Things to Do in Santos

The 6km-long beachfront garden strip lined with palm trees, fountains, and the famous Santos Football Club beach sand statues. Perfect for walking or cycling.

🕐 Open 24 hours

💡 Rent a bike from the Itaú shared bike stations (first 15 minutes free with app). Start at Canal 3 for the best views of the port.

A green square along the beachfront with palms, benches, and views of the port. Climb the Monte Serrat hill nearby for a panoramic city view. The hill walk is free.

🕐 24 hours (square)

💡 Walk up Monte Serrat at sunset for the best light. Avoid the tourist tram—the stairs are good exercise and save you 10 reais.

Hill with a funicular railway (costs R$10 round trip) and a chapel at the top. Panoramic views of the port and city.

🕐 Funicular: daily 7:00-20:00

💡 Walk up for free via the zigzag path—takes 15 minutes. Best at sunset.

A hill offering panoramic views of Santos and the port. You can hike up for free or take the historic funicular (cheap fee). At the top, there's a small chapel and café.

🕐 Daily 08:00-18:00 (funicular until 17:30)

💡 The funicular costs about R$5 each way — worth it for the view alone. Start before 10am to avoid midday heat.

A self-guided walk through the old town, past colonial buildings like the Municipal Theatre, the old jail, and the Valongo district with its cobblestone streets and colonial architecture.

🕐 Outdoor area accessible 24 hours

💡 Start at the Pelourinho monument in the main square. The city's free 'Santo de Casa' app has an audio guide in Portuguese and English. Best on a Sunday when traffic is minimal.

The old colonial pillory and a small square with cobblestones, a stone cross, and plaques explaining Santos' founding. It's a quiet outdoor site with no entry fee.

🕐 24 hours (square)

💡 Combine with the nearby Catedral de Santos (free) which is open mornings. Look for the slave market plaque on the church wall.

Site of the original 16th-century Jesuit college, now a small open plaza with a historic chapel and museum.

🕐 Open air, 24 hours; chapel: Mon-Sat 8:00-18:00

💡 The chapel is usually open during mass. Look for the plaques detailing Santos' founding.

Santos' 6km-long beachfront promenade, lined with gardens, cycle paths, and sports courts. The famous 'garden by the sea' has over 500 palm trees and free outdoor gym equipment.

🕐 24/7

💡 Best time is early morning for a walk or jog — you'll beat the heat and crowds. Stop at the kiosk near Canal 3 for cheap coconut water.

A hill overlooking the port and downtown. Climb the 404 steps (or take the funicular for a small fee). The top has a small chapel and panoramic views of the city and sea.

🕐 Daily 7am-6pm

💡 If you walk up, go early morning when it's cooler. The funicular costs around R$8 return and runs every 20 minutes. Watch your belongings on the stairs.

A small but well-maintained aquarium on the seafront, featuring local marine life including sea turtles, sharks, and penguins. Outdoor tanks let you touch starfish and rays.

🕐 Tue-Sun 09:00-17:00, closed Mon

💡 Free entry on Wednesdays. Go early to see feeding times — ask staff for the schedule.

A peaceful garden and orchid greenhouse with walking paths, a small lake, and birds. It's free to enter and rarely crowded on weekday mornings.

🕐 Tue-Sun 8:00-17:00

💡 Visit just after opening at 8am to see the orchids in bloom and the turtles active in the pond.

Public orchid garden with hundreds of species, fountains, and koi ponds. Small but well-maintained.

🕐 Tue-Sun 9:00-17:00

💡 Free entry. Visit during the annual orchid exhibition in September.

Botanical garden with Atlantic rainforest trails, a lake, and a small monkey sanctuary. Quiet and green.

🕐 Tue-Sun 8:00-17:00

💡 Best in the morning before it gets hot. Watch for capybaras near the lake.

A modern museum dedicated to Pelé, set in a renovated mansion near the beach. Exhibits cover his career, with trophies, videos, and interactive displays.

🕐 Tue-Sun 09:00-18:00, closed Mon

💡 Free on Wednesdays — arrive early to avoid queues. Pick up the audio guide for extra context.

Coffee Museum housed in the old stock exchange building. Exhibits on Brazil's coffee history, with a working coffee-tasting counter.

🕐 Tue-Sat 9:00-17:00, Sun 10:00-16:00

💡 Entry is cheap (about R$10). Go on Tuesday when the museum is free.

Housed in the old coffee exchange building, this museum covers Brazil's coffee history with working machines and tasting sessions. The entrance fee is cheap, and Tuesdays are free.

🕐 Tue-Sat 9:00-17:00, Sun 10:00-16:00

💡 Go on a Tuesday for free entry. The tasting session at the end is included and lets you try several Brazilian coffee grades.

A small fishery museum with taxidermy fish, fishing boats, and net displays. Entry costs about 5 reais and takes 30 minutes.

🕐 Tue-Sun 9:00-17:00

💡 Check the tide schedule outside—at low tide, exposed rock pools near the museum have crabs and starfish for free hands-on exploration.

One of the oldest public aquariums in Brazil, home to penguins, sea turtles, and sharks. Small but well-maintained with a rehabilitation focus.

🕐 Tue-Sun 9am-6pm

💡 Visit on weekdays before 10am to avoid school groups. The penguin feeding is at 10am and 3pm.

Housed in the old coffee stock exchange, this museum tells the story of Brazil's coffee boom. You can see historic trading floors, old machinery, and taste a cup at the onsite cafe.

🕐 Tue-Sun 09:00-18:00, closed Mon

💡 Entry is cheap (around R$10), but the real bargain is the free guided tour in Portuguese — ask at the desk for times.

A well-kept museum inside the former coffee exchange building. Displays on coffee production history and the city's role in Brazil's coffee trade in the early 1900s.

🕐 Tue-Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 10am-4pm

💡 Cheap admission on Tuesdays (half price). The original trading floor upstairs is the highlight.