Handicrafts
Wood and clay.
joao batista Shimoto — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Tania Parejo — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Jeremias Pereira — CC BY 2.0 · São Bento do Sapucai — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Jrfurlan13 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Agent010 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · menyambiental — CC BY 3.0 · Luis.Felipe1500 — CC BY-SA 4.0
São Bento do Sapucaí is a small mountain town of about 12,000 people in the Mantiqueira range of São Paulo state, some 185 kilometres from the capital and near Campos do Jordão, known for its mild climate, scenery and excellent conditions for adventure sports; it is home to the famous Pedra do Baú rock. Its history goes back to the bandeirante era, when explorers from Taubaté crossed the Mantiqueira along the Sapucaí River seeking the gold regions of Minas Gerais; among the first was Gaspar Vaz da Cunha, known as Oyaguara, who settled in the valley. The town keeps many traditions: crafts in wood, clay, banana fibre and corn husk, congada dances, the giant Zé Pereira puppets at Carnival, and tales of the Saci, the headless mule and the legends of Pedra do Baú. Visitors come for climbing, paragliding and mountain hiking.
Wood and clay.
And paragliding.
The Saci.
São Bento do Sapucaí, Mantiqueira range, São Paulo state
A short drive across the hills.