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Boa Vista is the capital of Roraima in northern Brazil, set on the right bank of the Rio Branco, famous as the only Brazilian state capital lying entirely north of the Equator, for its radial city plan centred on the Praça do Centro Cívico and as the gateway to Mount Roraima.
The town grew from the old parish of Our Lady of Carmel by the river, and in the 1940s engineer Darcy Aleixo Derenusson laid out its fan of avenues, inspired by Paris and Belo Horizonte. Today it is home to about two thirds of the state's people and sits beside the Rio Branco, the mightiest river in Roraima.
Visitors stroll the Orla Taumanan at sunset, look out over the Ponte dos Macuxis and swim at Praia Grande in the dry season. Beyond the city lie the savanna and mountains of Roraima, with trips to the waterfalls of the Serra do Tepequém, the beaches of Lago Caracaranã and the great tepui of Mount Roraima.
Praça do Centro Cívico is the great central square of Boa Vista, Roraima, where the main avenues of the radial city plan, drawn up in the 1940s, all converge. Around it stand the seats of the state government, assembly and courts, along with theatres, hotels and the cathedral.
Palácio Senador Hélio Campos is the seat of the government of Roraima, a white palace facing the Praça do Centro Cívico in the heart of Boa Vista. Named after a former governor and senator, it is one of the best-known buildings of the city and a backdrop to civic ceremonies and celebrations.
Boa Vista Cathedral, dedicated to Christ the Redeemer, is the diocesan cathedral of Roraima, standing beside the Praça do Centro Cívico in the centre of Boa Vista. A modern building, it is one of the landmarks of the civic centre and the focus of the main religious celebrations in the state.
Igreja Matriz de Nossa Senhora do Carmo is the historic mother church of Boa Vista, standing near the Rio Branco at the spot where the town first grew from the old parish of Our Lady of Carmel. It is one of the main architectural, cultural and religious landmarks of the city.
Orla Taumanan is the raised riverside promenade on the bank of the Rio Branco in the historic centre of Boa Vista, opened in 2004. Its decks, food stalls and music stages draw locals at sunset, with wide views over the river, the Ponte dos Macuxis and the sandbanks of Praia Grande.
Ponte dos Macuxis is the 1,200-metre bridge that carries the BR-401 highway across the Rio Branco at Boa Vista, linking the capital with Cantá, Normandia and Bonfim and onward to neighbouring Guyana. Its long span is a striking sight from the Orla Taumanan, especially at sunset.
Praia Grande is a broad sandy beach that appears on the Rio Branco opposite the centre of Boa Vista in the dry season, when the river level falls. Seen from the Orla Taumanan, it becomes a popular spot for swimming, boat trips and picnics on the sand during the warm months of the year.
Praça das Águas is a landscaped square in central Boa Vista known for its fountains and water features, a cool place to sit in a city with hot temperatures all year round. In the evenings families gather around the fountains, and it is a favourite spot for a stroll after dark.
Serra do Tepequém is a mountain plateau in the municipality of Amajari, about 210 km from Boa Vista, rising to 1,022 metres above the surrounding savanna. Its small village, cliff-top viewpoints, waterfalls and old diamond workings make it one of the favourite weekend escapes in Roraima.
Cachoeira do Paiva is a waterfall on the Serra do Tepequém in northern Roraima, where a stream drops over rock ledges into pools surrounded by forest. A trail from the village leads to the falls, and the cool water is a welcome reward after the walk in the heat of the plateau.
Lago Caracaranã is a lake in the municipality of Normandia, about 180 km from Boa Vista, and one of the most traditional attractions of Roraima. Its fine sandy beaches are fringed by native cashew trees, and the lake lies within the Raposa Serra do Sol indigenous territory, so check access first.
Mount Roraima is a vast table-top mountain on the triple border of Brazil, Venezuela and Guyana, ringed by cliffs about 1,000 metres high and rising to 2,810 metres. Its plateau is a strange world of rock, rain and carnivorous plants, and the Brazilian side is protected as a national park.
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