Soap opera Renascer: what the cocoa farms of Ilhéus are like – 01/10/2024 – Tourism

Eternalized in the works of Jorge Amado as the land of cocoa, the city of Ilhéus, in Bahia, has a strong presence of the fruit in its landscape and local culture. On the 22nd, this will become more notable with the premiere of the remake of the soap opera “Renascer”, on Globo, which had some scenes filmed in the region.

Street vendors selling cocoa on the side of the road are common in the region. Many restaurants and hotels use food in drinks on the menu and as a decorative item.

The city today focuses on cocoa culture as a tourist attraction in addition to the beaches and references to literature.

Many farms that plant and process the fruit have invested in facilities to welcome visitors interested in learning about everything from planting to processing into chocolate.

As the cocoa tree produces almost all year round, visits take place at any time. Even though the rainy season can make access to the farms difficult, it’s worth exchanging a day at the beach for a walk in the countryside.

The Dengo Origem farm, from the Dengo chocolate brand, was opened for visitors last year. It is approximately 40 km from the center of Ilhéus, accessible by dirt road. Transport for four people with local tourism agents costs around R$300.

The tour begins with a presentation of the history of the place. Afterwards, the visitor can see how the processing works. You can also try cocoa honey, a liquid extracted from the pulp.

The main attraction is the plantation itself. The trees are planted in a scheme known as cabruca, in which cocoa shares space with native plants and other fruits. In addition to learning more about the food, you learn how to break down cocoa and you can try the fruit fresh. The tour ends with a chocolate tasting.

The itinerary lasts around two hours and costs R$160 for adults. Visits must be booked in advance via the website.

An option for those who want to stay close to the city is the Yrerê farm. The place has a more familiar and cozy reception. The dogs that live there are company on the walk. The visit lasts around two hours. The first half is dedicated to a tour of the cabruca area and, the final part, to a conversation on the porch of the house accompanied by a tasting of chocolates.

The visit takes place from Monday to Saturday, at 9:30 am and 11 am, and costs R$30. Children under 12 are free. Transport at city agencies costs around R$200 for a group of four people. There is information on the Instagram profile.

Those interested in learning more about cocoa and chocolate can also visit the Capela Velha farm, which is just over 40 km from the center of Ilhéus. Access is via a small stretch of dirt road and the highway was recently resurfaced.

The visit presents the entire process of processing cocoa beans, including fermentation and drying mechanisms. There, the fruit is dried in three different ways — on open-air barges, in greenhouses and in a gas-heated dryer.

The factory operates behind glass walls, leaving tourists’ mouths watering as they watch the production.

The tour ends with a chocolate tasting at the farm’s store, where visitors can also buy other cocoa products, such as tea, honey and jelly.

The Old Chapel is open from Monday to Saturday, with visits at 9:30 am and 2:30 pm. The cost is R$30 per person, and transportation at agencies is around R$250 for groups of four people. Reservations can be made via the website.

Located in a district of the city of Itacaré, about 100 km from Ilhéus, the Vila Rosa farm includes in its tour a visit to the historic mansion, which was the original headquarters of the property, built in 1930. In addition to the tour of the cabruca, the Visitors also learn about all the processes that cocoa goes through before it becomes chocolate. Vila Rosa is the only one of the farms visited that takes tourists through replicas of the equipment, rather than the actual production.

At the end of the tour, visitors can actually enter the chocolate factory and see how it is produced, in addition to tasting the chocolates.

To visit Vila Rosa, no reservation is necessary. Visits take place daily at 9am, 11am and 2pm. Entrance costs R$80 for adults. People over 60 and under five years old do not pay. There is more information on the website. Transport from Ilhéus costs R$400 for a group of four people.

Due to the importance of cocoa and chocolate for Ilhéus and the region, the city has hosted the Chocolat Festival event since 2009 — its 30th edition was held in July this year.

Access to the city of Ilhéus can be done through Jorge Amado airport, which receives daily flights from São Paulo, Belo Horizonte and Salvador.

The journalist traveled at the invitation of the Chocolat Festival organization