São Sebastião

São Sebastião is a long and noncontiguous coastal area, offering an incredible number of beaches, the majority with a somewhat rustic aspect. In the beginning of the 1990s, its tropical climate and savage feel attracted wealthy Paulistas who, suffering with the infrastructure problems of the Baixada Santista, looked for calmer beaches and less congested roads. Nowadays, the reality of the chaotic traffic affects São Sebastião, but the municipality resists growth through laws, such as one that forbids the construction of tall buildings.

By bus

Intercity buses between São Paulo and São Sebastião are provided by Litorânea and can be taken from the Tietê intercity bus terminal. Note that there are two types of buses: one takes 3½ hr and another takes 5 hr 25 min, and they cost about the same, about R$70. There are also less frequent buses to Maresias and to the ferry boat to Ilhabela. Check the website for detailed information.
Normandy runs a bus from Paraty to São Sebastião twice daily.

By ride sharing

Many people offer the trip for R$35-40. Read more here.

By car

Coming from São Paulo, there are three routes of access.

• Take SP-070 (Trabalhadores/Ayrton Senna) and go to São José dos Campos, then take SP-099 (Tamoios) to Caraguatatuba, on the coast, and finally BR-101 (Rio-Santos) south to São Sebastião.
• Take SP-150 (Anchieta) or SP-160 (Imigrantes). At Cubatão, follow the signs to go to Bertioga, north via BR-101 (Rio-Santos). São Sebastião is past Bertioga.
• Take SP-070 (Trabalhadores/Ayrton Senna) and go to Mogi das Cruzes, then take SP-098 (Mogi-Bertioga) to Bertioga, on the coast, and finally BR-101 (Rio-Santos) north to São Sebastião. This path is somewhat more complicated as you need to find your way through Mogi das Cruzes.

The "city" of São Sebastião is more properly described as a compact downtown and various discontinuous or semi-continuous coastal suburbs, distributed along 100 km of coast.
Downtown is small enough to walk around. A map can be obtained at the tourist information office located on Av. Dr. Altono Arantes (not far from the ferry terminal). The ferry terminal is located at the end of Av. Antonio Januário de Nascimento; look for the signs 'Balsa'.
To get around the beaches, you may take bus 51 operated by Ecobus, which departs every 20-30 minutes (more on weekends). This bus goes from the intercity bus terminal (Rodoviária) downtown (from inside, not the bus stop outside) to the Boracéia beach, at the division with Bertioga. Getting around by car using BR-101 should be straightforward.

• Casa Esperança

  address: Av. Dr. Altino Arantes, 150
  The best-preserved colonial structure in town, it is a beautiful residence built in the 18th century complete with its original ceiling paintings. Now it is used as a shopping center and art gallery.

• Casa das Janelas

  address: R. Antônio Cândido, 100 - Centro
  Colonial-era house typical of the 18th century. Inside visitation is not permitted.

• Convento dos Carmelitas

  address: Guaecá Beach
  Constructed in the 17th century as the headquarters of a farm run by Carmelite monks, it is now on private property within the residential complexes of Balneário de Guaecá and Portal do Carmo.

• Convento de Nossa Senhora do Amparo

  address: Rua Martins do Val, no number
  Completed in 1668, this church is the oldest building in the city.

• Council House and Jail

  address: Praça Brig. Rafael Tobias de Aguiar, no number
  Built the late 1600 when the outpost was upgraded to vila status. It serves as the Military Police station.

• Fazenda Santana

  address: Pontal da Cruz
  Built in 1743, it contains the family residence, a chapel, and a sugar cane mill.

• Igreja Matriz

  phone: +55 12 3892-1110
  address: Praça Major João Fernandes, 22 - Centro,
  This church, built towards the end of the 17th century, marks the history of the local coast-dwelling people, serving as an important symbol of the religiosity and the development of the municipality of São Sebastião.

• Historical CenterSeven blocks designated as a National Historical Heritage site, with 300-year-old colonial manors built around the Igreja Matriz.

• Teatro Municipal de São Sebastião

  phone: +55 12 3892-4489
  address: -46, Av. Dr. Altino Arantes, 2 - Centro

• Rua da Praia

  address: Centro
  Restaurants, ice cream shops, bars, kiosks and lots of fun.

Beaches

• BoracéiaThe first beach you'll encounter as you come in from the west on the Rio-Santos Highway. A calm beach with preserved flora, and with an indigenous tribe established in the area.

• JuréiaA small, almost deserted beach with few residences and a lot of greenery.

• Barra do UnaWith its light-colored sand and calm waters, this beach attracts families and groups of young couples.

• JuquehyThis beach has beach-side mansions and the best infrastructure, attracting families and groups of young people.

• Barra do SahyBoat rides to the nearby island or sunbathing in the soft, white sand. Children have parties in the small beach park.

• BaleiaWith large condominiums amidst the vegetation, this beach is wider and has harder sand. Surfers converge at the end down to the right.

• CamburiThe most touristy beaches in town, Camburi and the neighboring Camburizinho have choppy blue-green waters that make surfers swoon. Young people from São Paulo come in search of action, battling for space on the soft sand.

