The news that the Ruins of Abarebebê, in Peruíbe, have reopened to visitors has sent many history buffs into raptures. After all, it’s one of the best historical attractions on the São Paulo coast! However, visits will only be available in high season, so anyone who doesn’t visit the archaeological site this July won’t have the opportunity to do so until December.
But don’t worry – the coastal towns of São Paulo have plenty of excursions for historical adventurers, available at any time of year. Perfect for you to explore in the meantime!
Historical attractions on the São Paulo coast!
São João Fort
This fort in Bertioga has been standing since 1547 and is the oldest fortification in Brazil. Its role was to protect the coast from attacks by pirates and enemy nations, which is why it is strategically located at the beginning of the Bertioga Channel. Fort São João is currently open to visitors free of charge, who can take a closer look at the original 16th century architecture.
📍 Bertioga | 120 kilometers from São Paulo
Engenho D’Água Farm
The site is a relic from the 18th century, a symbol of sugar and cachaça production on the São Paulo coast. The farm, which is open to visitors, preserves original colonial buildings such as a historic mansion, barrels for storing the drink and stills.
📍 Ilhabela| 207 kilometers from São Paulo
Ghost ship
Praia do Embaré, in Santos, is home to one of the most emblematic historical attractions on the São Paulo coast. It is the wreck of the “ghost ship” Kestrel, an English sailing ship that ran aground on the Brazilian coast in 1895. The ruins are now an archaeological site with explanatory plaques and an augmented reality experience that allows us to see all the grandeur of the ship in its heyday.
📍 Santos | 85 kilometers from São Paulo
Ruins of the Anchieta Island Prison
Today, Anchieta Island State Park (PEIA) is an ecotourism paradise – but some time ago, its reality was quite different. From 1908, the site housed the Ilha dos Porcos Correctional Colony, which received common and political prisoners, as well as juvenile offenders. The prison lasted until 1952, when a revolt by the inmates led to the deaths of 300 people, including prisoners, military personnel and civilians. Today, the ruins of the prison are one of PEIA’s points of interest, preserving the past of the São Paulo coast amidst a paradisiacal setting.
📍 Ubatuba | 220 kilometers from São Paulo
São Francisco Archaeological Site
The northern coast of São Paulo is home to one of the state’s best preserved historical attractions, in the middle of the Serra do Mar mountain range. The ruins date back to a slave farm and an old chapel from the 19th century, with ovens, tiles, porcelain and other objects that show us what life was like back then. All this in the heart of Serra do Mar State Park – which means you can combine a historical and natural tour.
📍 São Sebastião | 189 kilometers from São Paulo
