Mongaguá offers a variety of reasons to stay: beaches with their own distinct features, recreational fishing, trails leading to waterfalls, and cultural venues showcasing both religious and performing arts. When planning your trip, you can first decide whether to focus on the coast, nature or culture. The places below show what each of these themes looks like in the city.

Beaches and recreational fishing

Some of Mongaguá’s main beaches are Centro, Agenor de Campos, Vera Cruz, Itaoca and Flórida Mirim. Centro and Agenor de Campos have kiosks. A cycling path runs along Praia de Vera Cruz; its beach facilities are similar to those of the surrounding beaches and include kiosks. The Plataforma de Pesca is also located near Agenor de Campos. It extends 400 meters out to sea and is used for recreational fishing. When comparing beaches, consider the kiosks at Centro and Agenor de Campos, as well as the cycling path at Vera Cruz; the platform at Agenor adds recreational fishing to the coastal options.

Waterfalls and trails through greenery

In Parque Turístico Umberto Salomone, also known as Poço das Antas, uphill hiking trails lead to waterfalls. The park also has a waterfall with a natural pool.

Morro da Padroeira is located in Centro. A 150-meter-long urban wooden walkway with 139 steps passes through native vegetation and leads to the statue of Nossa Senhora Aparecida. It is over 15 meters tall and weighs about 2.5 tons. When comparing excursions, the park offers uphill trails to waterfalls, while the hill offers an urban wooden walkway with 139 steps leading to a specific statue; the type of route and its destination are therefore different.

A municipal description from 2022 named the Padre Teófilo staircase as the route to the viewpoint at Morro da Padroeira; in the same report, a revitalization project was still underway. If you plan to use this route, check the current conditions before your visit.

Cultural venues

Igreja Matriz Nossa Senhora da Conceição Aparecida was built in 1949 in the colonial style. Its colorful stained-glass windows depict biblical scenes, including the Annunciation, the birth of Jesus, Christ the Redeemer, and Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane. The church also houses a replica of the Pietà, with Jesus in his mother’s lap. The name Nossa Senhora Aparecida appears both in the church’s name and in the story of the image, linking the building’s history with its religious imagery.

The Teatro Raul Cortez hosts theater and dance performances. This adds the performing arts to the religious imagery, offering a second cultural focus. A description from 2011 reported that the discovery of the image of Nossa Senhora Aparecida was reenacted every year on October 12 in the Rio Mongaguá. The story of the image’s discovery places it in the Rio Paraíba do Sul. The river where the reenactment takes place and the river in the story of the discovery are therefore two different rivers.

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