| Casa das Maritacas
Fatima L. Borba Laird W. Bergad |
|
The Bed and
Breakfast A Bit
of History |
|
After living for many years in New York, and having traveled around the world, we fell in love with this oasis of unspoiled golden-sand beaches and turquoise waters, surrounded by tropical forests. Trancoso’s natural beauty, as well as its warm and charming people, induced us to build a luxury residence here which provides our guests with a personalized and relaxed home-like vacation experience. We strive to combine American professionalism and efficiency with Brazilian hospitality and informality to offer the best of both of our cultures. Trancoso is one of the most sought after vacation beach locations in Brazil. The property is located on the top of a hill with an astonishing view of the pristine and unspoiled Rio da Barra Beach, which is a 12 minute walk from the house and extends south all the way to Trancoso (2 km distance) and beyond. The beach is great for running at low tide, walking, and biking, or simply relaxing in the sun or under the shade provided by palm trees. Wind surfing, snorkeling and kayaking are also available. There is a tennis court with lights in the condominium for our guests use. With its exotic beauty and simple elegance the grass-covered Quadrado, or plaza, is the center of tourist life at the town itself. Upscale shops and fine restaurants line each side in colorful colonial houses, and a restored Jesuit church stands above the sea at its head. Cuisine ranges from regional food to menus reflecting international culinary tastes. Some 17 km. north of Trancoso is the town of Arraial d’Ajuda which contains a wide variety of shops, restaurants, and clubs for those who savor a more active night life. About 40 km. to the south is the indigenous village of Caraiva, and along the way are many extraordinarily stunning beaches such as the famous Praia do Espelho, one of the ten most beautiful beaches in Brazil. Trancoso is also the site of one of the finest golf courses in Brazil and Latin America, the Terra Vista Golf Course. See photos using the link Trancoso on the Casa das Maritacas home page. |
|
Three complete suites with private baths are available for those wishing to rent the entire property. There is another bedroom in our guest house. A maximum of eight adults are permitted. Hosts will not be on premises when the full property is rented but our staff, professionally trained, will be there to serve you. Housekeeping service will be provided until 4:00 P.M. each day and includes cleaning the suites and house each morning, changing linens, and general house maintenance to assure our guests a comfortable stay. A full-time caseiro, or house man, and his wife, who is our housekeeper, live in a separate small home on the property. The caseiro services the pool area and takes care of the grounds. Two individual suites with queen size beds and private bathrooms are available to couples and individuals who do not wish to rent the entire property. A full breakfast will be served each day of your stay if renting individual suites. Your hosts and staff will be present to serve you and you will have unrestricted access to the pool and common areas of the house. All our suites have independent entrances and complete privacy. Broadband internet service is available for guests with notebook computers. No children are permitted except under special circumstances. We speak English, Portuguese, and Spanish fluently. Your hosts can assist you with travel tips. |
|
Trancoso was an indigenous village inhabited by the Pataxó people when
‘discovered’ by the Portuguese early in the 16th century. A small Jesuit
town was founded during the 17th century.
Located in the south of Bahia, a region that was largely outside of Brazil’s major historic economic cycles, Trancoso remained relatively isolated for many years. No sugar was cultivated. Slavery was of no importance to local society. Coffee was cultivated for local consumption. Commercial cacao production at the end of the 19th century was centered farther north in the Ilheus region of Bahia. Trancoso was a classical subsistence society with a small population that lived by cultivating its own food, fishing the sea, and there was little contact with the outside world. Trancoso had no electricity, running water, or even the circulation of money until the 1970s. Then it was rediscovered by young people seeking an alternative lifestyle to escape the oppression of Brazil’s military dictatorship. They were mainly from Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo and gradually settled in Trancoso. Local society was transformed by their presence as more and more proto-hippies from all over Brazil began arriving in the area. With its unspoiled beaches, and charming local populace, national tourism gradually ‘discovered’ the region. Electricity was installed in the early 1980s, tasteful pousadas were established on the quadrado and by the beaches, restaurants serving local and international food opened, and by the 1990s Trancoso became a center of international tourism without radically disturbing the quaint charm of the town or its nearby beaches. Additionally, luxury homes were constructed on the beaches and the small cliffs overlooking the sea to the south and north of the town. |
|
Trancoso is
located in the south of Bahia and is one hour away by car from the airport
at Porto Seguro. Most visitors fly to São Paulo and then take a connecting
flight to Porto Seguro. Salvador and Belo Horizonte are other options for
arriving in Brazil. The flight to Porto Seguro from São Paulo is 1 hour 40
minutes. It is 50 minutes from Salvador and Belo Horizonte. There are
direct flights to Porto Seguro from Lisbon and Amsterdam. Your hosts can
make travel recommendations, so be in touch. It is advisable to rent a car during your stay for access to the many beaches and tourist areas which are close by. Your hosts can help with reservations. The property is located 2 km. from the town of Trancoso and a 12 minute walk from a spectacular beach. It is located in a serene and tranquil setting with no noise. There is a private pool overlooking the ocean and a tennis court in the condominium with lights for night play. A world-class golf course is 4 km. away. |