On a Saturday morning in Embu das Artes, the central streets close to traffic and fill with stalls: paintings, ceramics, carved wood, plants and food spread through the centre of a town whose colonial core sits on a hillside above the São Paulo sprawl. The fair has been running since 1969, and it is the reason most visitors come.
The city suits travellers who want a day of browsing and eating within easy reach of São Paulo, and anyone interested in religious art, colonial architecture or Brazilian ceramics. This guide covers the fair and the small group of churches, museums and green spaces around it, with practical notes on when to go and what to combine.
Top things to do in Embu das Artes
1. Feira de Arte e Artesanato
The traditional open-air arts and handicrafts fair occupies the whole central area of the city and has been held since 1969, inviting visitors into the atmosphere of the Brazilian colonial period. Its exhibitors are divided into sections for plastic arts, ornamental arts, plants and typical foods.
It runs on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 08:00 to 18:00, and it is the highlight of a visit to Embu das Artes. Go early in the day if you want to browse the stalls before the streets fill, and plan to eat at the food section rather than somewhere outside the fair.
2. Conjunto Jesuítico Nossa Senhora do Rosário
This 17th-century complex at Largo dos Jesuítas is a National Heritage Site, made up of the Nossa Senhora do Rosário church and an old Jesuit residence. The residence now holds a sacred art museum with religious sculptures from the 17th to the 19th centuries.
It is open Tuesday to Sunday from 09:00 to 12:00 and 13:00 to 17:00, with admission from free to R$ 3. Because it closes over lunch, pair it with the fair in the morning or after 13:00, and note that the midday break is strictly observed.
3. Capela São Lazaro
This colonial-style chapel, built in 1934, sits between Rua da Matriz and Rua Nossa Sra. do Rosário. It contains an image of Saint Lazarus made by Cássio M'Boy, the city's legendary artist, along with a statue of Christ crafted by Zé Santeiro.
It is open on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 09:00 to 17:00, which lines up neatly with fair days. Step in while you are already in the centre rather than making a separate trip.
4. Memorial Sakai
This art museum is dedicated to Tadakiyo Sakai, the Japanese-origin farmer and artist considered one of the greatest terracotta sculptors of Brazil. It is open Tuesday to Sunday from 09:00 to 17:00 and admission is free.
It stands on Rua Rebolo Gonzáles in Vila Cercado Grande, the same address as the Capela de Santa Cruz, so the two can be seen together. It is a good weekday option when the fair is not running.
5. Capela de Santa Cruz
A small chapel on Rua Rebolo Gonzáles in Vila Cercado Grande, designed by the artist Helaine Malca and decorated by José Luiz Alemãn. Its scale is modest, so treat it as a short stop rather than a destination in itself.
Combine it with the Memorial Sakai at the same address, and check ahead by phone if you are making the trip specifically for the chapel.
6. Parque do Lago Francisco Rizzo
A public park with a large lake on Rua Alberto Giosa, open from 08:00 to 17:00. It is a pleasant place for a relaxing stroll after shopping in the city centre.
Come here in the late afternoon once the fair crowds have thinned, and keep in mind that the park closes at 17:00, so leave enough time before then.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at the Feira de Arte e Artesanato when it opens at 08:00, working through the sections for plastic arts, ornamental arts, plants and typical foods while the centre is still calm. Continue to the Conjunto Jesuítico Nossa Senhora do Rosário before its 12:00 closure, seeing the church and the sacred art museum in the old Jesuit residence.
Afternoon: Have lunch among the typical foods at the fair, then walk to the Capela São Lazaro between Rua da Matriz and Rua Nossa Sra. do Rosário, open until 17:00 on fair days. If you are visiting on a weekday instead, use the afternoon for the Memorial Sakai and the Capela de Santa Cruz on Rua Rebolo Gonzáles.
Evening: Finish with a stroll in the Parque do Lago Francisco Rizzo, which stays open until 17:00, before heading back.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Feira de Arte e Artesanato held?
It takes place on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 08:00 to 18:00, occupying the central area of the city.
Is the Conjunto Jesuítico Nossa Senhora do Rosário open at lunchtime?
No. It is open Tuesday to Sunday from 09:00 to 12:00 and again from 13:00 to 17:00, so plan around the midday break.
Which sights can I see on a weekday, when the fair is not running?
The Memorial Sakai is open Tuesday to Sunday from 09:00 to 17:00 with free admission, and the Conjunto Jesuítico Nossa Senhora do Rosário is also open Tuesday to Sunday. The Capela São Lazaro, however, opens only on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.
Is there anywhere to relax away from the crowds?
The Parque do Lago Francisco Rizzo, with its large lake, is a good place for a relaxing stroll after shopping in the city centre, and it is open from 08:00 to 17:00.
Check the fair dates and the opening hours of the churches and museums before you set out, then build your day around the centre of Embu das Artes.