmarks. Its name means a great rock or crag. The rock has a defensive past: on its face towards the city a huge iron ring held a chain stretched across the bay to the São João fort on the island, closing the harbour to enemy ships. When the English privateer Thomas Cavendish tried to raid Vitória in the late 16th century, he was stopped and lost about eighty men. The rock has suffered intrusions, among them a power-line tower removed in 1998, and it is now floodlit at night as part of a scheme to light the city's landmarks. It looks best from boat trips around Vitória Bay, or from old Vitória on the opposite shore, especially with the evening lights.
By boat.
A lit landmark.
A chain across the bay.
Vitória Bay, Capuaba, Vila Velha
From old central Vitória on the opposite shore, or on boat trips around Vitória Bay.
