São Paulo · Brazil
In the destination São Paulo North Coast.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
The city
São Sebastião has a historic center facing the channel and beaches spread along the coast. You can combine town walks with sea outings and caiçara (traditional coastal) culture.
8 places to stay in São Sebastião.
3 places picked to eat.
What to know before you go.
The local experience
Listed as a heritage site by Condephaat in 1969, the seven-block area preserves colonial townhouses built with stone and mortar made from crushed shells. The Igreja Matriz, begun in 1603, stands on the main square, and the Convento de Nossa Senhora do Amparo is nearby.
Discover Centro Histórico e Igreja Matriz
With about 900 meters of white sand, it is separated from neighboring Camburizinho by the river that flows into the sea. The right end has the best waves for surfing, and the shore has restaurants and shops surrounded by Atlantic Forest.
With about 2.5 km of firm sand, it has a stretch with steady waves and another with shallow, calm water. Offshore is the Ilha dos Gatos, a rock formation whose profile looks like a whale, and behind the beach rise mountains covered in Atlantic Forest.
One of the most famous beaches on the São Paulo coast, with strong waves that have produced surf champions and nightlife known across the state. The wide strip of sand stretches for kilometers.
A cove with a calm sea and light sand, with good facilities including bars, restaurants and vacation homes, a favorite with families. It is next to smaller beaches reached by short trails along the rocky shore.
