Best Travel Guide São Paulo | ArrivalGuides.com

São PauloGuide was updated: 2024-09-11

“Rio is a beauty. But São Paulo, São Paulo is a city,” said Marlene Dietrich about Brazil's most cosmopolitan city. São Paulo is Brazil’s cultural as well as financial powerhouse, complete with a vibrant music scene, top-designer shopping, and delicious gastronomy, not to mention world-class museums and art galleries. All this is combined with the vibrant local life of Paulistanos, who will surely be easy to make friends with.

Do & See

Most of São Paulo's main attractions are located in the city centre, the area bounded by the Tietê river on the north, the Pinheiros river to the west, Avenida dos Bandeirantes on the south and Avenida Salim Farah Maluf to the east. As the country's largest mega-metropolis, São Paulo has something for everyone–the culture vulture, the jazz fan, the clubber, the football fanatic, and the gourmand. To take in the scale of São Paulo's history visit Pátio do Colégio to see its beginnings. Then visit the legendary Brazilian architect and designer of Brasília, Oscar Niemeyer's space-age OCA museum. For a breathtaking glimpse of where São Paulo is going, you cannot beat the view from the top of the Italia Building on Avenida Ipiranga at the corner of Avenida São Luís.

Parque do Ibirapuera

São Paulo's very own Central Park boasts over 2 million square meters of green space. The best way to explore it is to hire a bike. On Sunday mornings, there are free music concerts in the Praça da Paz. Here, you’ll also find a few interesting museums, such as the Museum of Modern Art, the exhibition hall OCA, and the Afro Brasil Museum.

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Memorial da America Latina

The Latin America Memorial is a cultural centre designed by Oscar Niemeyer dedicated to Latin American folk art especially sculptures and paintings. Visit its website to see what’s on while you’re in town as it often hosts festivals, expositions, and food fairs.

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Museu Afro Brasil

A museum dedicated to telling the story of Brazil's African-descended population, the largest outside Africa. Here you will find a vibrant and intelligent celebration of the culture and achievements of the African diaspora complete with plenty of art and some stunning photography exhibitions.

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MAB FAAP — Museu de Arte Brasileira

A magnificent building in the trendy Higienópolis neighbourhood is the venue for major international exhibits held in the impressive Grand Hall and its wings. You will also find some of the big names of Brazilian art here including Portinari and Di Cavalcanti.

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Museu de Arte Moderna de São Paulo (MAM)

The Museum of Modern Art located in Ibirapuera Park might be small, but it is one of São Paulo's best museums to see modern work by emerging and established artists. Here you will find everything from paintings and sculptures to video installations. Outside is a serene sculpture garden that is perfect for relaxing post-visit.

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Pinacoteca

One of the best-curated art exhibitions in the city as well as one of the most important art museums in Brazil, Pinacoteca does an excellent job of displaying some of the best Brazilian artists from the 19th and 20th centuries. The centrepiece of the impressive collection of sculptures includes a statue by Raphael Galvez called "O Brasileiro".

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Population:	12.2 million (2022)
Currency:	Real, R$1 = 100 centavos
Emergency Numbers:	Police: 190 Emergency: 192 Fire Brigade: 193 Tourist Police (Rua São Bento 380): +55 11 3107 5642
Newspapers:	Jornal do Brasil Folha de São Paulo Estado de São Paulo O Globo
Opening Hours:	Shops are normally open Mon–Sat 9am–6pm. Banks are open from Mon–Fri 10am–4pm, but usually, stop changing money at 2pm. The larger shopping centres are open Mon–Sat from 10am–10pm and from 2pm–8pm on Sundays and holidays.
Tourist Information:	Tourist Information Centre Av. Paulista, 1853, São Paulo Daily 9am–6pm +55 11 3288 8968