Santa Teresa offers different ways to shape a stay: history in the center, coffee and sparkling wine experiences, and routes through the countryside. Nature and biological collections are also among the discoveries to explore. When planning your trip, you can focus on culture, culinary experiences or an outdoor route rather than treating all the offerings as one single itinerary.
History in the Center
The historic center features preserved mansions, centuries-old churches and buildings that tell the story of the first colonists. Casa dos Lambert was the first house built in Santa Teresa by the brothers Antônio and Virgílio Lambert, in 1875. In 1985, the Conselho Estadual de Cultura placed the house under heritage protection. Casa dos Lambert thus combines a specific year of construction with its later heritage designation; the other buildings in the center provide a broader view of the history of the first colonists.
Coffee and Sparkling Wine
At Café Zanotti, the “Raízes e Gerações do Café Zanotti” experience combines a visit to the coffee plantation with information about the history of Café Zanotti and a live roasting demonstration. The tasting includes specialty coffees prepared with a V60 and French press, as well as homemade treats from the farm. The experience ranges from visiting the plantation and learning about its history to roasting and tasting. Check the schedule for this experience before your trip.
Cantina Mattiello offers weekend tours of its wine and sparkling wine selection. You can arrange a time via WhatsApp or through the website; the Cantina also sells regional products. Casa dos Espumantes is considered a pioneer in producing sparkling wines from Espírito Santo. Together, these offer different culinary perspectives: a coffee experience with a plantation visit and tasting, scheduled weekend tours of a wine and sparkling wine selection, and a distinctive role in sparkling wine production.
Rural Routes and Trails
The Circuito Turístico Caravaggio runs along 14 km of Estrada do Caravaggio and includes cantinas, restaurants, farms, parks and guesthouses. The Rota Vale do Canaã combines agritourism and rural tourism; the businesses there are open to welcoming tourists. Sport fishing, rural tourism, wineries, religious architecture and hiking trails are among the themes of the Circuito Aparecidinha. The route heads toward the Destacamento de Controle do Espaço Aéreo in Santa Teresa (DTCEA-STA).
The routes each have a different focus: Caravaggio can be understood through its length and mix of food, farms and parks. Vale do Canaã focuses on agritourism and rural tourism, while Aparecidinha brings together several themes related to recreation, wine, architecture and hiking. Cachoeira Strutz offers a different kind of nature experience: there are two waterfalls and a short trail where you can walk past additional waterfalls. Check conditions before your visit.
Biology and Nature in the Municipality
The Museu de Biologia Professor Mello Leitão covers 77,000 m². Its facilities include scientific collections, laboratories, animal and plant breeding facilities, exhibition pavilions, an auditorium, a workshop and a library. Its scope ranges from collections and laboratories to exhibitions and other facilities; the museum is a distinct focus alongside Santa Teresa’s historical and culinary themes.
In the municipality of Santa Teresa, the Reserva Biológica Augusto Ruschi protects 3,598.41 hectares of dense montane and submontane ombrophilous forest ecosystems in the Atlantic Forest biome. This natural area is explicitly located at the municipal level. Together with the Museu de Biologia Professor Mello Leitão, it adds two distinct perspectives to the selection of nature and biology themes: a museum with scientific collections and facilities, and a protected area with forest ecosystems.
Discover More Destinations
Discover more destinations: Guarapari, Viana, Tirol, Domingos Martins, Piúma, São Mateus, Marataízes, Anchieta.
For the broader travel overview: Espírito Santo.
