The Outeiro de São Sebastião is a low hill at the edge of the historic centre topped by an old chapel and a lookout point. The view from here takes in the historic waterfront, the point where the Cachoeira and Santana rivers meet the Atlantic, and on clear days the beaches extending south of the city. It is the best panoramic viewpoint in Ilhéus and the walk up from the centre takes about ten minutes.
The chapel at the top is simple and often locked, but the terrace around it is always open. Come in the early morning or late afternoon when the light is best. The hill also gives a sense of Ilhéus's geography — a city squeezed between rivers and the sea, spreading out along a narrow coastal strip.