places to visit in santos brazil

Top Things to Do in Santos, Brazil - Santos Must-See Attractions

Things to do in santos.

• 5.0 of 5 bubbles
• 4.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• Good for a Rainy Day
• Good for Kids
• Budget-friendly
• Good for Big Groups
• Adventurous
• Hidden Gems
• Good for Couples
• Honeymoon spot
• Good for Adrenaline Seekers
• Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, and popularity.

1. Rei Do Café

2. Praiamar Shopping Center

3. Comercio Street

4. Bazar Cafofo

5. Casa Velha

6. Arteiras Arte Coletiva

7. Arteiras Arte Coletiva

8. santos store, 9. feira matinal - delivery da feira livre em santos, 10. tea shop santos, 11. tea shop santos.

12. Raphaella Booz Santos

Top 48 things to do and attractions in Santos

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1 Monte Serrat

2 Ponta da Praia - Santos

3 Aquário Municipal de Santos

4 Gonzaga beach

5 orquidário municipal de santos.

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6 Churrascaria Tertúlia

7 urbano caldeira stadium, 8 museu pelé, 9 tasca do porto, 10 restaurante vista ao mar, 11 museu castelinho - residência do eng°-chefe da são paulo railway, 12 josé menino beach, 13 teatro coliseu, 14 hill of santa catarina, 15 municipal park roberto mario santini.

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16 Emporio da Granola Cerealista

17 aquarium beer, 18 museu do café, 19 santos touristic tram, 20 praia da ponta da praia, 21 minor basilica of st. antônio do embaré, 22 santos shore garden, 23 monument 100 years of japanese immigration - artist tomie ohtake, 24 pinacoteca benedito calixto, 25 deck fisherman.

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26 Fishing Museum

27 boqueirão beach (praia grande), 28 praia do embare, 29 sea museum, 30 frontaria azulejada house, 31 fortress history museum of santo amaro da barra grande, 32 arena santos, 33 pantheon dos andradas, 34 jardim botânico de santos "chico mendes", 35 museu marítimo.

Perfect for road trips

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36 Teatro Guarany

37 church of the convent - our lady of carmo, 38 museu do porto de santos, 39 museu do surf, 40 municipal theater braz cubas, 41 portuguese cultural center, 42 saturnino de brito palace, 43 ulrico mursa stadium, 44 miss - museum of image and sound santos, 45 praça das bandeiras.

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46 Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral, Santos

47 espaço mrn, 48 monumento nacional ruínas engenho são jorge dos erasmos (prceu | usp), popular road trips from santos, what's the weather like in santos.

It depends on when you visit! We've compiled data from NASA on what the weather is like in Santos for each month of the year: see the links below for more information.

• Weather in Santos in January
• Weather in Santos in February
• Weather in Santos in March
• Weather in Santos in April
• Weather in Santos in May
• Weather in Santos in June
• Weather in Santos in July
• Weather in Santos in August
• Weather in Santos in September
• Weather in Santos in October
• Weather in Santos in November
• Weather in Santos in December

All road trips from Santos

• Santos to Rio de Janeiro drive
• Santos to Curitiba drive
• Santos to Campos Do Jordao drive
• Santos to Gramado drive
• Santos to Buenos Aires drive
• Santos to Foz do Iguacu drive
• Santos to Florianopolis drive
• Santos to Belo Horizonte drive
• Santos to Paraty drive
• Santos to Armacao dos Buzios drive
• Santos to Ubatuba drive
• Santos to Brasilia drive
• Santos to Petropolis drive
• Santos to Campinas drive
• Santos to Sao Sebastiao drive
• Santos to Angra Dos Reis drive
• Santos to Pocos de Caldas drive
• Santos to Balneario Camboriu drive
• Santos to Porto Alegre drive
• Santos to Porto Seguro drive
• Santos to Montevideo drive
• Santos to Salvador drive
• Santos to Monte Verde drive
• Santos to Ouro Preto drive
• Santos to Sao Roque drive
• Santos to Bento Goncalves drive
• Santos to Bonito drive
• Santos to Tiradentes drive
• Santos to Blumenau drive
• Santos to Ribeirao Preto drive

Explore nearby places

• Sao Vicente
• Praia Grande
• Paranapiacaba
• Rio Grande Da Serra
• Ribeirao Pires
• Sao Bernardo Do Campo
• Santo Andre
• Santo Antonio do Jardim
• Sao Caetano do Sul
• Ferraz De Vasconcelos
• Biritiba-Mirim
• Mogi das Cruzes
• Itaquaquecetuba
• Serra da Bocaina National Park
• Itapecerica da Serra
• Taboao da Serra
• Sao Sebastiao da Serra
• Barra do Una

All related maps of Santos

• Map of Santos
• Map of Sao Vicente
• Map of Guaruja
• Map of Praia Grande
• Map of Cubatao
• Map of Paranapiacaba
• Map of Rio Grande Da Serra
• Map of Ribeirao Pires
• Map of Bertioga
• Map of Mongagua
• Map of Maua
• Map of Sao Bernardo Do Campo
• Map of Santo Andre
• Map of Santo Antonio do Jardim
• Map of Diadema
• Map of Sao Caetano do Sul
• Map of Ferraz De Vasconcelos
• Map of Suzano
• Map of Biritiba-Mirim
• Map of Itanhaem
• Map of Mogi das Cruzes
• Map of Itaquaquecetuba
• Map of Serra da Bocaina National Park
• Map of Sao Paulo
• Map of Itapecerica da Serra
• Map of Taboao da Serra
• Map of Guarulhos
• Map of Sao Sebastiao da Serra
• Map of Barra do Una
• Map of Aruja

Santos throughout the year

• Santos in January
• Santos in February
• Santos in March
• Santos in April
• Santos in May
• Santos in June
• Santos in July
• Santos in August
• Santos in September
• Santos in October
• Santos in November
• Santos in December

Looking for day-by-day itineraries in Santos?

