About Armação dos Búzios
A BRIEF HISTORY OF BÚZIOS
When Europeans first arrived to these shores, the Tupinambá tribe occupied the peninsula. The region was considered ideal for fishing, especially for seashells. Out of this practice comes the current name of "Búzios", (Portuguese for "diver"). As early as 1575, the Portuguese included the "Ponta dos Búzios" ("Divers Point") in the Cabo Frío region map. Ahe Tupinambás kept close bonds with the French pirates and smugglers, which hid in the area to deal hardwood, mainly pau-brasil, and sell African slaves. In the 17th century, the French were expelled after bloody battles which also diminished greatly the indigenous population.
At the beginning of the 18th century, the gold trade from Minas Gerais and its exportation to Europe from Rio de Janeiro, resulted in an increase of ships and a drop in the other traditional economic activity of the area, whale hunting. The whales were then processed in the "armações" such as the "Armação de Buzios" that named the area. At the time all city lights were fuelled with whale oil. Along with the increase of ships in the area, 40 years of extensive whale hunting had caused the near extinction of the local species. This resulted in the decline of the "armações". Buzios became a small fishing village.
END OF SLAVE TRADE ON THE BEACHES OF BUZIOS
Since 1850, With the " Eusébio de Queiróz Law" that forbid the slave trade in Brazilian waters, the Buzios coastline came under heavy surveillance by the National Navy. Therefore, slave boats looked for small and unknown spots to unload the slaves they brought form Africa. In Buzios, they used the José Gonçalves beach and the Ponta do Pai Vitório in Rasa beach, which also received the name of "Unloading beach".
With the Abolition of Slavery in 1888, groups of recently freed blacks left the inland estates and started a community in the Rasa beach that live from fishing and small scale agriculture.
This remained so, until the second half of the 20th century when tourism started to change the face of Buzios.
Tips
Clothing: Casual summer clothes in natural fabrics like cotton are most appropriate. Don't forget dress clothes (still casual) for nightlife and fine dining.
Best time to visit Búzios: There's no such thing as a bad time to visit Búzios. If you don't care much for partying, the best time to enjoy Búzios is off-season, specially from March to June and from September to November. In these periods, you will find great weather, lower rates and plenty of room for you to relax on the beach. Mid-December through mid-Febraury is the busiest period, with January being the peak month.
Exchange: The monetary unit of Brazil is the Real (R$). It can be exchanged at Airports, Banks, travel Agencies and authorized Hotels. International credit cards are accepted in most restaurants and stores.
Safety: Búzios is safe compared to other places in Brazil. One can walk around at all hours without having to worry.
The Beaches
In Buzios you will surely find your perfect beach as this incredible peninsula boasts of more than 20 different types of beaches.
The northern coast of Búzios has beaches with calm, clear and warm waters, like Tartaruga, Azeda and João Fernandes, perfect for swimming, snorkeling, kayaking and beginners in water sports.
On the other side of the peninsula open ocean waters are somewhat cooler with cold water currents, big waves and wind (like Geribá, Tucuns and rasa) that make them perfect for bodysurfing, windsurfing and kite-surfing.
Some bays such as Ferradura and Forno have a very peculiar geography resembling islands.
In Buzios you can enjoy all types of beach ambients.
Info & photos of all beaches, click here...
Búzios today
In 1997, Armação dos Búzios became an independent municipality. Each year more and more people from all over the world come to settle in Buzios, which has turned it into a cosmopolitan oasis with modern infrastructure and lives mainly from Tourism. It success comes from the happy mix of the local rustic simplicity and the European sophistication in a beautiful natural landscape.
What was once a small fishing village, is now a very charming place where most of the houses are ateliers, guest houses, sophisticated cafés and clubs or rustic restaurants.
Búzios is known, beyond its beaches and wonders of the nature, for its nightlife with numerous bars, international clubs and its great diversity of restaurants rich in gastronomy.
The Chapel
Saint Anna's Chapel was built with stone, lime and whale oil mortar in 1740. Saint 'Anna's Church (located between Armação and the Ossos beach) has been restored and preserved. It hosts images of Saint Anne and Jesus. In colonial times the church was the centre of the Armação community. It's bell gave people the news about celebrations, funerals, emergencies and the presence of whales. When a watchman spotted the whales, the priest would have the bell toll and the whale hunters would gather to hunt them. For other points of interest read more...
BÚZIOS HEALTH
Yoga, meditation and dance classes, gyms, thai boxing and healing centers are becoming popular in Búzios.
