Santos, the closest beach to São Paulo

Santos is internationally known as the place where the greatest football player of all time became a legend. Pelé arrived in 1956 as a boy from rural Minas Gerais and left as a three-time world champion with the Brazilian national team. At the time, Pelé was considered the most famous and recognized person in the world, even without the internet or social media. Imagine the impact a boy from the Brazilian countryside had, playing in a city that, at the time, had just over 200,000 inhabitants! Besides the greatest of all time, other names like Robinho and Neymar also emerged in football at Santos, the team that shares the city's name.

But Santos isn't just about football! The closest beach to São Paulo is calm and beautiful, the boardwalk is perfect for those who enjoy running or cycling, the cuisine is full of Portuguese and "caiçara" influences – the typical food of the São Paulo coast – and despite its small size, the city has a bit of everything. For me, the atmosphere in Santos is very unique and peculiar. I say this because while it feels like a neighborhood of São Paulo city – it's just over 50 km away – you get the distinct impression of being in the countryside due to the tranquility of Santos' streets. This is one of the reasons why Santos is the city many people choose after retiring.

How to get there?

Santos is the best option for those who want to visit a beach near São Paulo. It's just over 50 km separating the capital from the city, and besides the option of going by car, you can also take a bus directly from the Jabaquara Bus Terminal in the south zone for less than US$5. It's very easy and super convenient for those in São Paulo because you just need to take the subway to the last station on the blue line. In my opinion, it's not worth renting a car in São Paulo if you're alone or a couple, but if you're in a group of at least three people, it pays off.

*If you are going by car, use Rentcars.com and if you are buying a bus ticket, use Clickbus.com.br. This way you help me mantain this blog alive. :)

What to do in Santos?

As I said, Santos is the closest beach to São Paulo, which is why many people choose to live there even while working in São Paulo. Because of this, the city has everything a big city has, even with just over 400,000 inhabitants. Besides the beaches, you can eat at excellent restaurants, go shopping, and even watch a football game at Vila Belmiro, one of the most emblematic stadiums in the world. In other words, there's plenty to do after a long day at the beach.

Here are the things I think you could do there:

Spend a day at the beach

The closest beach to São Paulo is divided by channels ranging from 1 to 7. Channel 7 is home to Brazil's largest cargo port, and like any port, the beaches in that area tend to be a bit dirtier. That's why I recommend looking for beaches further away, starting from channel 3. To better understand how it works, this is the map of beaches in Santos (the port is at Ponta da Praia):

My recommendation is the beaches between channel 3 and channel 1 (Gonzaga and José Menino) because they are cleaner and have more structure with bars and beach chairs. This is an important point if you've never visited a beach in Brazil. Most of them have good infrastructure with bars and restaurants on the sand – we call them "barracas de praia" (beach shacks) – so you don't need to worry about bringing an umbrella or beach chairs. You'll find all of that there for a very reasonable price. I believe for around $5 you can rent an umbrella and a beach chair.

Praia do Gonzaga

Praia José Menino

Another great option is to walk or cycle to São Vicente beach, which is next to Santos, just after channel 1. The beach is clean, beautiful, and also has excellent facilities. An interesting fact is that the city of São Vicente is famous for being the place where the first village in Brazil was founded by the Portuguese back in 1532.

Praia em São Vicente

Eating and drinking

The closest beach to São Paulo have excellent restaurants and bars, but I decided to put here just two that I think it is worth visiting.

Bar do Toninho: one of Santos' biggest classics, Bar do Toninho is ideal for a late afternoon after a day at the beach. The specialty is the codfish fritter, but the shrimp pastel and the fried squid are also delicious. The beer is always cold, and the prices are great.

Address: Av. Dr. Epitácio Pessoa, 241

Clube Estrela de Ouro: if you're near the Port of Santos at Ponta da Praia (channel 7), it's worth visiting Estrela's self-service buffet. The menu is super unpretentious, but what I like most is the mix of Brazilian and Japanese food typical of the Japanese immigrants who live in Brazil. The Club was founded over a hundred years ago by the first Japanese immigrants who arrived in Brazil.

Address: Av. Rei Alberto I, 372 - Ponta da Praia

Watch a football match at Vila Belmiro

For football fans, watching a game at Vila at least once in a lifetime is a must. The stadium was built in 1916 and is super small by today's standards. It has just over ten thousand seats, and no matter where you are, it feels like you're watching the game from the edge of the pitch.

I hope you enjoyed the tips and can visit Santos one day. :)