Get inspired for your trip to Santos with our curated itineraries that are jam-packed with popular attractions everyday! Check them out here:

• 1-Day Santos Itinerary
• 2-Day Santos Itinerary
• 3-Day Santos Itinerary
• 4-Day Santos Itinerary
• 5-Day Santos Itinerary

Best attractions in nearby cities

• Top things to do and attractions in Guaruja
• Top things to do and attractions in Santo Andre
• Top things to do and attractions in Itanhaem
• Top things to do and attractions in Sao Bernardo Do Campo
• Top things to do and attractions in Sao Vicente

Best restaurants in nearby cities

• Where to eat: the best restaurants in Guarulhos
• Where to eat: the best restaurants in Guaruja
• Where to eat: the best restaurants in Santo Andre
• Where to eat: the best restaurants in Itanhaem
• Where to eat: the best restaurants in Sao Bernardo Do Campo
• Where to eat: the best restaurants in Mogi das Cruzes
• Where to eat: the best restaurants in Sao Vicente
• Where to eat: the best restaurants in Sao Caetano do Sul
• Where to eat: the best restaurants in Mongagua
• Where to eat: the best restaurants in Paranapiacaba
• Where to eat: the best restaurants in Suzano

• Itinerary + map in one view
• Live collaboration
• Auto-import hotels and reservations
• Optimize your route
• Offline access on mobile
• See time and distance between all your places

Top Things to Do in Santos, Brazil

Places to visit in santos.

• 4.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• Good for Kids
• Budget-friendly
• Good for Big Groups
• Good for Couples
• Adventurous
• Good for a Rainy Day
• Hidden Gems
• Honeymoon spot
• Good for Adrenaline Seekers
• Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, and popularity.

1. Escultura Tomie Ohtake

2. Jose Menino Beach

Where to go?

What to do, 10 things to do in santos: brazil.

Excellent. Few coastal cities have a beautiful boardwalk as Santos with beautiful and well-maintained gardens. Benches in the shade to sit and enjoy the scenery. The city of Santos needs to be congratulated for being great.

1.Explore Municipal de Santos Brazil

It is a great space that could be better used because it has few animals and little attractions, but it is a quiet and nice place. Undoubtedly one of the most beautiful places in Santos. Great for a picnic and take the kids to play. It is in the northwest a little further away from the center and the beaches is a green area with playground and a beautiful lake.

Information Name: Municipal de Santos Address: Av. Bartolomeu de Gusmão, s/n – Ponta da Praia, Santos – SP, 11030-600, Brazil Phone: None Hours: 9AM–5PM Open: Monday to Sunday Interest: Local

2.Visit the Prefeitura de Santos

The ride with the cable car through the center of Santos is great for children but also for adults. It is a time travel into the old tram and around the city to know the history of people and townhouses. In addition to all the people working on the trams, they are very thoughtful and leave the trip, even more, fun for kids.

Information Name: Prefeitura de Santos Address: Rua Dom Pedro II Santos, SP Phone: +55 13 3201-5000 Hours: 9AM–9PM Open: Monday to Friday Interest: Culture Web: https://www.facebook.com/PrefeituraSantos/?_rdr

3.Explore the 17 km beach in Santos Brazil

Santos has well-maintained, beautiful beach with a very well-kept garden, which invites you to stroll. It is wide and long stretch up to 17 kilometers. The beach is well animated and clean. This is Santos with its beach just perfect. Lots of small restaurants offer opportunities for a dip or just soak up the atmosphere.

4.Watch shows at Escola Livre de Dança

It is much to the environment for everyone to is becoming the student in dancing, so it is more for those who have experience. A lounge with comfort and great space, with good teachers who also teach in addition to accompanying the footsteps in dances everyone loved to dance into. Great to watch the dance experts.

Information Name: Escola Livre de Dança Address: Rua Rangel Pestana nº 150 Santos, SP Phone: 32023578 Hours: 9AM–6PM Open: Monday to Friday Interest: Culture Web: https://www.facebook.com/ELD.Santos.sp/?_rdr

5.Visit the Coffee Museum in Santos Brazil

Beautiful place to know our history. The exhibitions are very instructive and are not long or tiring. The stained glass hall but still loved the ride. And there’s the cafeteria serving wonderful cafes. The building is wonderful, with a beautiful architecture. If you had the chance to go on a time then reform did not see the furniture.

Information Name: Coffee Museum in Santos Brazil Address: Rua Rangel Pestana nº 150 Santos, SP Phone: 32023578 Hours: 9AM–6PM Open: Monday to Saturday Interest: Museum

6.See the Pinacoteca Benedicto Calixto

Few things to see inside the big house both in its old building, fallen but not so sophisticated as the outside and goes into the garden at the back of the house that is charming. The mansion is beautiful, the service is very kind of staff, visited the exhibition of the permanent collection of Calixto. You should decide to stroll through the gardens too.

Information Name: Pinacoteca Benedicto Calixto Address: Av. Bartolomeu de Gusmão, 15 – Boqueirão, Santos – SP, 11045-400, Brazil Hours: 9AM–6PM Phone: +55 13 3288-2857 Open: Monday to Saturday Interest: Museum, Art gallery Web: http://pinacotecadesantos.org.br/

7.Visit the Aquarium Municipal de Santos

The Aquarium of Santos has a cost benefit very good but is missing reforms. It’s a great place to take the family or children to learn, easy access and low entry price. There are many types of fish, but it needs more care. The place is very well located on the waterfront, the entry costs 5 reais a whole entry fee.

