Shell Bluff

One of the main charms of Ilha do Mel is the Lighthouse of Shells, which is a few minutes walk from Villa de Nova Brasília, along a very nice path where I saw birds of all kinds, up to a small hill where the lighthouse stands. Built in 1870 by a Glaswegian company, it has been in operation since 1872, and uses solar energy today. From the lighthouse you could see the Atlantic Ocean in front, from one side the Praia Grande and Praia de Fora and from the other side the two great beaches of Brasilia and Praia do Istmo, where at their most narrow they almost touch. It really is a view of paradise.