Weather & Geography
The peninsula of Búzios is 8 km long and has over 20 different types of beaches. Ocean currents from Antarctica and Brazil influence its microclimate as well as the eastern winds that generally blow the clouds away from the peninsula to the mainland, making Búzios the most sunny city in the carioca state, with 250 days of clear skies and sunshine, and a yearly average of 26°C.
For its particular geographic aspect, Búzios offers a great diversity of sports and leisure options. The exuberant beauty of its beaches and hillsides, as well as the roads and trails that lead to magnificent views of landscape, fauna, terrestrial flora and marine life, exerts a strong attraction to the ecotourist and sportsman. Read more...
Facts & Geographical Info
Location: 170 km (105 miles) north of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Population: about 25,000 inhabitants.
Population Jan/Feb: 150-200,000 people.
Area: 69,287 km²
Altitude: 5 m
Climate: Tropical Humid
Building law: Maximum 2 stories high
Postal code: 28925-000
Temperature: Average 26°C + 250 days sunshine
Volts: 110 Watts (220 watts will charge)
Google Map: click here
Brigitte Bardot in Búzios
On January 7th, 1964, one of the actresses of the moment, Brigitte Bardot, came to Rio de Janeiro to spent a holiday with her boyfriend Bob Zagury (a Moroccan-Brazilian that she had met in Europe). Harassed by paparazzi, she hid in an apartment in Av. Atlântica, close to the Copacabana Palace. After a non-stop pursuit she decided to leave Rio and hide in Armação dos Búzios.
At that time, Buzios did not have tap water, electricity or phones. There were only 300 people there, living of the sea. There she found peace, quietness and freedom. She spent a season swimming naked, eating fresh fruit that small kids picked for her, playing with the animals and walking barefoot.
BÚZIOS ART
Many artists from all over the world have settled in Búzios and incorporate different styles and techniques such as simple acuarellas of Búzios beaches to complex sculptures in bronze representing the Búzios style of life, such as "the three fisherman" of the artist Christina Motta.
Usefull Information
TRAVEL INSURANCE
The local hospital will not charge you for a visit or emergency. We do however recomend you bring your own Internatonal travel insurance as you will be reimbursed through your insurance company if you decide to visit a private pracic or doctor.
TIPS
As a general guideline, restaurants and bars include the usual 10% tip in the bill, often labeled as service, It The customary tip to hotel porters is R$ 2 to R$ 5. Prices of goods and services already have taxes included.
EXCHANGE
The monetary unit of Brazil is the Real (R$). It can be exchanged at Airports, Banks, travel Agencies and authorized Hotels. International credit cards are accepted at hotels and in most restaurants and stores.
EXCHANGE IN BUZIOS
At Banco do Brasil, (Estrada José Bento Ribeiro Dantas, Shopping Praia do Canto, phone #: 55-22-2623-2009 / 2623-2302) and local exchange and tour agencies, usually located in downtown Búzios.
BANKS IN BUZIOS
- Banco do Brasil
- Bradesco
- Banco Real
- Unibanco
- Itaú
- ATM (called 24 hours bank) 06:00-22:00
CLIMATE
Annual average temperature: 26º C (80 ºF)
Temperature of the water: between 18º and 21º C (64 to 68ºF). Average number of sunny days in a year: 254.The seasons are exactly opposite to the ones of Europe and United States.
TIME ZONE
As in most of the country, Búzios, is three less hours than in Greenwich (England). This relationship changes when it is established the schedule of summer in Brazil, and the clocks are early one hour, decreasing this difference to 2 hours.
LANGUAGE
Portuguese is the national language, but Portuguese spoken in Brazil is different, in accent and intonation, than the language spoken in Portugal and Portuguese colonies. English and Spanish are also spoken in some hotels, Inns, restaurants and tourist spots. Portuguese speakers usually understand Spanish, though the contrary is not necessarily the case.
PHONE CALLS
Brazil country code: 55
Búzios city code: 22
The public telephones installed at public places work with phone card, allowing local and international calls, as well as collect calls. The telephones that make international calls are identified by the operational instructions of the telephone.
Phone cards: Easily found to buy, there are cards of 20, 50 and 90 units.
International:
Direct connection: 00 + code of the operator + code of the country + code of the city + telephone.
