Santa Rita do Passa Quatro was founded in 1860 by Inácio Ribeiro do Valle and his son Francisco Deoclesiano Ribeiro, in part of the district of São Simão, the area was donated by Dna. Rita de Cássia Vilela for the construction of a chapel dedicated to Saint Rita of Cássia.

The area was already known as Passa Quatro (Four Passes), due to the presence of a stream of this name, once the Chapel was built the name Santa Rita do Passa Quatro was adopted.

As happened in all of the State of São Paulo, the opening up of the coffee farms attracted a large number of Italian immigrants, who made abig impact on the local and national culture.

Coffee also contributed to the arrival of the railway, after much petitioning, disputes and delays, landowners in the area created the Santa Rita Railway Branch Company, opening to traffic in 1890 and incorporated into the São Paulo Railway Company in 1891. In the early years large volumes of freight was transported on this line, however, with the need for modernisation and with the development of the road system, the line fell into disuse and was eventually closed in 1960.

The Italian traditions in the town are preserved to this day in one of the oldest associations in the State of São Paulo, the Santa Rita Benevolent Society, and the Festival of Italian Traditions, held in April each year.

The old Railway Station has been restored and now houses the Zequinha de Abreu Museum, in honour of the town’s best known citizen, composer of Tico-Tico no Fubá and other well known songs.

Apart form attractions such as the Museum and the Church, the local restaurants and cafés are also worth visiting to savour the typical cuisine of the region.

The attractions do not stop there. Also located here is the Vassununga Nature Reserve with a Jequitibá tree over 3.020 years old, the Três Quedas and São Valentim waterfalls, the Alemão Desert and the Statue of Christ with spectacular views on Mount Itatiaia.