Sao Paulo is the fourth largest city in the world and the largest outside of Asia. Yet, it does not always get recognized as a major tourist destination in Brazil. (We understand that it’s hard to compare a city to the uniqueness of Rio de Janeiro.) However, the Sao Paulo culture can definitely stand on its own, making Sao Paulo worth visiting. Here are the top things to do in Sao Paulo. The city can be explored over 2 or more days.
Sao Paulo is the economic center of Brazil. It attracts people from all over the country and world for its opportunities. The coffee industry from the 1880s attracted international immigration and brought wealth to the city. Today, Avenida Paulista, the business district, is just the start of the tall buildings that occupy this city. Because of its immense population, it has skyscrapers for as far as the eye can see when you get to the top of one of its towers.
1
A Walking Tour of the Old City
When visiting a new city, we always recommend doing a walking tour of the city center to get a grasp on the history and culture of the city. Sao Paulo Free Walking Tour provides a comprehensive tour of the city center. This part of Sao Paulo is full of buildings with character, including the Theatro Municipal, the main theater in Sao Paulo. The building was built to bring larger operas to the city when it became more of an economic epicenter.
You’ll walk by the Edificio Copan, one of the largest apartment buildings in the world. It has over 1,100 apartments ranging from studios to 3 bedroom units. Oscar Niemeyer designed the building to accommodate families of a variety of socio-economic statuses. The building included 70 retail/business locations to support the immense number of residents, creating its own mini-neighborhood. The building is so large that it has its own zip code.
Restaurant Recommendation: Orfeu
Orfeu, located in this buiding, is a modern Brazilian restaurant that takes the traditional Brazilian food and puts a twist on it to freshen it up. Not only was the food delicious, the energy of the area was infectious with people hanging out in the alley between the buildings and enjoying the warm Friday evening.
In addition, you will see the buildings on Rua Quinze de Novembro, some of which used to be bank buildings. And you can determine this by the old fashioned safety deposit slot that was used exclusively for Sao Paulo elite when they needed to deposit money after business hours.
Finally, the tour ends at Mosteiro de Sao Bento, which is still operating as a monastery and a church. In Europe, the monks at monasteries brewed beer and baked bread (some of the oldest beers come from these monasteries). This monastery is no different. At the shop at the entrance of the church, you can buy the bread and beer produced by the monks.
The company has a few other tours that can take you through some other interesting and popular neighborhoods. These include Vila Madalena, Ibirapuera Park, and Paulista Avenue. You can learn more at their website here.
2
Head Up the Farol Santander Building
Head up to the top of the Farol Santander, a former bank building that has been transformed into a cultural center. The top floor has a 360 view, and you can see the high-rises of Sao Paulo stretching in every direction.
Other floors in the building have some museum elements and even a skate park. (You can rent skateboards if you want to use it.) Finally, the basement has a cocktail bar that has been built into the vault of the bank. You can walk through vault doors and see the former safety deposit boxes integrated into the design of the bar.
3
Beco do Batman (Batman Alley) and Pinheiros
Even though Sao Paulo is full of skyscrapers, it is far from a concrete jungle. Everywhere you look, you can find murals that celebrate the culture of the area.
Batman Alley is located in the Vila Madalena neighborhood. It’s a pedestrian street that is known for its murals covering every inch of every building. It is often lined with art vendors and you can find some musical street performances on the weekends. You may find the street was relatively quiet and empty during the week (great for taking photos). However, it can be much busier on the weekends (great for ambiance).
This area is one of the best for tourists. You can check out various hotels for Sao Paulo here.
Beco do Batman is located within the Pinheiros neighborhood of Sao Paulo. This is one of the most popular places for tourists to stay, and for good right. The neighborhood is full of street art, art galleries, cafes, hip bars, and modern restaurants.
Restaurant Recommendation: Kotori
Kotori is an elevated izakaya restaurant (serves smaller dishes along with drinks, similar to a pub or Spanish tapas spot) with different small plates, skewers, and their specialty, a take on French toast.
Restaurant Recommendation: Canto Madalena
Canto Madalena serves local Brazilian cuisine, such as a hearty meal of Baião-de-dois. You may also be pleasantly surprised with a local band adding to the ambiance.
4
Minhocao Highway
Minhocao Highway is an elevated thoroughfare through the center of Sao Paulo. In the evenings and on weekends, it is closed to cars and opens up for pedestrians to try to revive the urban landscape. It is between Roosevelt Square (Praça Roosevelt), and L. Padre Péricles, where the highway changes to Av. Francisco Matarazzo. We recommend going on weekends during the daytime when people are around and avoiding the evenings for safety reasons.
As you walk down the highway, you will feel small due to the scale of the buildings around you. Most importantly, you will see the giant artwork painted on the facade of many of the buildings. The artwork highlights the populations that have been oppressed in the region. It’s a powerful statement by the city to elevate this experience for the community and feature the story of these communities.
5
Museu Afro Brasil
Sao Paulo has many different cultures, since being a center for coffee plantations. Between the African populations that were forced into slavery in the country to the other immigrants that came to support the economic incline of the city, the Sao Paulo culture is a true mix.
The Museu Afro Brasil is located within Parque do Ibirapuera, the main park of Sao Paulo. It is a vitally important and powerful museum that tells the story of the African influence in Brazil. It includes the harsh reality of slavery and explains the Black experience in the country today. Most of the museum is in Portuguese, making it a little challenging for those who don’t speak the language. However, if you have cellphone data, you can use the Google Translate camera tool to translate the signs throughout the museum.
The information is overwhelming and dense. Every sign has so much insight and value. That being said, it is able to connect the culture of today to the historical Black culture, from food, religion, music, clothing, etc.
The most powerful room of the whole museum was the one about slavery. We won’t give it away but it made our spine shiver as it places the horror that Black populations faced when coming to Brazil front and center.
Finally, the museum celebrates Black-Brazilian artists today and the exhibitions are worth visiting. You can start to connect the things you learned to the art presented to you.
6
The Liberdade Neighborhood
This neighborhood has a truly dark history when it comes to slavery but today, it is the location of Sao Paulo’s Japantown. Sao Paulo has the biggest Japanese population outside of Japan.
Start at Praca da Liberdade where you will find a small market. While walking down Rua Galvão Bueno, you will encounter markets, stores, and street vendors with Japanese goods. You can this opportunity to eat some delicious and fresh sushi. If you don’t like sushi, there are also Izakaya and Ramen restaurants as well.
Restaurant Recommendation: Sushi Kenzo
This is an a la carte sushi restaurant with fresh, simple, and delicious sushi.
This town is just one example of the international food culture that you can find within Sao Paulo. There are so many cultures that you can explore within the city.
7
MASP (São Paulo Museum of Art)
The Sao Paulo Museum of Art is one of the premier museums of Brazil. It is also an architectural landmark within the city of Sao Paulo. While it does have a collection of European art, it is most well known for its collection of Latin American art. This is considered one of the best collections in the world with a strong highlight on Brazilian art.