Regional in Brazil:
Direct connection: 00 + code of the operator + code of the city + telephone
Operator Embratel Cod: 21 / Operadora Intelig Cod: 23 / Operadora Telemar Cod: 31
Usefull phone numbers & Webs
Secretary of Tourism
Pórtico de Búzios, S/Nº
Phone: 55-22 2633-6200
Email: secturbuzios@mar.com.br
City Hall
Mayor: Toninho Branco
Praça Santos Dumont - Downtown
Phone: 55-22 2623-1143
Buzios Turismo
Tel: +55 (22)
Cinema: Grand Cine Bardot
Travessa dos Arcos - Centro
Tel: (22) 2623-1466 / 2623-1912
Post Office
Pça. Santos Dummont, 111 - Downtown
Phone: 55-22 2623-1640
Sant'Ana's Church
Masses: Every Saturday at 19:30h
Trav. Sant'Ana S/Nº - Ladeira da Praia dos Ossos
Phone: +55 (22) 2623-6530
More about Sant'Ana's Church, click here >>
Santa Rita Church / Capela N.S. Desatadora de Nós
Address: Estrada José Bento Ribeiro Dantas, S/Nº - Manguinhos
Phone: +55 (22) 2623-6530
More about Capela N.S. Desatadora Church, click here >>
Notary's office
Rua Manoel Turíbio De Farias, 263 - Búzios
Tel: (22) 2623-1128
Port Authorities (Cabo Frio)
Phone: 55-22 643-2840 / 2643-2774
MISCELANEOS
Supermarkets: 2 supermarkets and some ninimarkets in Búzios.
Pharmacies: a lot of pharmacies are available in Búzios.
Gas Station: 5 gas stations in Búzios area.
- BUS COMPANES & TERMINALS
Buzios Bus Station
da da Usina - Downtown
Phone: 55-22 2623-2050
Rio de Janeiro - Novo Rio Bus Station
Phone: 55-21 2291-5151
Cabo Frio Bus Station
Phone: 55-22 2643-1521
Auto Viação 1001 (Bus Company)
Phone: 0300-313-1001 - www.autoviacao1001.com.br
Auto Viação Salineira (Bus Company)
Phone: 55-22-2645-5454 - 0800 245454
TAXI SERVICE
Toint, Santos Dumont Square - Tel.: (22) 2623-2160 / 2623-6169
Búzios Rádio Táxi - Tel: (22) 2623-1911 / 2623-2892
Point, Shopping Nº 01 - Tel.: (22) 2623 2160 / 2623 6169
LOCAL NEWSPAPERS
Buziano Phone: +55(22) 2623-1565
O Perú Molhado
Phone: +55 (22) 9932-8951
Emergency numbers
POLICE & EMERGECY
Civil Policia - Delegacia 127ª Da Rasa
Tel: (22) 2629-1281 / +55 (22) 2623-1340 / +55 (22) 2620 8070
Miltary Polície - 5ª Cia de Búzios
Tel: (22) 2623-1340
DPO Manguinhos (police station of Manguinhos) Tel: (22) 2620 8070
Fire Department: Tel: +55 (22) 8831-8116
HOSPITAL & CLINICS
Ambulance: Dial 192
Clínica Búzios (24 hours)
Est. J. B. Ribeiro Dantas, 3000 - Manguinhos.
Phone: +55 (22) 2623-2465 / 2623-6000
Centro Médico & Odontológico de Búzios (24 hours)
R: César Augusto São Luiz, 100 - Centro
Phone: +55 (22) 2633-0200
Instituto Buziano de Saúde Est. J. B. Ribeiro Dantas, 3843 - Manguinhos.
Phone: +55 (22) 2623-2833
Posto de Saúde - Policlínica Municipal Dr. Carlos Ernesto Stevenson de Oliveira
Rua dos Búzios S/Nº - Manguinhos
Phone: +55 (22) 2623-2171.
Posto Paulo Ackeman (Emergência, Vacinas, Pré-Natal)
Phone: +55 (22) 2620-8114
Rua Manoel Turíbio de Farias - Centro
PU 24 hours (Emergencies, Pediatrics)
Av. José Bento ribeiro Dantas, nº 2000 - Manguinhos
Phone: +55 (22) 2623 2419 ou 192
VETERINARY
Est J. B. Ribeiro Dantas, 2333 - Manguinhos
Phone: +55 (22) 2623-1564 or +55 (22) 9961 6685.
ROADS & HIGHWAYS
Ponte SA (BR 101) - 55-21 2620-9333
Via Lagos (RJ 124) - 55-21-2734-4141 or 55-22-2665-6565
Police of Rio de Janeiro State - 55-21 2625 1530 - 24hr.
Federal Police - 55-21 2620-2093, 55-21 2219-3202
DNER - 55-21 2471-0171
AIRPORTS
Umberto Modiano Airport - Búzios
Phone: 55 22 2629-1225
Cabo Frio International Airport
Phone: 55 22 2644 5277 Santos Dumont Airport - Rio de Janeiro
Phone: 55 (21) 3814 7070
Rio de Janeiro International Airport
Phone: 55 (21) 3398 5050 / 55 (21) 3398 4526 / 55 (21) 3398 4527
