Getting Oriented

Along the Coast

On weekends, paulistanos flock to the easily accessible beaches of Santos just south of São Paulo. Farther up the coast, the North Shore has beautiful stretches of sand for every kind of sun or sports enthusiast. In the 1990s the area experienced a building boom, with condos popping up seemingly overnight. Luckily, the North Shore still managed to maintain its pristine environment.

Inland

Just a stone’s throw from São Paulo, Embu das Artes is famous for its big handicraft fair with paintings, toys, and candles, as well as scrumptious pastries and breads. Campos do Jordão, known as the Switzerland of Brazil, attracts hordes of chill-seekers in winter, when temperatures drop below tepid. Serra Negra is the main city of São Paulo’s Circuito das Águas (Water Circuit) and offers plenty of events and activities for families as well as a refuge for couples seeking romance.