Last weekend I went to visit a tourist spot in the region where I live, the Pedra Grande in Atibaia (SP).

Although it is relatively close to my city, I had never been there. And it is an experience that I recommend to everyone who is passing through the state of São Paulo.

The place is known as the Pedra Grande State Natural Monument and is located on the border between the towns of Atibaia and Bom Jesus dos Perdões. Atibaia is even the city that appears in the following photos, positioned right at the foot of the mountain.

However, the location is part of the Serra de Itapetininga, which also covers the cities of Nazaré Paulista and Mairiporã.

The mountain range is important for the preservation of local biodiversity, especially because it is a preserved stretch that connects the Cantareira and Mantiqueira ranges, the most important forest fragments in this region.

One of the things I most enjoyed seeing up close was the vegetation that grows on top of the rock.

How to get up to Pedra Grande

There are two ways to get to the top of the stone mountain, which is 1418 meters high.

It is possible to do the entire journey by car on an unpaved road or on some trails. I went there by car, but I can already think of returning to the destination by walking next time.