About 40 km from São Paulo’s capital, Ribeirão Pires is the greenest city in the Greater ABC region and one of the few in the metro area holding the official title of Estância Turística (Tourist Resort), granted in 1998. Protected by the state’s Watershed Protection Law, it combines a mountain-like climate, Atlantic Forest and the banks of the Billings Reservoir with over 300 years of history. It offers religious, ecological, rural and food tourism, and most attractions are free.
This guide covers the city’s main tourist attractions, with addresses, history and tips for planning your visit.
A bit of history
The city was born around a chapel. On March 25, 1714, the Chapel of Nossa Senhora do Pilar was blessed atop a hill, and the region’s first settlement formed around it, along a route between São Bernardo and Mogi das Cruzes. In 1831, this settlement became the Pilar district, tied to the São Bernardo parish. Centuries later, with the railway and stone quarrying, the settlement grew into a municipality, splitting off from Santo André in the 1950s.
Japanese immigration, which began in the 1940s, left marks that are tourist attractions today: the Oriental Garden downtown, Parque Oriental, and the Miroku Tower on the shores of the Billings Reservoir.
Chapel of Nossa Senhora do Pilar: the city’s founding site
Address: Rua Alecrim, 01, Pilar Velho
It’s the essential starting point. Built by Captain-Major Antônio Corrêa de Lemos, the chapel is the oldest religious monument in Greater ABC and the only site in Ribeirão Pires listed as historical heritage. Tradition holds that the captain-major, gravely ill, vowed to build a temple to Nossa Senhora do Pilar if he recovered — and kept his promise.
Built using rammed earth (taipa de pilão) by enslaved laborers, it’s a typical example of “bandeirista” colonial architecture: small, with a single round-arched door, a recessed side veranda, and a front tower added in 1809. It was listed by São Paulo state’s heritage agency (CONDEPHAAT) in 1975 and survives today virtually unchanged.
When to go: on May 1, for the traditional Feast of Nossa Senhora do Pilar, which reached its 88th edition in 2026, with mass, a procession and traditional food. The rest of the year, the hilltop offers a wide view of the region, and the wooden cross makes for good photos.
Pedra do Elefante: the city’s highest point
Address: Rua Malvina Tavares, s/n (off Rua Miro Atílio Peduzzi, near number 900), 4ª Divisão
At roughly 977 meters of altitude, Pedra do Elefante (Elephant Rock) is the highest point in Ribeirão Pires. The granite formation gets its name because it resembles an elephant seen from behind, a nickname it’s carried since the 1950s. In 1981, the city government acquired the area, making it an official tourist site.
From the top, the view stretches to neighboring cities. The rock is also used for adventure sports like rappelling, climbing, trekking and downhill biking. It’s reachable by car, bike or on foot via trail.
Tip: go early and wear proper footwear. Avoid rainy days, since the rock gets slippery.
Parque Oriental: a piece of Japan on the Billings shore
Address: Rua Major Cardim, 3100, Estância Noblesse, free admission
Opened in June 2020 on the site of the former Milton Marinho de Moraes municipal park, Parque Oriental spans 60,000 m² and honors the city’s Japanese immigrant heritage. It received R$ 4.2 million in investment from the state government.
Highlights include the Zen Garden (karesansui), a 200 m² arrangement of rocks, gravel and sand symbolizing the sea; the Origami House, a 271 m² space dedicated to the art of paper folding, where visitors can fold and donate their own tsurus, the paper cranes representing peace and prosperity; and the Sadako Sasaki Monument, honoring the girl affected by the Hiroshima bombing who became a symbol of peace by folding hundreds of cranes. The park also has an Oriental Garden with a 260-carved-stone trail, a lake, an exhibition pavilion, a playground, a restaurant and a Tourist Information Center.
The park also has a boarding pier for the Miroku Tower boat, making it easy to combine both visits in a single day.
Miroku Tower: the largest Japanese-style tower in Brazil
It’s the city’s most surprising landmark. Standing 32 meters tall with five stacked roofs, the Miroku Tower is the largest Japanese-style complex in the country. It was inspired by the Horyu-ji temple in Nara, Japan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The engineering is impressive: the wooden rafters were joined without nails or screws, a technique that made it the first tower of its kind in the world with an open span all the way to the top. Its 13,000 roof tiles were molded on site, some finished with gold enamel imported from Japan. Inside stands the statue of Hinode Kannon, 8 meters tall, gold-leafed and carved in wood by Cícero D’Ávila over three years.
The 74,000 m² complex includes a small waterfall, a koi pond and gardens. It belongs to the Templo Luz do Oriente, tied to the Messianic faith community, but welcomes visitors of any belief. In March 2026, the tower was added to São Paulo state’s Tourist Guide to Eastern Religions, a recognition that reinforces Ribeirão Pires’ role in the state’s religious tourism scene.
