Santos

Santos is the busiest port in South America and sits on the coast of São Paulo state. The city's beachfront garden, running along seven kilometres of sand, holds the Guinness record for the longest in the world. The historic centre, with its cobbled streets and early 20th-century buildings, was the centre of Brazil's coffee trade, and the Coffee Museum in the old stock exchange building tells that story. The Pelé Museum, in the same neighbourhood, covers the career of the city's most famous resident. The Monte Serrat funicular climbs a forested hill for views of the port and the coastline. Seafood restaurants near the fish market serve fresh catches, and bolinho de bacalhau (salt cod fritters) is a popular snack. The city connects to São Paulo by highway, about an hour's drive. The Brazilian real is the currency. Santos is walkable near the centre and beachfront; taxis cover the rest.