Spot your stop

Day trips from Sao Paulo, from the coast to the mountains

Sao Paulo main sights in 7 hours

★ 4.9 · From 674 reviews

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Brief answer

The best day trips from Sao Paulo are Santos on the coast, the Embu das Artes arts fair, the railway village of Paranapiacaba, Campos do Jordao in the mountains and the shrine at Aparecida.

Distances

  • Santos: 72 km1
  • Campos do Jordao: 173 km5
  • Aparecida: 175 km6

Map of 31 stops

Sao Paulo, area by area

Select a route, then press a pin or stop to read its note and open Google Maps.

Map of Sao Paulo state with the city centre and the day-trip towns: Santos, Embu das Artes, Paranapiacaba, Campos do Jordao, Ilhabela and Aparecida
  1. Start of every day trip; Santos lies 72 km away.

    Google Maps
  2. The old coffee exchange, temporarily free while exhibitions change.

    Google Maps
  3. Arts fair on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, 30 minutes from central Sao Paulo.

    Google Maps
  4. The railway village 30 km from central Santo Andre.

    Google Maps
  5. Capivari, the centre of a town at 1628 m, 173 km from Sao Paulo.

    Google Maps
  6. 83% state park, reached by ferry from Sao Sebastiao.

    Google Maps
  7. 175 km away on the Dutra highway; it holds 30,000 to 45,000 people.

    Google Maps

© OpenStreetMap contributors · map data

A port city with a coffee exchange, an arts fair in a colonial town, a railway village in the fog, an alpine-style resort, an island of waterfalls and the national shrine, all within reach of the city.

Editorial team, saopaulocitytour.com · Updated November 11, 2026 · ~7 min read

The essentials

  • Santos72 km away: the coffee museum, a heritage tram and the beach gardens.1
  • Embu das ArtesAn arts fair on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, 30 minutes out.2,3
  • MountainsCampos do Jordao sits at 1628 m, 173 km from the city.4,5
  • PilgrimageAparecida's shrine is 175 km away on the Dutra highway.6
  • GuidedA Santos, Sao Vicente and Guaruja day runs 12 hours, from $113.

Santos: coffee, trams and the longest garden

Of all the day trips from Sao Paulo, Santos is the classic. The city government puts it 72 km from the capital, down the Serra do Mar on the Anchieta and Imigrantes highways.1,7 Its port, which the city calls the largest in Latin America, still dominates the skyline of cranes and ships.8 Start at the Museu do Cafe, the old coffee exchange, where the daily price of coffee used to be fixed in the grand trading hall.9

The museum opened in 1998 in an eclectic building of 6,000 m² with more than 200 doors and windows.10 It opens Tuesday to Saturday from 9 AM to 6 PM and on Sundays from 10 AM, and entry is free for now while the exhibitions change.11,12 Outside, a heritage tram leaves from the Valongo station, built in 1867 for the state's first railway, and loops the old centre with an audio guide.13 A ride costs BRL 7 and lasts about 15 minutes.14,15

Look out for tram 32, built in 1911 and said to be the oldest electric tram still running in Brazil.16 The Museu Pele tells the story of the King of Football; it is free and open from 10 AM until 5:30 PM, Tuesday through Sunday.17,18 For the view, a funicular climbs Monte Serrat from 8 AM to 8 PM for BRL 33 from Monday to Thursday, or you can take its 402 steps.19,20 Finish on the seafront, where Guinness World Records registered the beach garden in 2002.21

Compare the trips

Which escape, and when to go

DestinationHighlightsBest day
SantosCoffee museum, tram, beach gardenTuesday to Sunday
Embu das ArtesArts fair, colonial churchSaturday or Sunday
ParanapiacabaRailway village, guided trailsTuesday to Sunday
Campos do JordaoMountain town, palace museumWednesday to Sunday
IlhabelaBeaches, waterfalls, ferryAny day, by car
AparecidaNational shrine, walkwayAny day

Days follow the opening days each official source lists.11,2,30,31,32,33

Embu das Artes, the weekend arts fair

For a short Sao Paulo day trip, Embu das Artes is the easy win: the town says it lies 30 minutes from central Sao Paulo, off the Regis Bittencourt highway.3 Its arts and crafts fair fills 4 blocks of the historic centre with about 500 exhibitors on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.2 On a busy weekend it draws 30,000 to 40,000 visitors, so arrive early for the best choice of furniture, ceramics and paintings.26

The fair was born in 1969 in front of the Museu de Arte Sacra, and in 2021 the state assembly declared it part of Sao Paulo state's intangible heritage.24,27 The museum itself occupies the church of Nossa Senhora do Rosario, built by Jesuits and indigenous workers between 1690 and 1740.28 Its whitewashed facade and the cobbled square around it are the heart of the colonial town, and the museum's collection of religious art is worth half an hour between browsing the stalls.