How to visit: access is by boat only, aboard the Koryu, a boat with a golden dragon on its bow that crosses the Billings from Tahiti Náutica Clube (Av. Palmira, 450, Represa district). Guided visits last about 2 hours — a 40-minute guided tour, a 20-minute ceremony at the tower, and 40 minutes of free time — and take place on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, by reservation only. Booking office hours are Tuesday to Friday, 11 AM to 5 PM, and weekends 8 AM to 2 PM (hours may vary). Reservations are made through the official site, torredemiroku.com.br, operated by the Tama Turismo agency.
Etiquette: keep quiet, especially during prayer times.
Vila do Doce: the city’s food heart
Location: downtown area
Opened in January 2008, Vila do Doce gathers kiosks selling sweets, food and local crafts and has become one of downtown’s landmarks. The highlight is the Enchanted Kingdom, a candy-decorated castle that draws families and photo ops. On weekends, craft fairs bring together local producers.
Vila do Doce is also one of the stages for the Chocolate Festival, the city’s biggest event. In 2026, it ran across four weekends in August, with free programming, four stages downtown and more than 90 participating businesses. If you can, plan your visit for August.
Águas Pilar and Pilar Park: mineral water from the coastal mountains
Address: Estrada de Sapopemba, 1380/1480, Estância Pilar
Few people know it, but Ribeirão Pires is mineral water country. Água Mineral Pilar began commercial production in 1941, under Narciso A. Lage, and became one of the region’s best-known brands. In 1954, it also began bottling Serrania water from the Fonte dos Pinheiros spring. The municipality’s springs are cold, between 18°C and 20°C, and essentially bicarbonate — one reason Ribeirão Pires describes itself as a “mountain air” city within Greater São Paulo.
In the same Estância Pilar neighborhood, at the site of the old spring, Pilar Park operates today — an events and recreation park created in 2006, aimed at children from preschool through elementary age and family outings. Set within 1.5 million m² of preserved Atlantic Forest, it has pools, a zip line, inflatable attractions, a mechanical bull, a soccer field, ecological trails and a restaurant. Booking for groups and events is handled Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM.
Lookout points: the city’s best views
Mirante São José (Rua Sixto Pellegrini, 199, Centro): opened on May 15, 1976, it sits at about 800 meters of altitude and offers a 180° view of downtown. It features a statue of São José, the city’s patron saint, by artist Gildo Zampol, and is known for the region’s most beautiful sunsets. It has benches, tables and restrooms.
Mirante e Memorial Santo Antônio (Rua Bela Vista, 105, Vila Bocaina): at 807 meters of altitude, it offers a panoramic view of the city and the Billings Reservoir. It’s where the city’s first Santo Antônio chapel — and its first tourist site — was built in 1919, in thanks for Cherubin Duarte’s recovery from an accident, donated to the city by his mother, Laura Duarte.
The lookout points are usually open from 8 AM to 5 PM. Check hours before you go.
Other attractions
- Jardim Oriental (Praça Mitio Tanaka): downtown, with winding paths, ornamental bridges and ponds, landscaped and maintained for more than 50 years.
- Parque Municipal Luiz Carlos Grecco (Rua Diamantino de Oliveira, 220, Jardim Pastoril): opened in 1987 as Parque Pérola da Serra and reopened in 2021, it’s near downtown, with free admission.
- Centro de Exposições e História Ricardo Nardelli: opened in May 2015, home to the Guilherme de Carvalho Dias Municipal Art Gallery.
- Praça Ernest Solvay: the city’s central square, host to events and fairs.
- Trails: the city has mapped 31 trails on Wikiloc for mountain biking, trekking, enduro and off-road riding.
- Billings Reservoir: fishing, water sports and clubs along the shore.
How to get to Ribeirão Pires
By train, take Line 10-Turquesa and get off at the Ribeirão Pires station, downtown — from there you can walk to Vila do Doce, the Oriental Garden and Mirante São José. By car, the main access is via the Índio Tibiriçá Highway (SP-031) or the avenues connecting Santo André and Mauá to downtown. For the attractions along the Billings (Parque Oriental and the Miroku Tower), driving or a rideshare app is the most practical option, since they’re farther from downtown.
Suggested one-day itinerary
- Morning: Parque Oriental and boat departure to the Miroku Tower (with reservation).
- Lunch: restaurants along the Billings or downtown.
- Afternoon: the Pilar Chapel and, if you’re up for it, Pedra do Elefante.
- Late afternoon: sunset at Mirante São José and sweets at Vila do Doce.
Calendar: when to visit
- March: city’s anniversary.
- May 1: Feast of Nossa Senhora do Pilar.
- August: Chocolate Festival.
- Year-round: craft fairs at Vila do Doce and the Religious Circuit across local parishes.
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