São Sebastião

Understand

São Sebastião is a long and noncontiguous coastal area, offering an incredible number of beaches, the majority with a somewhat rustic aspect. In the beginning of the 1990s, its tropical climate and savage feel attracted wealthy Paulistas who, suffering with the infrastructure problems of the Baixada Santista, looked for calmer beaches and less congested roads. Nowadays, the reality of the chaotic traffic affects São Sebastião, but the municipality resists growth through laws, such as one that forbids the construction of tall buildings.

Getting there

By bus Intercity buses between São Paulo and São Sebastião are provided by Litorânea and can be taken from the Tietê intercity bus terminal. Note that there are two types of buses: one takes 3½ hr and another takes 5 hr 25 min, and they cost about the same, about R$70. There are also less frequent buses to Maresias and to the ferry boat to Ilhabela. Check the website for detailed information. Normandy runs a bus from Paraty to São Sebastião twice daily.

By ride sharing Many people offer the trip for R$35-40. Read more here.

By car Coming from São Paulo, there are three routes of access.

Take SP-070 (Trabalhadores/Ayrton Senna) and go to São José dos Campos, then take SP-099 (Tamoios) to Caraguatatuba, on the coast, and finally BR-101 (Rio-Santos) south to São Sebastião. Take SP-150 (Anchieta) or SP-160 (Imigrantes). At Cubatão, follow the signs to go to Bertioga, north via BR-101 (Rio-Santos). São Sebastião is past Bertioga. Take SP-070 (Trabalhadores/Ayrton Senna) and go to Mogi das Cruzes, then take SP-098 (Mogi-Bertioga) to Bertioga, on the coast, and finally BR-101 (Rio-Santos) north to São Sebastião. This path is somewhat more complicated as you need to find your way through Mogi das Cruzes.

Getting around

The "city" of São Sebastião is more properly described as a compact downtown and various discontinuous or semi-continuous coastal suburbs, distributed along 100 km of coast. Downtown is small enough to walk around. A map can be obtained at the tourist information office located on Av. Dr. Altono Arantes (not far from the ferry terminal). The ferry terminal is located at the end of Av. Antonio Januário de Nascimento; look for the signs 'Balsa'. To get around the beaches, you may take bus 51 operated by Ecobus, which departs every 20-30 minutes (more on weekends). This bus goes from the intercity bus terminal (Rodoviária) downtown (from inside, not the bus stop outside) to the Boracéia beach, at the division with Bertioga. Getting around by car using BR-101 should be straightforward.

See

1 Casa Esperança (Casa Esperança Tecidos E Aviamentos), Av. Dr. Altino Arantes, 150. M-Sa 09:00-18:00. The best-preserved colonial structure in town, it is a beautiful residence built in the 18th century complete with its original ceiling paintings. Now it is used as a shopping center and art gallery. Free. 2 Casa das Janelas, R. Antônio Cândido, 100 - Centro (Largo da Casa de Câmara e Cadeia). Colonial-era house typical of the 18th century. Inside visitation is not permitted. Convento dos Carmelitas (Carmelite Convent), Guaecá Beach (12 km from downtown). By appointment. Constructed in the 17th century as the headquarters of a farm run by Carmelite monks, it is now on private property within the residential complexes of Balneário de Guaecá and Portal do Carmo. Convento de Nossa Senhora do Amparo (Convent of Our Lady of Amparo), Rua Martins do Val, no number (seaside). Daily 09:00-19:00. Completed in 1668, this church is the oldest building in the city. Free. Council House and Jail (Casa de Câmara e Cadeia), Praça Brig. Rafael Tobias de Aguiar, no number. Inside visitation by appointment only. Built the late 1600 when the outpost was upgraded to vila status. It serves as the Military Police station. Fazenda Santana (Santana Farm), Pontal da Cruz. Built in 1743, it contains the family residence, a chapel, and a sugar cane mill. 3 Igreja Matriz, Praça Major João Fernandes, 22 - Centro,, ☏ +55 12 3892-1110. This church, built towards the end of the 17th century, marks the history of the local coast-dwelling people, serving as an important symbol of the religiosity and the development of the municipality of São Sebastião. Free. Historical Center. Seven blocks designated as a National Historical Heritage site, with 300-year-old colonial manors built around the Igreja Matriz. 4 Teatro Municipal de São Sebastião, -46, Av. Dr. Altino Arantes, 2 - Centro, ☏ +55 12 3892-4489. (updated Dec 2017) 5 Rua da Praia, Centro. Restaurants, ice cream shops, bars, kiosks

Buy

Beira Praia Shopping, Avenida Walkir Vergani, 614 - Boiçucanga (alt. Rio-Santos Highway km 163), ☏ +55 12 3865-4255. M-Th 10:00-20:00, F Sa 10:00-22:00, Su 10:00-18:00.

Drink & nightlife

Banana´s, Rod. Prestes Maia - Praia Preta, ☏ +55 12 3863-1644. Bangalôo Super Club, Estr. do Cambury, 710 - Camburi, ☏ +55 12 3865-2135. Bar do Pirata, Avenida Mãe Bernarda, 1605 - Juquehy, ☏ +55 12 3863-2213. Brasil Praia Bar, Rua Francisco Loup, 333 - Maresias, ☏ +55 12 3865-6788. O Galeão, Estrada de Camburi, 79 - Camburi, ☏ +55 12 3865-1515. Morocco Dining Club, Rua Sirena, 375 - Maresias, ☏ +55 12 3865-5015. Sirena, Rua Sirena, 418 - Maresias, ☏ +55 12 3077-0020.

Sleep

Aquarela Pousada, Avenida Guanabara, 526 - Maresias, ☏ +55 11 5092-6251. Canoa Hotel, Av. Magno Passos Bittencourt, 326 - Barra do Una, ☏ +55 12 3867-1313. Coconut's Maresias Hotel, Avenida Francisco Loup, 1090 - Maresias, ☏ +55 12 3865-6740. Hotel Pousada Camburi Praia, Estrada de Camburi, 1154 - Camburi, ☏ +55 12 3865-1711. Maresias Beach Hotel, Avenida Francisco Loup, 1109 - Maresias, ☏ +55 12 3891-7500. Pousada Ilhas Helênicas, Avenida Guanabara, 196 - Maresias, ☏ +55 12 3865-5074. A GLS pousada. Pousada Piccolo Albergo, Rua Nova Iguaçu, 1989 - Maresias, ☏ +55 12 3865-6227. Summer Club Hotel, Estrada do Cascalho, 1270 - Boiçucanga, ☏ +55 12 3865-1745. Toca da Praia, Maresias (300 meters from the beach). Che Lagarto Hostel Maresias, Rua Silvina Auta Salles 44, Maresias, ☏ +55 12 3865-6107, [email protected]. Prices from USD21. Two types of rooms: shared and private (private have access to a parking lot). Breakfast, shared kitchen and Wi-Fi included in the fee. 1 Hotel Roma, Praça Major João Fernandes, 174, Centro, ☏ +55 12 3892-4622, +55 12 3892-1016, [email protected]. This hotel is one of the cheaper options in town but very nice. Note that not all rooms have an en suit bathroom (there are bathrooms and showers in the corridors). They have a nice breakfast buffet included in the price. It's very central and only a short walk from the ferry terminal to Ilhabela. (updated Dec 2017)

Go next

You find hostels and private rooms in:

Ilhabela – It is an archipelago with various savage beaches and ecotourism options. Accessible only from São Sebastião by ferry. Camburi and Boicucanga – 40 km in the west. It is considered by Paulistas as one of the best beaches on their coastline. There are also quite a few small restaurants a