Embu charges no visitor fee of any kind, whether you arrive by car or on a tour bus.29 Weekdays are calmer but most stalls are only set up for the fair, so a Saturday or Sunday visit gives you the full picture. Combine it with a lunch of country food in one of the restaurants around the square, and still reach your hotel before the evening rush. Bring cash for small purchases, and leave room in your bag: the furniture and pottery stalls make it hard to come home empty-handed.

Distance

How far the main escapes are by road

  • Santos72
  • Campos do Jordao173
  • Aparecida175

Road distances as each town's government gives them; Embu das Artes gives a travel time of 30 minutes instead.1,5,6,3

Paranapiacaba, the railway village in the clouds

Paranapiacaba feels like a corner of England dropped onto a Brazilian mountain. The village sits 30 km from central Santo Andre, high in the Serra do Mar, and was built by the Sao Paulo Railway in the 19th century to house its workers.37 Its railway yard is the entrance to the Museu do Funicular, which the city describes as the largest open-air railway museum in Brazil.34 Mist often rolls over the timber houses, so bring a jacket.

Football fans have a reason to come too. The city's tourism office notes that Charles William Miller introduced the game to Brazil in 1894, and that the railway workers' Serrano Athletic Club pitch opened the same year.23 The tourist information centre on Rua Direita opens Tuesday to Sunday from 10 AM to 4 PM.30 Pick up a village map there and walk the lanes between the clock tower and the engine sheds.

The forest around the village is protected. Altitudes in the Parque Nascentes de Paranapiacaba run from 850 to 1174 m, and its trails may only be walked with environmental guides accredited by Santo Andre.38,39 By public transport, bus 040 leaves the Santo Andre bus terminal, and other buses run from Rio Grande da Serra station on CPTM's Diamond line.40 Drivers follow the Anchieta highway and then smaller state roads.41

Pick your escape

Which day trip suits you?

Match your interest to the right place.

  • If I want the sea and history

    Santos

    Coffee museum, heritage tram and beach gardens.11,14

  • If I love crafts and markets

    Embu das Artes

    About 500 exhibitors at the weekend fair.2

  • If I like trains and mist

    Paranapiacaba

    A railway village and an open-air railway museum.34

  • If I want cool mountain air

    Campos do Jordao

    The town sits at 1628 m.4

  • If I want a spiritual day

    Aparecida

    The shrine holds up to 45,000 people.35

Guided day trips

Day trips with pickup, compared

Beaches

Santos and the coast

Santos, Sao Vicente, Guaruja

  • Length12 hours
  • GroupUp to 7
  • PickupIncluded
See this tour

Mountains

Campos do Jordao

Mountain resort

  • Length10 hours
  • GroupUp to 12
  • PickupIncluded
See this tour

Pilgrimage

Aparecida shrine

National sanctuary

  • Length10 hours
  • GroupUp to 12
  • AccessWheelchair accessible
See this tour

Campos do Jordao, Brazil's mountain resort

Campos do Jordao trades heat for pine trees and fondue. The town hall puts it at 1628 m, which it calls the highest municipal seat in Brazil, and 173 km from Sao Paulo.4,5 Its half-timbered centre in Capivari looks more like the Alps than the tropics, and on cool winter nights chocolate shops and fireplaces do brisk business. Pack a warm layer even for a summer visit: evenings at that altitude turn chilly quickly, and the mountain roads up from the Paraiba valley twist for the last stretch.

The Palacio Boa Vista has been a palace museum open to visitors since 1970.86 Walk-in visits run Wednesday and Friday to Sunday, from 10 AM to 12 noon and 2 PM to 5 PM, and on Thursday afternoons, in groups of up to 20 with numbered tickets.31,87 In July the town hosts its Winter Festival, created in 1970 and described by its organisers as the largest classical music festival in Latin America.25,88

The 2026 edition ran from 4 July to 2 August, and concerts in the Claudio Santoro auditorium are free, with tickets released online 3 days ahead.89,90 Because of the distance, a guided day is the easy option: a 10-hour tour with pickup in Sao Paulo starts from $121. Winter weekends book up early, so reserve ahead if you travel in July. The festival programme is published online, and free concert tickets go quickly, so set a reminder for the release time.

