Sao Paulo is often ignored when people think of visiting Brazil. It doesn’t have the cachet or beauty of Rio de Janeiro or the tourist sites of Iguazu Falls or the Amazon, but in many ways it is the most interesting city in Brazil, if not the whole of the Americas.
Any time you get 20 million people living together, you are bound to get to some experience things happening, and Sao Paulo is living proof of that.
São Paulo is also my home city, so I would say I’m a little biased.
São Paulo Travel Booking Resources
These are my favourite companies to use when I travel.
• Search cheap flights with Skyscanner.
• Find the best deals on hotels on Booking.com.
• Find the best sightseeing tours & attraction tickets on GetYourGuide or Viator.
About São Paulo
Sao Paulo is home to Brazil’s fashion industry and is the place to be in Brazil for avant garde film, music, theatre and art. In fact, the cultural bases are pretty well covered, with everything from international-quality opera to top-drawer football.
All this is underpinned by one of the most diverse populations in Brazil, which in any case is a very diverse country. Sao Paulo has a similar story to many US cities, with its huge growth in the early 20th century being fuelled by tens of thousands of immigrants from Europe, particularly Italy, France and Portugal. This is partly responsible for the city’s specialising in highbrow ‘european’ art forms and also for the early introduction of football to the city.
Interestingly, however, Sao Paulo also saw a high level of immigration from Syria, Lebanon and Japan, meaning that even today it is one of the best places in the world to eat Arabic or Japanese food! In fact, I’ll stick my neck out and say that the Liberdade district has some of the best Japanese restaurants you’ll find anywhere!
So that’s dinner covered… Once you’ve eaten, however, the evening certainly isn’t over. If you want to enjoy some of Sao Paulo’s cultural highlights then a visit to the Teatro Municipal or the Sala Sao Paulo would allow you to enjoy the superb Sao Paulo State Symphony orchestra or some top opera productions, both of which are a credit to the city and the country.
However, for me Sao Paulo really shines in its multitude of bars, clubs and live music venues, where bands and DJs prove that Brazil is not just relying on its musical heritage, but is at the cutting edge of new music as well. The Vila Olimpia and Jardins areas in particular offer some of the best nightlife you can find anywhere in the world, and really do show up London and New York‘s claims to provide 24-hour partying…
São Paulo Airport
Sao Paulo airport is located 25 km northeast of the city. There is an airport bus that runs every half an hour and takes only 30 minutes. Jump in a cab at a cost of R$25, the journey takes about 30 minutes.
Getting Around
Traffic in Sao Paulo is, quite frankly, appalling so it’s a relief that the city is well-served by an excellent Metro system which covers almost all the areas you’re likely to want to visit. The exception is the city’s various airports and in particular the main Guarulhos international airport. The only way to get into the city from the airport is by transfer or taxi, and be prepared for quite a long journey – allow an absolute minimum of an hour.
Best Places to Visit Near Sao Paulo
• Santos and Guauja – beaches and a relaxing break from hectic city life
• Countryside towns and cities are very pretty and also a lot more relaxed than Sao Paulo
• The beaches in Literal Norte are spectacular
• Paraty is a great stop off on any overland trip to Rio