Information Name: Aquário Municipal de Santos Address: Av. Bartolomeu de Gusmão, s/n – Ponta da Praia, Santos – SP, 11030-600, Brazil Phone: +55 13 3278-7830 Hours: 9AM–6PM Open: Monday to Saturday Interest: Aquarium

8.Shop Indian style at Lakshmi Estilo de Viver

This is a great place to get a new style, from India. if you like something exotic, then try out some new garments. There are different clothes with different Indian and Asian varieties of pastel colors. Buy what you like. Don’t forget to be artistic and fashionable at the same time in  Lakshmi Estilo de Viver.

Information Name: Lakshmi estilo de viver – Produtos indianos Address: Rua Doutor Lincoln Feliciano, 117 loja 9 (condomínio do Clube XV) Santos, SP Phone: 30361313 Hours: 2PM–8PM Open: Monday to Saturday Interest: Women clothing stoire Web: https://www.facebook.com/produtosindianos/

9.View the Escultura Tomie Ohtake

The Es Cultura Tomie Ohtake is very modern, the visit it is interesting. It is a walk to do which you will enjoy with family, friends, children. It is the beautiful place to walk during the day and evening, unfortunately, at night is a little more dangerous because of a large amount of teenagers always have some who want to get ready and it ends away from families.

Information Name: Escultura Tomie Ohtake Address: Escultura Tomie Ohtake Santos, SP, Brazil Phone: None Hours: Open Open: All the time Interest: Landmarks

10.Have a dinner date at Emporio Bolshoi

Delicious food, very friendly staff, and good karaoke. Few people, at least in the daytime. Tasty food. There Lenten menu. Prices are not cheap. The cozy interior. Quality service. This is a nice a place in Santos for dinner dates with a couple. Perfect for wives and husbands in Santos travels.

Information Name: Emporio Bolshoi Address: Praça Benedito Calixto, 15 Santos, SP Phone: +55 13 3301-4414 Hours: Open Open: 7am to 9pm Interest: Restaurant Web: https://www.facebook.com/emporio.bolshoi/

The place is lovely in Santos. In the late afternoon, locals and tourists walk, run or simply contemplate the pretty sunset. There are kiosks throughout the gardens, near the canals, with varieties of snacks, juices, temaki, etc. A place to walk every day in Santos is everywhere.

Have a good trip and travel!

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Santos, the longest beach garden in the world

Santos, the longest beach garden in the world and largest harbor in Latin America. Having a coffee história, it is one hour from São Paulo capital. You can’t mention Brazil without thinking of the beach and the beach in Santos is bordered by a garden which is 5.3 km (3.3 miles) long making it the largest beach garden in the world. People from São Paulo often go to Santos to lie down under the sun and enjoy the beach. Santos beaches are not the most beautiful in the Paulista Coast, but they are still popular and a good place for a walk.

Trams in Santos make you feel back to 1861

You can still ride them and take a peek in all main attractions of the center. Departing from Valongo Station, five trams take in the main streets and buildings of the Historical Center, giving visitors a trip to the past along the five-kilometer route. Stops to get on and off can be found at Outeiro de Santa Catarina, the hill that marks the foundation of the Vila de Santos settlement, and at Palácio Saturnino de Brito, Sabesp (São Paulo Water Company) headquarters (not on Sundays) – from this point it’s possible to get to the Monte Serrat Tourist Complex, which affords a 360º panoramic view of the city. In all, the line takes in 40 points of tourist and historical interest.

Where: Valongo Station – Largo Marquês de Monte Alegre, 2, Centro Histórico When: Tue – Sun, 11am to 5pm (last ride) Tickets: R$6,50 Disk Tour 0800-173887

Coffee Museum

Built in 1922 to house the world’s main Coffee and Commodities Exchange (Santos was the world’s major coffee trading center at the time), this building of around 6,000 m², is considered one of the most beautiful in the city. Monumental in construction, and boasting more than 200 doors and windows, it has been home since 1998 to the Coffee Museum, whose café is a meeting place for workers in the Historical Center and a must for tourists. The ceiling of the imposing Sala dos Pregões (Bidding Hall) is decorated with a stained glass window depicting A visão de Anhanguera (Anhanguera’s Vision) by Benedicto Calixto.

Three huge panels by the same artist adorn the back wall: the central panel, with 153 figures, represents the elevation of Santos to the status of Vila (village) as a dream, with reality in clearly depicted, while the dream of future progress is more nebulous . The smaller side panels depict the artist’s interpretation of the Santos landscape between 1822 and 1922.

Where: Rua XV de Novembro, 95, Centro Histórico When: Open Tuesday to Saturday, 9am to 5pm (Mon also during the holiday season), and Sunday, 10am to 5pm Tickets: R$6; children up to 5, free; R$ 2.50 for students, public teachers and seniors over 60

Palácio Saturnino de Brito

Built in 1936, this building, the headquarters of the São Paulo Water Company (Sabesp) in the Santos Bay area, boasts a marble staircase framed by an imposing multicolored stained glass window depicting the banderiantes (pioneers) going up the Serra do Mar Range. A stained glass cupola, bearing the São Paulo coat of arms in the center, illuminates the entrance hall. Visitors can see pictures of the drainage canals at the time of their inauguration (the beginning of the 20th century), as well as items of interest, furniture, equipment, and original engineering projects devised by Saturnino de Brito reed – the Santos engineer responsible for the pioneering drainage and sewage systems that freed the city from epidemics and guaranteed its development. Where: Avenida São Francisco ,128, Centro Histórico When: Tue – Sun, 11am to 5pm Tickets: free

 Outeiro de Santa Catarina

This hill marks the foundation of the Vila de Santos settlement – knowing the exact place of their foundation is a privilege few cities enjoy. In the 16th century, Luis Góis, and his wife built the Saint Catherine of Alexandria Chapel at the foot of the small hill, and next to this the first Santa Casa hospital in Brazil was built in 1543. For years, the hill supplied the stones used to pave the city’s streets and expand the port. Between 1880 and 1884, Italian doctor João Éboli had a castle-like house built on what remained of the hill. Until 2012, it was the headquarters of the Fundação Arquivo e Memória de Santos (Santos Archives and Memorial Foundation).

