Santo Antônio do Pinhal, Mountain municipality in Serra da Mantiqueira, Brazil
Santo Antônio do Pinhal is a mountain municipality in the Serra da Mantiqueira range, sitting at around 1,080 meters (3,500 feet) elevation across 133 square kilometers (51 square miles). The landscape features steep slopes covered with forests, farm clearings, and streams running through valleys where locals raise trout and grow pine nuts.
The settlement began in the late 1800s as a small farming community taking advantage of the mountain soil and climate. Over time it shifted toward specialized agriculture, particularly trout farming and pine nut cultivation, while becoming known for outdoor tourism.
The Trout and Pine Nut Festival runs between April and May at the Artisan Square, where local food producers gather to sell their goods and share cooking traditions. You can taste regional dishes made from ingredients grown in the surrounding farms and forests.
You can reach the town via the SP-123 highway with regular bus services from São Paulo and Taubaté. The best time to visit is between April and May when local festivals happen and the weather is comfortable for exploring the mountains.
The Sapucaí Mirim Environmental Protection Area covers roughly a third of the municipality and shields rare forest types found at this elevation. This protected zone is what draws many nature visitors who come to see the undisturbed woodland ecosystems.
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