Santos Beach Garden walk with local guide: History and nature

Eleven kilometers of beach garden, history and local stories along the edge of the Atlantic.

A guided walk through Santos's largest beach garden (recorded in the Guinness Book in 2002) covering 11 km from Ponta da Praia to the Tomie Otake monument at the Submarine Emissary. Your guide is a journalist and researcher with over 20 years studying local communities and human relationships with nature. The walk takes about four hours and addresses historical, cultural and botanical aspects of the UNESCO Creative City of Cinema, with stops at points of interest you choose and chances to taste local products along the way. Pickup is included. The guide speaks English, Spanish or Portuguese.

The experience

What makes this walk different is the guide: Catharina knows every corner of Santos, from the city's past to the plants and birds you'll see. She's spent more than two decades researching the people and traditions here, and she leads this route not as a standard tour but as someone sharing her own neighborhood. The walk covers about 11 km, moving from Ponta da Praia toward the Submarine Emissary and the Tomie Otake monument, so you're not standing still. You're moving through the garden itself, the one that holds a Guinness record for its size.

Along the way, the focus shifts between what you see and what it means. You'll notice the local birds and the public spaces that make up this UNESCO Creative City of Cinema, but you'll also hear the history: the cultural layers of Santos built into the landscape. The route is flexible: Catharina will take you to the points that interest your group, so the walk shapes itself around what you want to know. There are moments to stop and taste local products, to ask questions, to move at a pace that lets you actually absorb the place instead of racing through it.

An air-conditioned vehicle is included, which matters on a four-hour walk in a Brazilian coastal city. The route is wheelchair accessible, and strollers work for infants and small children. You'll need a moderate level of fitness to cover the distance, but the walk is built around conversation and observation, not speed.

What’s included

• Air-conditioned vehicle pickup.
• guide in your choice of English, Spanish or Portuguese.
• stops at points of interest chosen by your group.
• opportunities to taste local products along the route.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and Portuguese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 13 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 14 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortWheelchair accessibleStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Catharina Apolinário de Souza

Is this one for you?The pickup means you don't need a car or know the city to reach the starting point. It settles the logistics if you're staying elsewhere in Santos or arriving without transport. The four-hour walk is built around conversation and stops, not speed, so it works for anyone with moderate fitness who wants to move through the place rather than watch it from a bus window.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and Portuguese.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

How long is the walk and what's the actual distance?

The walk covers about 11 km and takes four hours, moving from Ponta da Praia toward the Submarine Emissary and the Tomie Otake monument. The pace includes stops to talk, learn and taste local products, so it's not a fast march.

What is the largest beach garden in Santos that we're walking through?

It's the beach garden that holds a Guinness Book record from 2002 for being the largest in the world. Along the walk you'll see local birds, botanical details and the public spaces that make up this part of Santos, all while moving through the garden itself.

Who is the guide and what does she know about Santos?

Catharina is a journalist, tourist guide and researcher who has spent more than 20 years studying local communities, traditional practices and human relationships with nature in the region. She knows the history, culture and ecology of Santos and leads the walk as someone sharing her own neighborhood.

Is pickup included and how does that work?

Yes, pickup is included. An air-conditioned vehicle will collect you, so you don't need your own transport to reach Ponta da Praia where the walk begins.

Can I bring children or use a wheelchair on this walk?

The route is wheelchair accessible and all surfaces are accessible. Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller, though they'll need to sit on an adult's lap during vehicle transport. You'll need a moderate level of physical fitness to cover the 11 km distance.