Price a day trip

What a guided day trip costs for your group

Choose a destination and how many are travelling.

Review 4 options

What a guided day trip costs for your group

Choose a destination and how many are travelling.

2 people
  1. Santos and the coast12 hours · per person, from $113

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  2. Campos do Jordao10 hours · per person, from $121

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  3. Aparecida shrine10 hours · per person, from $112

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  4. Sao Roque wineries9 hours · per person, from $129

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Starting prices on GetYourGuide, exchanged at the ECB reference rate. The booking page gives the exact price.

History on the road

The stories behind the day trips

  1. 1717

    An image in a river

    Fishermen find the figure of Aparecida.22

  2. 1867

    Valongo station

    Santos gets the state's first railway terminus.13

  3. 1894

    Football arrives

    Charles Miller brings the game; Paranapiacaba gets a pitch.23

  4. 1911

    A Scottish-built tram

    The car now known as tram 32 is built.16

  5. 1969

    A fair is born

    Artists set up in front of Embu's church.24

  6. 1970

    Music in the mountains

    Campos do Jordao launches its Winter Festival.25

Ilhabela and Aparecida, coast and faith

Ilhabela is a green island off the north coast, and 83% of it is protected as a state park full of Atlantic Forest and waterfalls.84 It has more than 40 beaches, reached by land or by sea.91 The ferry from Sao Sebastiao runs from 5:30 AM to 11:30 PM, foot passengers ride free and a car costs BRL 19 on weekdays.32,92,93 Tour buses and vans need prior permission and proof of a hotel booking on the island, so a day-trip coach cannot drive onto it.85

Aparecida lies 175 km away on the Presidente Dutra highway.6 Its Santuario Nacional, which the town calls the largest Marian church in the world, holds 30,000 to 45,000 people.35 The shrine keeps the small image of Nossa Senhora Aparecida that 3 fishermen found in the Paraiba do Sul river in October 1717.22 The Passarela da Fe, a walkway 392.20 m long, links the new basilica with the old one.94

From the 16th-floor viewpoint of the Torre Brasilia you see the whole shrine and the river.95 Visitors from across Brazil arrive in October, above all on the 12th, the feast day, so expect crowds then.96 A 10-hour guided trip from Sao Paulo, with pickup, starts from $112. If you prefer wine to pilgrimage, a 9-hour tour of the Sao Roque wineries with tastings starts from $129.

Video

A day in Santos: beaches and city life

Living Life on a Cruise on YouTube · The video waits until you tap play to load.

The garden is also an open-air art gallery, as it holds no fewer than 38 monuments and sculpture groups
Turismo Santos (Prefeitura de Santos, Secretaria de Turismo)36

Before you go

Day-trip checklist

Timing3

  • Avoid Mondays in Santos: the coffee museum is closed11
  • Go to Embu on a Saturday, Sunday or holiday2
  • Reach Paranapiacaba's information centre before 4 PM30

Bring4

  • Cash or Pix for the Santos tram fare14
  • An accredited guide for the Paranapiacaba trails39
  • A warm layer for Campos do Jordao and Paranapiacaba
  • A booked hotel if you take a coach to Ilhabela85

Tour or self-drive?

Santos, Embu and Paranapiacaba are close enough to reach on your own, by car or by public transport, and their sights cluster in walkable centres. For things to do in Santos you hardly need a car once you arrive: the tram, the coffee museum and the Pele museum all sit in the old centre.13,18 The mountain and pilgrimage trips are a different story: Campos do Jordao is 173 km away and Aparecida 175 km.5,6

A guided day takes care of the driving and the timing. The coast tour covers Santos, Sao Vicente and Guaruja in 12 hours with pickup, in a group of up to 7, and has 202 reviews. The Campos do Jordao and Aparecida tours each last 10 hours with pickup included and groups of up to 12. Each can be cancelled free of charge until 24 hours ahead. On a long guided day, much of the time goes to the road; pick the trip whose destination you most want to explore and keep the evening free for rest.

