Mogi das Cruzes

Mogi das Cruzes is a city in the state of São Paulo. The city has gained prominence as a regional tourism destination, after it became one of the three destinations of São Paulo's touristic train line (Expresso Turístico CPTM).

Understand
Being in the São Paulo Metropolitan area and having a population of more than 450.000 people, Mogi is the first big city in the Tietê river course, the central river in São Paulo city. Surrounded by hills and with a large area of the remains of the Atlantic rainforest, Mogi still has a lot to offer for those who like to spend some time in nature: 60% of its area is environmentally preserved, having 3 city parks, natural parks, the Urubu peak that gives a panoramic view of the region, several trails that go to stones and neighboring towns like Salesópolis, Biritiba Mirim and Guararema, and some waterfalls. Some people like to go fishing in one of the lakes that resulted from the water dam electricity plant. The city's origins go back to the 16th century, when the bandeirantes, the first men who explored Brazilian lands, chose this area to rest from their expeditions. Its population has mixed origins with immigrants of several origins. Among them, monuments of Japanese immigration and the mosque stand out. It is also one of the cities that produce vegetables for São Paulo city, and Mogi is the largest mushroom producer in Brazil. On Sundays, the Producer Market (Mercado do Produtor, varejão do cobal) receives buyers from neighboring cities and even from São Paulo, looking for fresh food and some ingredients that can be found only there.

By car

 * SP-66
 * SP-70
 * SP-88
 * SP-98

By train
Get off from one of the 4 train stations in the city.
 * CPTM train line 11 (coral)



Get around
As a mid-sized city in the São Paulo metropolitan area, Mogi has a decent public transportation service and you can get to most places by bus. Most buses run with 10-20 min frequency around downtown during the weekdays, and they run with at least 90 minutes frequency on weekends even in rural areas. Most lines run between 05:00 and 23:00, you can consult the bus schedule.



Do
Hiking and trekking

Eat
Somewhat diverse for its size, Mogi has options of different cuisines to try. The influence from the people coming from Arab culture countries is a notable difference from neighboring towns. Some of the Japanese food restaurants are decent, too. You can eat relatively cheap in downtown and residential areas, but if you go around the shopping mall, it gets expensive.

Brazilian Arab Lamen Ice Cream/Açaí Open market

Connect
Wi-Fi spots are pretty common and they're available in big stores, some restaurants, bars, cafes, shopping malls, and some city buses. The phone signal is strong in most of the urban area, and mobile phone works even in places like Urubu peak or Pedra do Lagarto, but not in rural isolated areas.

Go next

 * Guararema - Small town with the old railway station as its symbol, you can take the touristic train, go to the park, walk through the preserved areas, hike and see the waterfall, appreciate the local unique cuisine, or just relax in the laidback atmosphere.
 * Salesópolis - This is the town where Tietê river spring is located. It also has the Cachoeira da Porteira Preta that can be accessed by trails from Mogi das Cruzes.
 * Bertioga - Coastal city with beautiful beaches, less crowded than Santos or Guarujá, and some cleaner and quieter ones.