Where: Rua Visconde do Rio Branco, 48, Centro Histórico When: Mon – Fri, 9am to 5pm; Sat, Sun and holidays, 11am to 5pm Tickets: free

Getting to Santos

There isn’t an airport in the city, so the way to arrive in the city is by car or bus.

From Jabaquara Bus Station you can take a bus directly to Santos. Estimated travel time: 1 hour 20 minutes. Buses leave every 15 minutes 24 hours a day. Bus companies are Viação Cometa , Expresso Luxo , or Ultra .

If your origin is from GRU – International Airport in São Paulo in the website is write:  GUARULHOS – AEROP. CUMBICA.  Just Viação Cometa works with this destination from GRU Airport.

You can check timetables, prices and book online. The bus stops at the Terminal Rodoviário De Santos, some to Gonzaga (beach) and some to Ponta da Praia (on the channel, handy for taking a boat on to Guarujá).

You can get off at many other stops on the bus way on, but only if you do not have luggage in the luggage trunk of the bus (it is possible to request your luggage is removed from the luggage trunk and placed inside the bus at the Santos Terminal in order to get off at a later minor stop with luggage). Terminal Rodoviário De Santos is directly in the center, however, the beach is far away (app. 5km).

From the Guarulhos International Airport GRU the bus company is Viação Cometa at terminal 1 and arrived into Santos in 2:20 hours. To buy the tickets online the airport name is written like “Guarulhos – Airport Cumbica” in the website and cost R$32,74 in 2016.

By car from São Paulo, take either rodovia Padre Anchieta (“Anchieta”, SP-160) or rodovia dos Imigrantes (“Imigrantes”, SP-160). Both roads have a “planalto” (plateau) section and a “serra” (mountain) section that goes down the Serra do Mar to the sea level.

Anchieta being older, its mountain section is winding and narrow, while Imigrantes’ is wider and mostly straight due to extensive use of tunnels and bridges. Anchieta and Imigrantes are linked through a high and a low interlink.

Trucks and buses are prohibited in the mountain section of Imigrantes, and are forced to take the interlink and use Anchieta. Both roads feature a toll of about R$ 25,20 in 2016 that you pay when leave São Paulo. Also note that traffic is frequently deviated from one road to the other for traffic regulation purposes or road works, so you should follow the dynamic signs.

Information from Turismo Santos

For more information contact us!

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Albom Adventures

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Inspiring travel through photography

Santos Brazil for Coffee, Beaches and Leaning Buildings

Relaxing on one of the Santos beaches, visiting the Santos Coffee museum, or heading into nearby São Paulo are among the many choices one has when cruising into the Santos Port. Regardless of which you choose, be sure to make your way to the waterfront, where you will easily spot some of the city’s 63 leaning buildings.

As we cruised into the Santos Brazil port, passing South America’s largest dock, we had two choices for our day onshore.

Many onboard planned to visit São Paulo, Brazil’s largest city. While a culturally fascinating choice, the traffic is well known for being miserable, and we were told the journey could take anywhere from 45 minutes to a few hours.

Therefore, we opted to stay in São Paulo’s seaside resort town of Santos and enjoy some of the world-famous Santos coffee, relax at one of the many Sanots beaches, ride the funicular, and stare in wonderment at the tilted buildings along the coastline.

Top things to do from the Santos port

• Check out the leaning buildings
• Relax or play at the beach
• Visit the Coffee Museum
• Enjoy a fabulous coffee at the Coffee Museum cafe
• See the stadium once home to Pelé and visit the Pelé museum
• Ride the funicular to the top of Mount Serrat
• Admire sea life at the Aquarium of Santos

Leaning buildings in Santos

With 63 leaning buildings intermixed along the oceanfront, it’s a bizarre look. They are mostly apartment buildings.

Engineers check the stability of these apartments annually, and the buildings remain habitable by brave souls who don’t seem to mind the unsteady environment. Apparently, a marble placed on the high side of one of the units will roll downhill, furniture needs to be shimmed, and a full cup will often overflow. I wonder if dishes fall off the tables?

To date, only one has been straightened. We are unable to find any being used as hotels or even nightly rate apartment rentals.

Why do the buildings lean?

The problem stems from lax building codes some 50 years ago. While 63 of the buildings are inspected annually, it is estimated that nearly every beachfront building (over 650) leans to some degree. The most simplistic explanation is that to be stable, the foundations need to be anchored in bedrock. Above the bedrock in Santos is 30-40 metres of unstable clay covered by 7 metres of surface sand. The foundations are anchored in clay. The buildings lean when the clay shifts. Today’s building codes are more rigid.

Santos beach

Water is key to this city, with seven major beaches covering five miles and 19 canals that have earned the city the nickname “the Brazilian Venice.” Alongside the sand runs the world’s largest garden in front of a beach.

If walking around the streets and beaches of Brazil makes you nervous, or if you want to see more than just nearby beaches on your day in Santos port, check out this full-day private shore excursion for up to six people to the beaches of Santos, Sao Vicente (Brazil’s first village), and Guaruja (called the “Atlantic Pearl”):   Reserve your Santos beaches shore excursion here

Island of Cobra

This small island just offshore is nicknamed the Island of Cobra, according to our guide. (Portuguese name is: Ilha de Urubuqueçaba).

