Fortaleza dos Prazeres

18th-century Portuguese coastal fort on the northern tip

The most substantial historical site on the island, the Fortaleza de Nossa Senhora dos Prazeres sits on the rocky north-east tip, looking out over the entrance to Paranaguá Bay. The thick stone walls, the gun emplacements, and the powder magazines are mostly intact, and the views from the ramparts back along the curve of empty beaches are among the best on the island.

The fort is about a 90-minute walk from Nova Brasília along the beach at low tide — the only way to reach it. There is no entrance fee and rarely any other visitors. Time your visit with the tide so you can get there and back without wading.

things to do sight
A story
The Portuguese built the Fortaleza de Nossa Senhora dos Prazeres in 1767 to guard the entrance to Paranaguá Bay against the British and Spanish. Despite its impressive position above the dunes, it never saw real combat — by the time the wars it was meant for arrived, naval technology had moved on and the fort was already obsolete.