Built in an imposing neo-gothic style, the church was inaugurated in 1945 and elevated to the category of Basilica by Pope Pius XII in 1952. Its origins go way back to a tiny chapel built in 1875 by Antonio Ferreira da Silva Jr., Viscount Embaré, and his wife, and then handed over to Franciscan friars in 1913, who began the new construction in 1930.

Santos is home to the largest beach-front gardens in the world, as registered in the Guinness Book of World Records in 2002. Still the record holder, the gardens, which frame the seven kilometers of beaches, are one of the city’s  main tourist attractions  and stretch for 5.335km, varying in width between 45m and 50m, with a total area of 218,800m2 .

They are also an open-air art gallery, housing no fewer than 38 monuments and sculptures, highlighting characters from the Santos, national and international scenarios.

Top photo: Anderson Bianchi

Enchanting generations for seven decades, the Santos Aquarium is the oldest in Brazil, and has featured in the Guinness Book of World Records since 1995. 

A favored spot for leisure and knowledge, this attraction is a pioneer in conservation projects concerning the sea and its creatures – it was the first Brazilian institution to carry out rescue and recovery of sea animals. The Aquarium occupies an area of 3000 m², 2214 of which are open to visitors.