• BoiçucangaThis beach has perhaps the best sunset in town, and has active businesses as well. Brava Beach is near the division with Maresias, frequented by adventurous types who go to see its emerald-green water first-hand.

• MaresiasThe most well-known beach of the North Paulista Coast, Maresias attracts surfers in search of the perfect wave, upper class people who keep impeccable beachside mansions, and partiers from around the world looking for exciting nightlife. There are plenty of hotel options, and plenty of chances to bump into someone famous.

• GuaecáThis beach has just some houses and soft sands, and is popular with foreigners, families, gays, and nature-lovers. You can see the south part of Ilhabela from this beach.

• CentroThis beach has infrastructure, historical spots, and exciting nightlife. The ferry to Ilhabela departs from here.

• Costa NorteThe beaches of the north coast towards Caraguatatuba have calm, level water and are frequented by fishermen.

São Sebastião is a relatively safe city. During the summer, large numbers of tourists come to the city, which also attracts criminal activity (pickpocketing, grand theft auto, home invasion, etc). However, police will always provide more officers and cars to the city during that season to even the odds. Just apply commons sense and you'll probably be fine: avoid dark streets at night, pay attention to your valuables, never leave your car unlocked, etc.
When in the beach, try not to leave your belongings alone when going for a swim. If you're in a relatively large group (say, 6 people or more), it might be a good idea to have at least one person at a time to stay on the sand to look after cellphones, etc.

• Beira Praia Shopping

  phone: +55 12 3865-4255
  address: Avenida Walkir Vergani, 614 - Boiçucanga

• Banana´s

  phone: +55 12 3863-1644
  address: Rod. Prestes Maia - Praia Preta

• Bangalôo Super Club

  phone: +55 12 3865-2135
  address: Estr. do Cambury, 710 - Camburi

• Bar do Pirata

  phone: +55 12 3863-2213
  address: Avenida Mãe Bernarda, 1605 - Juquehy

• Brasil Praia Bar

  phone: +55 12 3865-6788
  address: Rua Francisco Loup, 333 - Maresias

• O Galeão

  phone: +55 12 3865-1515
  address: Estrada de Camburi, 79 - Camburi

• Morocco Dining Club

  phone: +55 12 3865-5015
  address: Rua Sirena, 375 - Maresias

• Sirena

  phone: +55 12 3077-0020
  address: Rua Sirena, 418 - Maresias

• Aquarela Pousada

  phone: +55 11 5092-6251
  address: Avenida Guanabara, 526 - Maresias

• Canoa Hotel

  phone: +55 12 3867-1313
  address: Av. Magno Passos Bittencourt, 326 - Barra do Una

• Coconut's Maresias Hotel

  phone: +55 12 3865-6740
  address: Avenida Francisco Loup, 1090 - Maresias

• Hotel Pousada Camburi Praia

  phone: +55 12 3865-1711
  address: Estrada de Camburi, 1154 - Camburi

• Maresias Beach Hotel

  phone: +55 12 3891-7500
  address: Avenida Francisco Loup, 1109 - Maresias

• Pousada Ilhas Helênicas

  phone: +55 12 3865-5074
  address: Avenida Guanabara, 196 - Maresias
  A GLS pousada.

• Pousada Piccolo Albergo

  phone: +55 12 3865-6227
  address: Rua Nova Iguaçu, 1989 - Maresias

• Summer Club Hotel

  phone: +55 12 3865-1745
  address: Estrada do Cascalho, 1270 - Boiçucanga

• Toca da Praia

  address: Maresias

• Che Lagarto Hostel Maresias

  phone: +55 12 3865-6107
  address: Rua Silvina Auta Salles 44, Maresias
  Prices from USD21. Two types of rooms: shared and private (private have access to a parking lot). Breakfast, pulic kitchen and Wi-Fi included in the fee.

• Hotel Roma

  phone: +55 12 3892-4622, +55 12 3892-1016
  address: Praça Major João Fernandes, 174, Centro
  This hotel is one of the cheaper options in town but very nice. Note that not all rooms have an en suit bathroom (there are bathrooms and showers in the corridors). They have a nice breakfast buffet included in the price. It's very central and only a short walk from the ferry terminal to Ilhabela.

São Sebastião is reasonably safe. In 2011, the robbery rate was around 1.85%, comparable to cities like Long Beach or San Diego, and three times lower than São Paulo's most popular beach town, Guarujá.

• São Sebastião - Ilhabella Ferryboat terminal

  address: Av. Antônio Januário do Nascimento, s/n - Centro
  From here you can catch a ferryboat to Ilhabela. Ferry boats depart every 30 min. between 06:00-00:00, and every 1 hour between 00:00-06:00. The duration of the crossing is 15 min. In high season, a queue of up to 1 hour for vehicles is expected.

• Camburi and Camburizinho are beach communities which, though they are part of São Sebastião, are around 40 min drive south along the BR101. Camburi is considered by Paulistas as one of the best beaches on their coastline. There are also quite a few small restaurants and bars along the road going through Camburi. Camburizinho beach is right next door or there are lots of beaches all along this stretch of coastline.
• Ilhabela, accessible only from São Sebastião by ferry, is an archipelago with nature still mostly intact.