Apparently, if you stand on the shore long enough, you will eventually see a bird of prey swoop down and pick up a snake. We didn’t stay there long enough, nor do have any idea how often this happens, or if it really does.

Santos Coffee Museum

For me, there are two obvious highlights of the Santos Coffee Museum. First is the architecture of the building, which is the former coffee exchange market. Secondly, it is in the Coffee Museum Cafe where we had the best cup of Brazilian arabica coffee .

The heavily worded exhibits in the museum are all in Portuguese. The Coffee Museum is 4.5 km (2.8 miles) from the Santos port cruise terminal.

Interesting fact: Today, Brazil is the world’s largest coffee producer, and the USA is the world’s largest coffee consumer by volume.

Santos Football (Soccer) Club

Football (soccer) fans know Pelé as the world’s greatest player. Now living in the hills between Santos and São Paulo, he once played in Santos stadium. Small by world standards, it holds 35,000 spectators.

The stadium is about 6 km (3.7 miles) from the Santos port cruise terminal.

If you are an over-the-top football fan, consider a private football shore excursion. It will take you to the Santos Football Stadium, the Pelé Museum, the São Paulo Stadium and Museum, the Palmeiras Stadium and Museum, and the Corinthians Stadium and Museum before returning you to your ship. Reserve your private football shore excursion here

Funicular to Mount Serrat

For great views over the city, we took the funicular up to the top of Mount Serrat. The building at the top, now a cafe, is a former casino that was popular in the early half of the last century until Brazil banned casinos in 1946 . Brazil has since banned bingo halls (2007) as there was concern that they were laundering money.

Also at the top is a tiny church, Our Lady of Mount Serrat. It was built in 1605 to protect the city from pirates.

The entrance to the funicular is 4.5 km (2.8 miles) from the Santos port cruise terminal and 1.2km (.8 miles) from the Santos Coffee Museum.

Getting around Santos city

• Taxis with meters are generally considered to be safe.
• A public bus can be a good option if you speak Portuguese. If not, you may find it difficult to navigate as the signage will be in Portuguese, and the bus drivers will generally speak only one language.
• Rent a car and self-drive. Be warned, traffic can be pretty bad if you are planning to drive to São Paulo. In South America, we had our best luck renting cars through RentalCars.com . We tried going directly to the agent in one city and in the end, we paid considerably more among other problems. (Personally, I will avoid direct booking with Europcar in the future.)
• If you are visiting from a cruise ship as we did, you can save money by taking an independent excursion.

Other things to do in Santos Brazil

As a cruise port, we had only one day here. Here are some of the other key things to do in Santos:

• Admire sea life at the Aquarium of Santos (family-friendly).
• Take a ride in the old trams.
• Discover history at the old fortress of Santo Amaro.
• Enjoy over 6,000 orchids at the Municipal Orchidarium.
• Shop at the modern Praiamar Mall.
• Spend a day in nearby São Paulo. We opted not to do this as it was the week between Christmas and New Years in Brazil , and the normally heavy traffic that separates these two cities was expected to be worse. With predictions of up to four hours to return to the Santos port if we went to São Paulo, we opted to stay in Santos city. Drive time with no traffic is about an hour, as the two cities are only 75 km (46.6 miles) apart.
• Watch the boats at Santos Port,  Latin America’s second busiest container port with nearly 16 km (10 miles) of docks.

Practical information and tips on visiting from the Santos Port Brazil

• Follow our basic safety tips for South America .
• Be sure to notice the leaning coastal buildings.
• If you are a soccer fan, don’t miss the Pelé Museum.
• For the best Brazilian coffee in town, get one at the cafe in the coffee museum. If you are brave, try the exquisite Jacu coffee. Its seeds passed through the digestive system of a Jacu bird. (A similar process to civet coffee.) Or, buy jacu coffee beans from Amazon .
• Even in shopping malls, if you pay with cash, you can ask for a discount and will usually get about 5% off.
• The coffee museum will take US dollars, but most places in town will only take Brazilian reals (National currency).
• Other nearby Brazilian ports that we visited included: Paraty , Buzios , Itajai, and  Rio de Janeiro .

Stay a while at one of the Santos Brazil hotels

If we weren’t on the ship, I could easily imagine myself staying in Santos a while. It’s a relaxing seaside community. With a reputation like that of Flordia in the USA, Santos is a popular retirement community with about 20% of the population over age 60. Reserve a room at a Santos hotel or at one of the São Paulo hotels

Photography on this page

In Brazil, my mirrorless camera ( Olympus OMD-em5 ) never left the cruise ship. Instead, I took the predecessor to the Olympus TG-6, a tough little shockproof, waterproof, dustproof, crushproof, and freezeproof point-and-shoot camera that has an option of RAW output. As you can see from above, it takes great shots. It’s the perfect camera to keep in my pocket, especially in questionably safe areas.

Save on your trip with these resources

These are our go-to companies when we travel. We believe this list to be the best in each category. You can’t go wrong using them on your trip too.

• Flights : we use Expedia for the best and cheapest flight options.
• Accommodations: we use Booking.com (hotels), VRBO (self-contained), or Hostelworld (budget).
• Cars (gas or electric): we use RentalCars to search for deals and dealer ratings.
• Motorcycles : we have heard good things about BikesBooking .
• Campervans or Motorhomes : we use Campstar where Albom Adventures readers get a 3% discount.
• Private guides : we love the private guides at Tours by Locals .
• Travel Insurance: while not required, we always opt for travel insurance and start at InsureMyTrip to compare coverage plans.

Check out our travel resources page for more companies that we use when you travel.

