In short
Santos: ships berth at the Concais terminal inside the port, 3 km from the historic centre. You cannot walk out — take the shuttle or a taxi, 10–15 minutes to the Coffee Museum. Four hours covers the old coffee exchange, the Pelé Museum and the tram; six adds Monte Serrat and the beach gardens. Most museums close on Mondays.
Starting or ending your cruise here? Port guide: terminal, getting there, where to stay →
Where do cruise ships berth in Santos, and how do you get into town?
At the Concais passenger terminal (Giusfredo Santini), in warehouse Armazém 25 inside the port — about 3 km from the historic centre and 6 km from the beach. You cannot walk out through the working port: take your cruise line's shuttle if there is one, or a taxi from the rank outside the terminal, 10–15 minutes to the old centre.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Where the ship berths | Concais terminal (Terminal Giusfredo Santini), Armazém 25, at the Outeirinhos quay on Avenida Cândido Gaffrée. When several ships are in port, a bus inside the port sometimes takes you from the ship to the terminal. |
| Into town | Not on foot: the terminal is surrounded by docks, rail tracks and lorries. Taxis and ride-hailing cars (Uber, 99) wait outside: 10–15 minutes to the historic centre and the Coffee Museum, 15–20 minutes to Gonzaga beach. Many cruise lines run a shuttle to the Praiamar shopping centre, a few blocks from the beach — check the daily programme. |
| Typical call | Usually 8–10 hours. Santos is above all a start and end port, so on the day of your call thousands of passengers leave and board, and in high season several ships can be in port at once. Exact times are in the daily programme. |
| Time zone | Brasília time, UTC−3, with no summer time. Buenos Aires and Montevideo are on the same time, so coming from there the clocks stay as they are. |
| Money and language | Brazilian real. Cards and contactless payment are taken almost everywhere; keep a little cash for street vendors and coconut water on the beach. The language is Portuguese; English is spoken mainly in museums. |
| Documents | Brazil is outside the EU. Dutch and Belgian citizens usually need no visa for a short visit, but some passports — including US, Canadian and Australian — need an e-visa. Carry the document your cruise line asks for (what to check). |
| All aboard | Usually 30–60 minutes before departure. Allow 30 minutes to get back from the centre and at least 45 from Gonzaga or Ponta da Praia: late-afternoon traffic around the port can be heavy. |
- Wind8 km/h
- Sea24°
- Sunset18:10
- Thu25°22°💧96%
- Fri27°21°💧100%
- Sat23°20°💧94%
- Sun23°19°💧82%
- Mon21°18°💧76%
- Tue23°18°💧80%
- Wed23°19°💧77%
Forecast by Open-Meteo, updated hourly. Check the forecast again the day before your stop.
What can you fit into a day in port in Santos?
Santos has no headline landmarks — instead it has a well-kept centre from the coffee boom and a long green seafront. The historic centre fits into 3–4 hours; with 5–6 you can add Monte Serrat and the beach gardens. São Paulo is about 1.5 hours away each way — only for a long call.
Coffee Museum, Valongo and the tram
The Coffee Museum fills the former coffee exchange on Rua XV de Novembro: a trading hall with stained glass and paintings by Benedito Calixto, the story of the bean that built the city, and a café where you can taste Brazilian coffees. Five minutes' walk away, in the Valongo quarter, are the Pelé Museum and the station of the heritage tram, which makes a short loop past old mansions and churches; tickets are sold at the Pelé Museum.
Monte Serrat and the beach gardens
From the Coffee Museum it is about 10 minutes on foot to the Monte Serrat funicular: cars leave every half hour and climb 147 m in four minutes to a sanctuary and a viewpoint over the city, the port and the beaches. Then take a 15-minute taxi to Gonzaga and stroll through the seafront gardens — about 5 km of lawns and flowerbeds, listed by Guinness World Records as the largest beachfront garden in the world.
São Paulo — on a call of 9–10 hours or more
There is no train: the road climbs the Serra do Mar mountains, about 70 km and 1.5 hours each way, longer in traffic. In the city there is time for the centre — the Sé cathedral and the Municipal Market — or for Avenida Paulista, not everything. Go on the ship's excursion or with a pre-booked guide and driver: on your own, the risk of missing the ship is real.
Ponta da Praia and the ferry to Guarujá
At the end of the beach, where the port channel meets the sea, are the municipal aquarium and the Fishing Museum, with a 23-metre fin whale skeleton. Ships pass so close to the shore here that there is no better place to watch them. The car ferry takes foot passengers across the channel to Guarujá in about seven minutes — a view of the port from the water.
Places on the map
The places from this guide, ready for your phone. The numbers on the map match the list. “Map” opens Google Maps; “Walk from the pier” shows the walking route from where ships usually dock.
Map images are loaded from OpenStreetMap servers. Your choice is remembered in this browser.
- ⚓Cruise pierMap
- 1Coffee Museum (old coffee exchange)Map
- 2Pelé MuseumMap
- 3Heritage tram (Valongo station)Map
- 4Monte Serrat funicularMap
- 5Beachfront gardens (Gonzaga)Map
- 6Municipal AquariumMap
- 7Fishing MuseumMap
- 8São Paulo: Sé cathedralMap
- ⏱Will I make it back?Plan your day here by the minutePlan →
Which pier your ship uses depends on the day: check the daily programme.
What makes a day in Santos different?
Santos is a working port and a start port first, and a port of call second. A few things are worth knowing before you go ashore.