Prefer to stay within the city limits? There is rainforest there too, and a day in it feels a world away from Paulista Avenue. An 8-hour Atlantic Forest day with a biologist visits the municipal nature parks of Bororé and Varginha, for groups of up to 4, from $127. Before any trip, spend your first day on the 7-hour city tour featured on this site: it gives you the shape of Sao Paulo before you leave it behind.

FAQ

Common questions, answered fast.

How far is Santos from Sao Paulo?
72 km.

The drive descends the Serra do Mar on the Anchieta or Imigrantes highways.1,7

When is the Embu das Artes fair?
Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.

About 500 exhibitors fill the historic centre.2

Is the Museu do Cafe in Santos free?
For now, yes.

Entry is temporarily free while the exhibitions change.12

Can I hike the trails at Paranapiacaba alone?
No.

Park trails need an accredited environmental guide.39

When is the Campos do Jordao Winter Festival?
In July.

The 2026 edition ran from 4 July to 2 August.89

Can I visit Ilhabela on a coach day trip?
Not with the coach itself.

Tour buses need prior permission and proof of a hotel booking on the island; foot passengers ride the ferry free.85,92

How big is the Aparecida basilica?
It holds up to 45,000.

Capacity is 30,000 to 45,000 people.35

Which day trip has the most reviews?
The Santos coast tour.

It has 202 reviews and lasts 12 hours.

