the forte são matheus, built in 1616, is also a popular attraction, and can be found at the mouth of the canal de itajuru surrounded by palm trees and great eateries - there are also many traditional fishing boats tied up at the nearby dock, gifting visitors with a glimpse of the lives of fishermen in this area.

after soaking up some of cabo frio's history visitors can take a stroll on the surrounding beaches - pero and conchas are two of the best known, but it is worth visiting the others as they tend to be less crowded such as siqueira, palmeiras and são bento.

the guided tour of the forte são matheus do cabo frio is particularly recommended - built by the portuguese in 1616 to defend the coastline against dutch, english and french invaders this fort is now a landmark in the region.