Please Share on Social Media

If you enjoyed this article, please share it on social media, including Pinterest.

Click here to see  our full South American itinerary .

If you cruise into Santos Port Brazil, will you spend your day: drinking Santos coffee, relaxing at one of the Santos beaches, or in São Paulo?

More from South America you might also like …

16 Unique Things to Do in Cordoba Argentina: Cultural Charm

Valparaiso Street Art: Examples of Vibrant Expression in Chile

A Guide to Paraty Brazil: From a Day to a Week

Must-See Rio de Janeiro Landmarks: Safely Explore the Best of Rio

About rhonda albom.

Capturing the essence of travel through photography, Rhonda Albom is the primary author and photographer at Albom Adventures. She is an American expat based in New Zealand. She travels the world with her husband.

Reader Interactions

March 8, 2019 at 4:22 pm

It crazy to think that 650 beachfront properties lean. 650! That coastline sure is gorgeous. Would love to walk around photographing it

Shreya Saha

March 7, 2019 at 8:12 pm

Santos Port seems a cool place as a layover of port in Brazil. I would love to explore the small port city like you did. You have given many options of what to see in this Brazilian city and how to get around. Thanks for sharing such informative posts.

March 7, 2019 at 12:51 pm

Lovely photos as always! I lived in a leaning house once… Marbles didn’t roll along the floor, but whenever I backed a cake it was very clearly higher on one side of the pan than the other.

March 6, 2019 at 7:22 pm

Beautiful photos! I can’t imagine how people can be happy living in those leaning buildings. Hopefully, the rent is cheap? Love the Coffee Exchange building! That must be truly spectacular in person. I would want to go there and indulge my architectural fetish. Thanks for this fabulous travelogue!

alissa apel

March 6, 2019 at 11:20 am

What wonderful views! I like the shot with all the colorful umbrellas.

Paula Morgan

March 6, 2019 at 9:41 am

So happy to find this article, my husband grew up in Santos in Brazil and I have never really seen many photos of it. The leaning buildings would totally freak me out. Thank god its not an earthquake prone area!

March 6, 2019 at 12:06 am

Those leaning buildings make me dizzy. They look so dangerous! The funicular is very appealing. Thanks for the travel info. Brazil is definitely on my list.

March 5, 2019 at 11:17 pm

Santos Port is a long way away, very reason why I crave to visit it some day. You increased my eagerness with the mention of leaning buildings. I am keen about the Pele museum too.

March 5, 2019 at 5:40 pm

I can’t believe how irresponsible the builders in these countries are. Someone (perhaps the architects, or the structure engineers) must have known that the terrain underneath these buildings is shifting and should have foreseen what’s going to happen. Those poor people living in these buildings! I’m sure they don’t have much choice, that’s why they are putting up with it. Aside from this however, Santos looks quite charming. I’d love to visit Brazil someday.

March 5, 2019 at 4:32 pm

I can’t get over those buildings – I could never! I have chills just thinking about being in one of them. I’ve always wanted to go to Brazil, and clearly there’s so much to do in Santos. Hopefully one of these days!

stevebethere

March 5, 2019 at 10:39 am

I enjoyed this tour and would definitely love the coffee LOL

Can’t get over the leaning buildings

Have a tanfastical week Rhonda ➡

Photo Cache

March 5, 2019 at 10:38 am

What an awesome post. Gets me to armchair travel. Thanks.

Mei and Kerstin

March 5, 2019 at 10:29 am

We’ve never heard of the leaning buildings in Santos! Very interesting and I’m sure that you see the leaning even better in real as compared in photos! And taking the funicular up to Mount Serrat for the panoramic views sounds like an awesome experience too. Thanks for sharing this!

March 5, 2019 at 5:55 am

As a coffee addict, I can easily picture myself having a cup of Arabica Coffee at the Santos Coffee Museum. The architecture of the building looks stunning and it adds to the overall experience of tasting Brazilian coffee. Oh, I want my cup of Brazilian coffee now! 🙂

March 5, 2019 at 3:09 am

Woah, that beach in Santos is so incredibly crowded! That’s exactly what I hate about a lot of European beaches. You’re packed in next to each like you’re stuffed into tiny tables in a Parisian cafe. No thanks.

But the beach at the Island of Cobra looks nearly empty. That’s be more my cup of tea for hanging out on the beach. Not so keen if there are actually cobras around, though!

March 4, 2019 at 4:59 pm

Those leaning buildings, oh my! I would not want to be on the top floors! The beach looks very crowded but beautiful, with the colorful umbrellas. What a fascinating port city (but I would skip the cobra beach, just in case the story about the birds and snakes is true!).

Linda (LD Holland)

March 4, 2019 at 2:29 pm

We are booked to visit South America in 2020. So we are starting to look for ideas on what to see and do. We will sail into Sao Paulo so it is great to see that a day trip to Santos is a great way to spend that port day. The leaning buildings certain are bizarre. We are coffee snobs. So a visit to the Santos Coffee Museum is definitely something we would like. And a ride up the funicular would be great for a panoramic view. Thanks for giving us a view of this option.

March 4, 2019 at 4:39 am

Even though I have been to Brazil before I have never heard of Santos Port before. Looks like an interesting place to be. Those leaning buildings look hilarious and I would love to visit the Island of Cobra 😀

March 4, 2019 at 2:43 am

Never been to Brazil and never heard of Santos Port but I would love to go here and check out those leaning buildings. Wondering if it was an problem whilst building them or an earthquake and they managed to stay up.

Obligatory Traveler

March 3, 2019 at 2:00 pm

I can’t imagine what it must be like living in leaning building. I hope the rent is cheaper. It might make a fun airbnb to stay at for a few nights. I love funiculars and drinking coffee so this sounds like my kind of place.

