Pitangueiras beach

Made up of a long stretch of beautiful, tranquil beaches, Santos is one of the most appealing destinations in South America for cruise and long-term visitors alike. The town is divided by seven canals that flow into the sea and form a division between the different neighborhoods and different beaches.

The most popular beaches along the Santos coast include:

1. Praia do José Menino

For visitors looking for fun and excitement, Praia do José Menino is the place to go. The beach often has stronger waves due to its positioning between canal one and the platform of a submarine emissary. This creates the ideal location for water sport lovers including surfers, speed boaters, boogie boarders etc.

2. Praia da Pompéia

The Pompéia beach is between canals one and two. Like Praia do José Menino, Praia da Pompéia is a predominantly water sports location that is highly popular for activities such as surfing and speed boating. In fact, this beach is the playground of major Brazilian surfers including Osmar Gonçalves and Thomas Rittscher.

One major advantage of this beach is the water sports school operating nearby, known as Escolinha Radical. Escolinha Radical provides basic surf and body boarding instruction for students of all ages, from small kids to seniors.

3. Praia do Gonzaga

The Gonzaga beach is found between canals two and three and is the liveliest beach along the strip as it’s where the majority of the city’s hotel lodging options are located. Moreover, there are also several “temporada” rentals by independent owners on offer. Praia do Gonzaga is also on the final stop of the Conheça Santos tourism bus line.

4. Praia do Embaré

Just below Praia do Gonzaga, the Embaré beach is between canals four and five, in front of the basilica Menor de Santo Antônio do Embaré. Praia do Embaré mostly appeals to the younger crowd that likes to party and have fun. Numerous bars and beach-side kiosks serve food and drinks. In fact, temporary rental units are prevalent throughout the entire neighborhood.

5. Guarujá Beaches

Located up shore, the municipality of Guarujá sits on the eastern coast of Santos. Guarujá pulls in huge amounts of visitors especially on the weekends or during the holidays.

There are two popular beaches located along the stretch, Pitangueiras and Astúrias. These beaches are relatively large so much so that they accommodate large cross with ease.

Still, they are more about relaxing and tanning than too much fun and excitement. Visitors lounge on the sands in an easy-going type of atmosphere. It is common to see women in tiny thong bikinis just lazing on the sands.

For obvious reasons, it’s almost ridiculous to visit Santos without visiting a nearby beach. Strange enough, few guidebooks even mention Santos except as a cruise ship port, yet this bustling city of lively beaches provides a fascinating glimpse into Brazil’s beauty and culture.