Old houses
16th–19th c.
Joalpe — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Joalpe — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Joalpe — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Joalpe — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Joalpe — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Joalpe — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Joalpe — CC BY-SA 4.0
Cananéia is a town on São Paulo state's southern coast at the far end of the Ribeira Valley, with 1531 taken as its official founding date, when Martim Afonso de Sousa's expedition anchored nearby. Portuguese and Spanish historians consider it the country's first settlement, five months before São Vicente, though the lack of official records leaves that title with its neighbour. The state listed the historic centre's houses, dating from the 16th to the 19th century, in 1969, and revised the listing in 2017. Its landmarks include the mother church of São João Batista, dated to 1577, whose loopholes in the walls suggest it served as a fortress against invaders. Boats leave from the town quay across the bay to the beaches of Ilha do Cardoso and the mangrove channels, and the area is known for its dolphins. The town suits a walk among its old houses before a boat trip.
16th–19th c.
From outside.
To the islands.
Central Cananéia, southern São Paulo coast
Some historians think it was the first settlement, but the official title stays with São Vicente.