March 3, 2019 at 10:34 am

I would love to visit Brazil- I have never heard of Santos Port before! The city looks amazing! I would love to see the Coffee Museum in person one day!

March 3, 2019 at 7:23 am

I’m all about the water so I’d definitely pick Santos over Sao Paolo. What an interesting place with those buildings. I’m amazed that people actually live in them but I guess it’s normal to them.

March 3, 2019 at 6:49 am

Hi Rhonda – I’d have done Santos too … those buildings are amazing – fascinating to see: no I can’t imagine living in one. Looks like lots of history … and that coffee museum must be fascinating … cheers Hilary

Paul Pietrangelo

March 3, 2019 at 5:24 am

Oh my Rhonda. People really live in those building that lean? Are they crazy? This entire place is weird to me. It’s not a place for me. See ya my friend.

Cruisin Paul

Lydia C. Lee

March 2, 2019 at 6:44 pm

That first one is sooooo crooked. I wonder if you get a tilt in your life – so even in a flat place you under fill the cup etc?

March 2, 2019 at 10:25 am

Wow!! I love reading and looking at your blog posts, because it makes me feel as if I’m at all these wonderful places you’ve visited! I would be very interested in visiting Santos Coffee Museum, since I’m somewhat of a coffee junkie hehe 🙂

Crystal Marie

March 2, 2019 at 6:43 am

Santos beach looks absolutely gorgeous. A spot to put on my vacation list for sure.

March 2, 2019 at 4:16 am

Oh my word- leaning buildings? I think that would totally freak me out! Your photos are so beautiful of such an interesting place!

March 2, 2019 at 3:09 am

The coffee museum 😍😍 That’s heaven for me! And the leaning buildings are quite scary – won’t the fall after a while because of the problematic foundations?

L. Diane Wolfe

March 2, 2019 at 2:38 am

That one building really does lean.

I bet taking the funicular cars up is a lot of fun.

March 1, 2019 at 8:49 pm

Brazil is on my bucket list! There are so many things to do there too! Crazy how they have all of those leaning buildings along the beach too…I’d be terrified to live in or near one, haha!

Ryan K Biddulph

March 1, 2019 at 6:24 pm

Wow leaning buildings. Pretty scary and cool. Makes sense based on the reasoning though.

March 1, 2019 at 5:32 pm

Brazil, and Brazilians. Beautiful country, beautiful and fun people…its just that I need guts to visit Brazil. looking at your photos and reading your articles are quite convincing for me to open my eyes, and should give it a chance. I like to see those leaning buildings! For the question: I see myself drinking Santos coffee—this girl loves her caffeine 😉

Alex J. Cavanaugh

March 1, 2019 at 2:00 pm

Beautiful country, but doubt I’ll ever see it. Safer to look at pictures anyway. Obviously there aren’t cobra swimming in that bay…?

March 1, 2019 at 10:03 am

I got stuck on the leaning apartment building. Yikes. I’ll pass.

What a beautiful city and you got some fabulous shots.

Have a fabulous day. ♥

Rhonda Albom

March 1, 2019 at 10:12 am

There are 63 buildings that lean so far they need to be inspected annually. Can you imagine living in one of them? I think it would be dizzying.

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Which Azores island is perfect for you?

Apr 15, 2024 • 8 min read

The islands that make up the Azores each have a unique draw, from impossibly picturesque hiking trails to lively festivals © Westend61 / Getty Images

Sandra has recently returned from her native Azores, where she was researching the upcoming Pocket Azores guidebook, out in October 2024. Here she shares her local knowledge of the archipelago to help you choose the best island for your trip.

Famous for hiking trails and lagoons, inactive volcanoes and whale watching, the Azores  naturally appeal to the outdoorsy. But these islands are also rich with a unique cuisine, exceptional wines, vibrant cultural events and traditional celebrations.

The Azores keep growing in popularity as a tourist destination, but some islands remain off most travelers’ radar. Sure, a lot of this archipelago’s appeal comes from its beautiful landscapes, where nature is practically untouched yet not entirely out of reach. But the landscapes change from island to island, sometimes within the same one, which is why “seen one, seen them all” doesn’t apply here. Read on to find the perfect islands for your Azores adventure.

1. Santa Maria

Best island for summer festivals  

Dubbed “the sunny island” by Azoreans, summers here see plenty of glorious days of beach weather – an oddity by Azores standards. But the promise of morning-to-evening days spent soaking up the sun and the salt of the ocean isn’t the only reason why travellers flock here during the summer months. On my early morning and practically empty flight to Santa Maria, on a late-January weekday, most of my fellow passengers were locals returning home or going on a business trip.

In mid-July, the village of Anjos welcomes blues fans to the three-day festival Santa Maria Blues . Then, at the end of August, Praia Formosa becomes the epicenter and main stage of Maré de Agosto , Portugal’s oldest music festival, turning 40 in 2024.  Marienses (Santa Maria residents) certainly know how to put on a memorable show. 

Read more:  All you need to know for your first trip to the Azores

2. São Miguel

Best island for things to do 

The largest island, São Miguel gets the most tourists and has frequent flights from various destinations two to five hours away. For many visitors it's a good compromise between spending time on a remote island but without feeling like you’re too far away from home.

Here, you can spend the morning discovering lagoons in Sete Cidades , then while away the afternoon soaking in a thermal bath heated by an underground volcano in Furnas. In the evening you can sample international cuisine and discover local artists at O Quarteirão, a neighborhood in the historic center of the island’s capital, Ponta Delgada. 

And on one of those pesky rainy days, when sightseeing goes out the window, stroll around the shopping center or catch a movie. 