- Mondays. The Coffee Museum, the Pelé Museum, the heritage tram and the aquarium are usually closed on Mondays, and the Fishing Museum opens only from Wednesday to Sunday. During the cruise season the Coffee Museum has opened on some Mondays — check before you go. The Monte Serrat funicular and the seafront gardens are open every day.
- Sundays. The historic centre is an office district: on Sundays most shops and cafés there are shut and the streets are quiet. Take taxis between the sights and spend the afternoon by the beach, which is where Santos spends its weekend.
- Turnaround day. On the day of your call the terminal is also handling thousands of passengers leaving and boarding. Taxi queues are longest in the morning, when disembarking guests head for the airport; if you are in no hurry, go ashore an hour later.
- Heat and storms. From December to March it is hot and humid, and heavy afternoon showers are common. Plan the outdoor part of the day for the morning and carry water, sunscreen and a light raincoat.
- The sail-away. Ships leave Santos along the channel a few hundred metres from the Ponta da Praia seafront, with the old Barra Grande fortress on the Guarujá side. Stay on deck: people on the promenade often wave the ship out.
On your own or on a ship's excursion?
Santos itself is easy to do on your own: taxis are plentiful and rides are short, the historic centre is compact, and the seafront is flat, busy by day and pleasant to walk.
A ship's excursion makes more sense for São Paulo — a long drive in heavy traffic, where a delay on the road can cost you the ship — and if you do not speak Portuguese and want the centre, Monte Serrat and the beach in one go. The ship generally waits for its own excursions if they run late; it does not wait for independent passengers.
How do you make sure you are back on board in Santos?
- Say “Concais”. That is what taxi drivers call the cruise terminal; save the name and the warehouse number, Armazém 25, on your phone.
- Port traffic. Lorries and freight trains cross the roads around the port: the last kilometre to the terminal can take longer than the drive from the beach.
- São Paulo only with a margin. If you go on your own, leave São Paulo at least 3 hours before all-aboard time: the mountain road has few alternatives, and an accident or holiday traffic can add hours.
- Carry few valuables. Do not wear flashy jewellery or walk with your phone in your hand, especially in the quiet streets of the centre; take a taxi or an app ride between areas.
- What to take. Your cruise card, the document your cruise line asked for, water, sunscreen, a hat, a little cash and a phone with the ship's emergency number.
Where do cruises calling at Santos start?
Most passengers start their cruise in Santos, but ships also call here on other routes: Brazilian coastal sailings from Rio de Janeiro, some sailings from Argentina and Uruguay, and in February world and South America voyages of international lines. Departure ports:
- Cruises from Rio de Janeiro — routes along the Brazilian coast, one night from Santos.
- Cruises from Buenos Aires — sailings to Brazil.
- Cruises from Montevideo — sailings north to Brazil.
- Rio de Janeiro or Santos? — which is the better place to start.
- South America cruise season — the full season and routes.
Often on the same itinerary: Rio de Janeiro in a day, Buenos Aires in a day and Montevideo in a day.
Common questions
Where do cruise ships dock in Santos?
At the Concais passenger terminal (Terminal Giusfredo Santini) in warehouse Armazém 25, inside the port on Avenida Cândido Gaffrée. It is about 3 km from the historic centre and about 6 km from Gonzaga beach.
Can you walk from the Santos cruise terminal to the city?
No. The terminal is inside the working port, surrounded by docks, rail tracks and lorries. Take your cruise line's shuttle if there is one, or a taxi or ride-hailing app: 10–15 minutes to the historic centre and 15–20 minutes to the beach.
Can you visit São Paulo from Santos on one cruise call?
Yes, on a call of 9–10 hours or more, but it is a long day: about 70 km and 1.5 hours each way by road, longer in traffic, and there is no train. The ship's excursion is the safer choice and gets you back on time.
What can I see in Santos in 4 hours from a cruise ship?
In 4 hours you can see the Coffee Museum in the old coffee exchange, the Pelé Museum and the heritage tram in Valongo, all within five minutes' walk of each other, or ride the funicular up Monte Serrat. Allow 10–15 minutes by taxi each way from the terminal.
Are the museums in Santos open on Mondays?
Mostly not: the Coffee Museum, the Pelé Museum, the heritage tram and the aquarium are usually closed on Mondays, and the Fishing Museum opens only from Wednesday to Sunday. The Monte Serrat funicular and the seafront gardens are open every day.
Do I need a visa to go ashore in Santos?
Dutch and Belgian citizens usually need no visa for a short visit to Brazil, but some passports, including US, Canadian and Australian ones, need an e-visa. Check the rules for your passport and carry the document your cruise line asks for.
How the club fits in
Cruises calling at Santos that are available in the club work on the same terms as any other route. You choose one way to pay per booking: the member price (INsider Pricing), roughly 17% below the listed price, or your Reward Points, which can cover up to half of the cruise price. They do not add up. To pay up to 100% with points, you need to have accumulated enough points and book 270 days or more before departure.
Not every cruise line can be booked through the club: check the specific sailing in the club's search, or ask us and we will tell you which itineraries calling at Santos are available in the month you have in mind.
How booking with points works →
Practical port information is summarised from public sources as of October 2026: berths, call times, timetables, entry rules and visiting arrangements may change. Before you travel, check the ship's daily programme and the requirements for your passport. Percentages describe the club's rules and are indicative. Reislite is an independent information site run by partners, not a website of inCruises.