UFES is the leading university of higher education in Espírito Santo. It was founded on May the 5th in 1954. The university has four campuses, with its main campus being located in Goiabeiras, Vitória. The Goiabeiras campus has a large green area, encouraging walks and making it a great location for birdwatching. The area has a very rich environment because it is surrounded by mangroves under environmental protection. In addition, the campus is home to several cultural facilities, like a theater, a student radio station, an astronomical observatory and planetarium, a water park, among others. The university has a restaurant, which can also be used by guests at an affordable price. For more gastronomic options, please visit the Rua da Lama, located opposite the campus. The place is known for its wide range of restaurants and traditional pubs.

The City Park Gruta da Onça (Jaguar Cave) is a conservation area with approximately 67,000 m². This remaining refuge of Atlantic Forest in the middle of the busy capital, provides important environmental services such as the protection of slopes reducing erosion, water protection, minimizing heat, greenhouse gas absorption, and providing habitat to fauna & flora. The park has trails with historical attractions which makes it possible to find wildlife in the middle of the city.

Inicially created as Criada inicialmente como ecological reserve, the mangroves of Vitória were transformed into an ecological station on September the 15th in 1986. With approx. 891.83 ha, the ecological station Ilha do Lameirão (EEMIL) consists mostly of mangroves (92.66%) followed by Restinga with its rupestre vegetation and flooded areas.

The ecological station belongs to the group of Fully Protected Conservation Units which only allow scientific research. However, it is possible to photograph its surroundings and aquatic birds from boats navigating the water channels.

The Bay of Vitória is a good place for the observation of seabirds. Only very few birders explore the bay and the chances of finding new seabird species for the state of Espírito Santo are great. If you plan your visit during the reproduction period of the humpback whales, it is very likely and possible to do some whale watching as well, because Espírito Santo is their migration route. 

The State Park Fonte Grande is a conservation unit that belongs to the state Espírito Santo. The park is located in the southeastern region of the city. With an area of 260 hectares, its area covers the hills and small mountains: Fonte Grande, Mulundú, Santa Clara, Pedra do Vigia, Bastos and Pedra dos Olhos. The park is a great place for hiking, family trips and biking. In addition, the park offers the best view points of the capital. Only very little known to bird watchers, the park makes very interesting and unexpected discovery possible.

The Ilha do Boi (The Cow Island) is one a rich district of Vitória. The island is located near the Vitória Shopping Mall (Shopping Vitória) and the Curva da Jurema. The east side of the island borders the Bay of Vitória and the view of Vila Velha (neighbouring town) is beautiful: view of the Morro do Moreno, the Third Bridge and the Convento da Penha. Below a short wall, the shore is framed by big rocks where migratory birds look for food and can be observed/photographed easily.

The Vale Botanic Garden has 33 hectares - equivalent to 33 football (soccer) fields. It is part of the Green Belt of the Vale Mining Company, thus a place for recreation and important for the protection of the Atlantic Forest. The park is home to over 140 tree species, like the Brazil wood, Jacaranda trees and Ipê trees, and wild animals like squirrels, opossums, monkeys and birds that can be observed at the five available trails.