Read more:  How to get the most out of the Azores without renting a car

3. Terceira

Best island for culture 

Terceira has a certain majestic quality – perhaps a trace of its former life as the heart of the Portuguese Kingdom. The celebration of local heritage is strong here, from the dozens of carefully kept, colorful​​​  impérios (small temples built to display symbols of the Cult of the Holy Spirit) that dot every village and town on the island, to the cobblestoned streets of Angra do Heroísmo’ s historic center, the first UNESCO World Heritage Site in Portugal . 

The island has birthed notable intellectuals, artists and writers. But there is room for less highbrow cultural manifestations, including the sarcasm-riddled song and dance shows called Bailinhos during Carnaval, and the live music and street parades during Sanjoaninas  in June.

4. Graciosa

Best island to visit with family  

Graciosa is one of the least touristy islands. On the surface, the second smallest island in the archipelago seems to have little to do – by comparison with the rest, of course. But this UNESCO Biosphere Reserve doesn’t need to flaunt deep lagoons and waterfalls to get your attention. 

In half a day, you can drive around the island and hit all the must-see spots, and locals will state this fact to you. But it’s perfect if you’re traveling with younger kids who get fussy on long drives. The road trip includes spotting a whale-shaped rock off the coast, entirely molded by nature. You can even take them on an adventure, walking down a stone spiral staircase into the heart of Graciosa’s inactive volcano, Caldeira (or Furna do Enxofre). 

The island is also home to burro da Graciosa , an endangered species of donkey that has been rescued, protected and bred by a local nonprofit organization. Anyone can visit the farm to see the donkeys from afar, or pet them if they come closer to the fence. 

Local tip: Graciosa is famous for its red-roofed, Dutch-style windmills. Most of them are no longer operational and have been turned into short-term rental houses by their owners. 

5. São Jorge

Best island for hiking 

Whether you arrive on the island by sea or by air, São Jorge resembles the scaly back of an enormous dragon fast asleep in the middle of the ocean. On this long and narrow island, most towns and villages are wedged between the sea and steep cliffs on volcanic ground that slid down the coast and formed fajãs (coastal plateaus). 

Even though some of these fajãs can be reached by car, being able to get to them as locals did in the old days, via official trekking trails, makes São Jorge the best island for hiking.

Local tip: Given the island’s rough terrain, all official trails on São Jorge range from moderate to hard, which require some hiking experience. Trekking boots and poles are recommended for a safe and comfortable hike.   

Read more: Discover the 7 best hikes in the Azores

Best island for local heritage 

Called “the mountain island” for being home to Portugal’s highest peak, Pico is also historically a land of whale hunters and winemakers. 

Watching whales took over from hunting them in the mid-1980s, with plenty of former hunters teaching whale-watching companies all they knew about the mammals and how to track them. You’ll see the former industry presented at museums and old processing factories. Today, whale-watching tours have become one of the most popular activities on Pico. 

Producing wine from vines that grow on volcanic soils, sheltered from the wind and the ocean by basalt rock walls, proves that picoenses  (Pico residents) are ingenious. The winemaking industry is currently reaping the fruits of a renaissance on the island, with the Landscape of the Pico Island Vineyard Culture becoming recognized by UNESCO in 2004. 

Local tip: Regular, year-round ferry rides connecting Faial, Pico, and São Jorge – also known as the “Triangle Islands” – mean that island-hopping between the three is easy. While the tendency is to stay on Faial (partly because of flight frequency), Pico is a better island to use as a base – Madalena on Pico is a 30-minute ferry ride from Horta on Faial; São Roque on São Miguel is 50 minutes from Velas on São Jorge. 

Island with the best beaches 

On most islands in the Azores, natural swimming pools outnumber sandy beaches, and Faial is no exception, with five beaches to its seven natural pools. The cool Atlantic waters (sometimes even in the summer) also don’t exactly pinpoint the islands on the map of best beach destinations. Nevertheless, Faial’s stretches of sand are worth visiting.

Praia do Almoxarife is hands down the beach with the best view. Imagine lounging on the black sand or taking a dip while looking across the water at Portugal’s highest peak, Mt Pico. 

Praia de Porto Pim is a local favorite within walking distance of Horta city center. The proximity to an urban area doesn’t taint the beach-going experience at all, and the bay is like a shelter. 

Best island for untouched nature 

Most people who visit Flores believe that this is the most beautiful island in the Azores, comparing it to such destinations as Hawaii, Switzerland, and Ireland.  

The evergreen island has dozens of waterfalls cascading down vertiginous cliffs into the ocean or into ponds of fresh water, seven lagoons nestled in the pits of collapsed volcano craters and a rugged coast hiding caves and tales of pirates – and only a handful of these delights are within human reach.   

Local tip: When the weather turns unexpectedly on Flores, locals have a fun saying: “Here today, tomorrow in Flores.” Granted, stressed travellers may miss the irony in this tidbit of local wisdom when they begin to foresee the domino effect of cancelled flights. If you’re staying three days on Flores, give yourself some leeway and plan for two extra days of traveling time – don't book connecting flights for the same day you plan to arrive on or leave Flores.

Best island to relax 

With no noise, no traffic (well, hardly any cars, for that matter), no pollution, and no fuss, Corvo, the smallest of the nine islands, is perfect for unplugging and recharging.   

Walking the maze of narrow cobblestoned streets that cut through impossibly close houses and patios that once protected corvinos (Corvo residents)   from harsh winds and pirate invasions does make you believe that if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere. And these islanders have been making a life here for four centuries. 

Local tip: Most people hop here on a boat from Flores, do a quick tour around town and visit the volcano Caldeirão. But to fully experience life on the most remote island in the Azores, plan your trip to account for a one-night stay (at least) on Corvo.

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