Sources

  1. Prefeitura de Santos · Conheca Santos: Dados e Caracteristicas ↩
  2. Prefeitura da Estancia Turistica de Embu das Artes · Patrimonio: Feira de Artes e Artesanato celebra 56 anos ↩
  3. Prefeitura da Estancia Turistica de Embu das Artes · Como chegar em Embu das Artes ↩
  4. Prefeitura de Campos do Jordao · Conhecendo melhor Campos do Jordao ↩
  5. Prefeitura de Campos do Jordao · Conhecendo melhor Campos do Jordao ↩
  6. Prefeitura de Aparecida · Prefeitura de Aparecida: FAQ ↩
  7. Prefeitura de Santos · Conheca Santos: Dados e Caracteristicas ↩
  8. Prefeitura de Santos · Conheca Santos: Dados e Caracteristicas ↩
  9. Turismo Santos (Prefeitura de Santos, Secretaria de Turismo) · Museu do Cafe ↩
  10. Turismo Santos (Prefeitura de Santos, Secretaria de Turismo) · Museu do Cafe ↩
  11. Turismo Santos (Prefeitura de Santos, Secretaria de Turismo) · Museu do Cafe ↩
  12. Turismo Santos (Prefeitura de Santos, Secretaria de Turismo) · Museu do Cafe ↩
  13. Turismo Santos (Prefeitura de Santos, Secretaria de Turismo) · Bonde: Linha Turistica ↩
  14. Turismo Santos (Prefeitura de Santos, Secretaria de Turismo) · Bonde: Linha Turistica ↩
  15. Turismo Santos (Prefeitura de Santos, Secretaria de Turismo) · Bonde: Linha Turistica ↩
  16. Turismo Santos (Prefeitura de Santos, Secretaria de Turismo) · Bonde: Linha Turistica ↩
  17. Turismo Santos (Prefeitura de Santos, Secretaria de Turismo) · Museu Pele ↩
  18. Turismo Santos (Prefeitura de Santos, Secretaria de Turismo) · Museu Pele ↩
  19. Turismo Santos (Prefeitura de Santos, Secretaria de Turismo) · Monte Serrat ↩
  20. Turismo Santos (Prefeitura de Santos, Secretaria de Turismo) · Monte Serrat ↩
  21. Turismo Santos (Prefeitura de Santos, Secretaria de Turismo) · Orla e Jardins da Praia de Santos ↩
  22. Prefeitura de Aparecida · Santuario Nacional ↩
  23. Turismo Santo Andre (Prefeitura de Santo Andre) · Paranapiacaba: Um Refugio Historico na Grande Sao Paulo ↩
  24. Prefeitura da Estancia Turistica de Embu das Artes · Patrimonio: Feira de Artes e Artesanato celebra 56 anos ↩
  25. Festival de Inverno de Campos do Jordao (Fundacao Osesp) · Historia do Festival de Inverno ↩
  26. Prefeitura da Estancia Turistica de Embu das Artes · Patrimonio: Feira de Artes e Artesanato celebra 56 anos ↩
  27. Prefeitura da Estancia Turistica de Embu das Artes · Patrimonio: Feira de Artes e Artesanato celebra 56 anos ↩
  28. Prefeitura da Estancia Turistica de Embu das Artes · Patrimonio: Feira de Artes e Artesanato celebra 56 anos ↩
  29. Prefeitura da Estancia Turistica de Embu das Artes · Embu das Artes nao cobra taxa de turismo ↩
  30. Turismo Santo Andre (Prefeitura de Santo Andre) · Encantos da Vila de Paranapiacaba ↩
  31. Acervo Artistico-Cultural dos Palacios do Governo do Estado de Sao Paulo · Palacio Boa Vista ↩
  32. Acquavias (operator of the Sao Paulo state coastal ferries) · Sao Sebastiao ~ Ilhabela ↩
  33. Prefeitura de Aparecida · Santuario Nacional ↩
  34. Turismo Santo Andre (Prefeitura de Santo Andre) · Paranapiacaba: Um Refugio Historico na Grande Sao Paulo ↩
  35. Prefeitura de Aparecida · Santuario Nacional ↩
  36. Turismo Santos (Prefeitura de Santos, Secretaria de Turismo) · Orla e Jardins da Praia de Santos
  37. Turismo Santo Andre (Prefeitura de Santo Andre) · Paranapiacaba: Um Refugio Historico na Grande Sao Paulo ↩
  38. Turismo Santo Andre (Prefeitura de Santo Andre) · Parque Nascentes de Paranapiacaba ↩
  39. Turismo Santo Andre (Prefeitura de Santo Andre) · Parque Nascentes de Paranapiacaba ↩
  40. Turismo Santo Andre (Prefeitura de Santo Andre) · Como chegar na Vila ↩
  41. Turismo Santo Andre (Prefeitura de Santo Andre) · Como chegar na Vila ↩
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  77. Prefeitura de Sao Paulo (Subprefeitura Pinheiros) · Cultura na Subpi: Beco do Batman
  78. Prefeitura de Sao Paulo (Subprefeitura Pinheiros) · Boulevard Oscar Freire de cara nova
  79. Prefeitura de Sao Paulo (Subprefeitura Pinheiros) · Boulevard Oscar Freire de cara nova
  80. Bunkyo (Sociedade Brasileira de Cultura Japonesa) · Museu Historico da Imigracao Japonesa no Brasil
  81. Bunkyo (Sociedade Brasileira de Cultura Japonesa) · Museu Historico da Imigracao Japonesa no Brasil
  82. Prefeitura de Sao Paulo (Secretaria Municipal de Turismo) · Operacao Minhocao
  83. Prefeitura de Sao Paulo (Secretaria Municipal de Turismo) · Conheca o Beco do Batman
  84. Prefeitura Municipal de Ilhabela · Ilhabela: A Capital Nacional da Vela ↩
  85. Prefeitura Municipal de Ilhabela · Autorizacao para entrada de veiculos ↩
  86. Acervo Artistico-Cultural dos Palacios do Governo do Estado de Sao Paulo · Palacio Boa Vista ↩
  87. Acervo Artistico-Cultural dos Palacios do Governo do Estado de Sao Paulo · Palacio Boa Vista ↩
  88. Festival de Inverno de Campos do Jordao (Fundacao Osesp) · Historia do Festival de Inverno ↩
  89. Festival de Inverno de Campos do Jordao (Fundacao Osesp) · Festival de Inverno de Campos do Jordao, Edicao 2026 ↩
  90. Festival de Inverno de Campos do Jordao (Fundacao Osesp) · Palcos e Locais do Festival ↩
  91. Prefeitura Municipal de Ilhabela · Ilhabela: A Capital Nacional da Vela ↩
  92. Acquavias (operator of the Sao Paulo state coastal ferries) · Sao Sebastiao ~ Ilhabela ↩
  93. Acquavias (operator of the Sao Paulo state coastal ferries) · Sao Sebastiao ~ Ilhabela ↩
  94. Prefeitura de Aparecida · Passarela da Fe ↩
  95. Santuario Nacional de Aparecida (A12) · Guia de Visitacao ↩
  96. Santuario Nacional de Aparecida (A12) · Santuario em numeros ↩

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