On this day trip to Aparecida from Sao Paulo, you'll explore the Brazilian city famous for the Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida, one of the biggest in the world.
Description
At the agreed time, we'll leave Sao Paulo and head north-east, specifically to the city of Aparecida, in the valley of the River Paraíba do Sul. Did you know that each year this city welcomes thousands of pilgrims from all over the world?
On our way to the city's famous basilica, we'll first stop at Porto do Itaguaçú, where three fishermen found the image of Our Lady of Aparecida in the 18th century. Here we can see the small chapel dedicated to said virgin, which is located on the banks of the River Paraíba do Sul.
Next, we'll head to the historical centre of the city to visit the Old Basicila of Aparecida. Here, you'll have 40-minutes free time to explore at your leisure or even do a spot of shopping. From there, we'll cross the Passarela da Fé, a 35-metre high walkway that connects the Old Basicila with the National Shrine. Opened in 1972, this was originally built as a means of getting between the two temples, however, the 389 metre-long walkway has become a tourist attraction in itself, with some devotees even crossing on their knees as a sign of gratitude.
It'll take us around 20 minutes to make our way to the other side, and once there, we'll be able to explore the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida, one of the largest basilicas in the world. One of the highlights of the visit to this temple is the Sala das Promessas, which is sure to make an impression.
Later, you'll have some free time to get lunch and explore the city. You could even get the cable car, visit the Tower Museum or visit Monte das Oliveiras. Finally, we'll leave Aparecida and we'll return to the initial meeting point in Sao Paulo.
Hotel pickup
This day trip to Aparecida includes hotel pickup from hotels within a 4-mile (6-km) radius of Praça da Sé.
If your accommodation is in another part of Sao Paulo, we'll pick you up from the meeting point at 2355 Avenida Paulista.
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