The Quadrado is Trancoso's front room: a broad green lawn edged by bright, single-storey houses that now hold restaurants, boutiques, and bars. It is at its best late in the afternoon, when the heat softens and the first tables appear under the trees.
It can feel almost too pretty in high season, but the bones are still those of a small Bahian village. Walk to the far end for the church and the view down toward the sea.