With its colorful buildings, walkable streets, and artistic ambiance, it’s little wonder that Embu das Artes is one of the São Paulo area’s most popular weekend getaways. Locals and tourists come to explore historic monuments and museums (like the Jesuit Museum of Sacred Art and the adjacent Our Lady of the Rosary Parish), and wander its Instagram-friendly Viela das Lavadeiras, a narrow alley known for its vibrant murals. But primarily, they come for Embu’s famed weekend arts and crafts fair, held in the Praça das Artes. Along with browsing the collections of dozens of vendors, selling goods ranging from paintings and furniture to jewelry and sculptures, visitors can break for a meal and a drink in one of the town’s quaint cafés or lively bars.
Embu das Artes is close enough to São Paulo to make it convenient for a day trip. It also features on several sightseeing itineraries, including private half-day excursions.