São Paulo, Brazil: The Best Bits
Our list of the best places to visit, eat and drink in Brazil’s largest city of São Paulo
In comparison with Rio de Janeiro and other areas of Brazil, São Paulo doesn’t always inspire the most positive of write ups. Nevertheless, most visitors to the region will likely find themselves passing through this economic powerhouse in one way or another, and it is a shame if they miss out on what the city does have to offer.
Brazil’s largest city is also the largest in Latin America, and by some estimates the third biggest in the world. Therefore, it is unsurprising that there are some genuine delights to be found amidst the concrete sprawl. Having visited São Paulo numerous times over the past 12 years, I have become adept at hunting down some real highlights, that I tend to visit time and again whenever I return.
So, from food and drink to parks and cultural experiences, here is our run down of the best that São Paulo has to offer:
Parque Trianon
Located opposite the MASP art gallery on the famous Avenida Paulista, Parque Trianon is a slice of tropical rainforest right in the centre of São Paulo. With its cobbled walkways, gently undulating paths and beautiful vegetation, the park is the quintessential oasis of calm amidst the non-stop go of São Paulo.
Whether because it is taken for granted or simply because the executives working on nearby Avenida Paulista are simply too busy, the park is often pleasantly quiet. The layout and vegetation means that it has a very different feel to most other urban parks, and is well worth a stroll around.
Bar Salve Jorge
Located in São Paulo’s historic centre, directly opposite the stock exchange and within striking distance of the municipal market, cathedral and opera house, Bar Salve Jorge is somewhere that you will want to return to again and again.
The reason is that it is a true classic. With two levels and an expansive outdoor seating area, Salve Jorge has echoes of mid-twentieth century São Paulo, and its lovely interior is adorned with caricature pictures of famous Jorges (or Georges) from around the world.
The thing to drink here is a chopp, or traditional Brazilian draft beer, served in small glasses and chilled to perfection. The service is reliably excellent, with fresh beers miraculously arriving before you have even finished your last one. Throw in some excellent snacks and sharing portions, and this is somewhere that you could happily spend an entire day.
More recently, Salve Jorge have also opened at outpost in the lively Vila Madalena district. Great though that is, it is at the original that the real magic happens.
Municipal Market
Known to the locals as the Mercadão (literally ‘big market’), São Paulo’s municipal market is a ‘must-visit’ whilst in the city. Constructed in 1933, the imposing and spacious building with its huge stained-glass windows is home to an endless range of gastronomic delights. Just walking around is an experience in itself, but the reality is that you will have samples of exotic fruits, cheeses, cured meats and any number of other treats thrust into your hands as you go.
Don’t completely fill up on free samples though because there is also serious eating (and drinking) to be done here. The Mercadão is one of the best places to try a pastel (or pasteis in plural), one of Brazil’s most beloved street food snacks. Effectively, pockets of deep-fried savoury pastry filled with your choice of fillings, the Mercadão has a number of excellent places to sample one. Traditional fillings include cheese, cheese & tomato, and the ubiquitous bacalhau (dried cod).
Although a pastel can be filling, you really need to make sure that you leave space for the truce icon of São Paulo’s Mercadão: the mortadella sandwiches. On the upper mezzanine level, a series of excellent restaurants churn out these overstuffed delights, packed with mortadella, cheese, sundried tomatoes and an array of other options. Perfectly accompanied by either a cold beer or a caipirinha cocktail, these are a staple for tourists, locals and those visiting from other parts of São Paulo state.
Eating aside, the Mercadão is also a great place to pick up souvenirs, from metre-long cinnamon sticks and jars of local chilli peppers to bags of fresh herbs and herbal tea.
The surrounding area is also home to a somewhat chaotic series of market streets geared towards clothing and household items.
Praça da Sé
The Praça da Sé is the tree-lined square in front of the city’s main cathedral, the Catedral Metropolitana. This is very much the centre of old São Paulo, and offers easy access to a host of other sites of interest in the surrounding area, including the Mercadão.
For many it can come as a shock to find clusters of historic buildings remaining in a city in which development appears perpetual and respect for older buildings is sometimes negligible. Here however, there are quite a few including the rebuilt Jesuit mission, the Pátio do Colégio.
Vila Madalena
The bohemian district of Vila Madalena plays host to an array of shops, galleries and cafes. The thing that is truly special however is the area’s botecos. These establishments are part bar, part bistro, with excellent food and drink, often accompanied by live music. Think an endless procession of beers and cocktails accompanied by flame-grilled steaks set to a soundtrack of bossa nova or samba.
Popular across Brazil, they reach arguably their finest expression in Vila Madelena. A personal favourite is São Cristóvão, but there are plenty of equally appealing options to choose from.
Museu do Futebol (Museum of Football)
Located at the municipal Pacaembu Stadium in central São Paulo, the fantastic Museu do Futebol charts the origins and growth of football in Brazil. In doing so, it covers everything from the sport’s introduction from Britain by Charles Miller through to the dominant social and cultural force that it is today.
Whilst fans of the beautiful game will therefore be in their element, the fact that the museum embeds football within the wider historical, social and cultural context means that it will also likely be of real interest even to those with limited or no interest in football itself.
On a similar note, if you do find yourself in the nearby port city of Santos, then the Museu Pelé (Pelé Museum) is truly excellent.
Take in a football match
Given the importance of football in Brazil and the fact that São Paulo is home to three of Brazil’s biggest clubs, taking in a match is something that features on many visitors’ to do lists. The city’s three giants (São Paulo FC, Corinthians and Palmeiras) are domestic heavyweights who hold multiple Brazilian, South American and world club championships between them. In addition, an hour’s drive away are the iconic Santos (the team of Pelé and Neymar no less), located in the satellite port city of the same name.
If the São Paulo giants are playing away, or something slightly more low key is more to your taste then there are also a range of other historic, if slightly less successful teams dotted around the city including Portuguesa and Juventus.
Corinthians do battle with Sao Paulo FC
Traditionally, support for the clubs from São Paulo itself have tended to focus around their respective identities as the club of the people (Corinthians), the club of the elite or more well-to-do (São Paulo FC), and the club of the large Italian community (Palmeiras). Even if these divisions are not so absolute today, they continue to play an important role in supporter identification and mythology.
In terms of stadiums, São Paulo FC play at the historic and atmospheric Morumbi. Opened in 1952, and with a capacity of almost 70,000 people, the Morumbi represents an archetypal South American design of stadium. Corinthians and Palmeiras have both constructed new stadiums within the last decade, with the Arena Corinthians and Allianz Parque respectively likely to feel more familiar to those that have visited modern European football stadiums. These might therefore tick the boxes for those who enjoy the mod cons, but for those seeking nostalgia and tradition, the Morumbi is likely the best bet of the three.
Another gem is the centrally-located Estadio do Pacaembu, the city’s municipal stadium. This historic venue has been the site of numerous important matches and continues to host the city’s teams when their own stadiums are being renovated or used for concerts. Whether for a game, or a tour, the Pacaembu will provide a real sense of football history.
Hotel Unique
Shaped either like a boat or a slice of watermelon depending upon who you ask, the Hotel Unique is certainly a striking building that lives up to its name. One of São Paulo’s top luxury hotels, it is set apart both by its design and its elegant roof terrace, which boasts spectacular views of the city’s skyline.
If you are in the mood to treat yourself to a couple of drinks with a view, then you would do well to find anywhere better.
Lanchonete
A quick stroll through any area of São Paulo will likely take you past several lanchonetes. But, what is a lanchonete? The closest approximation would be a sort of diner, where you can get anything from savoury snacks to a hearty meal and a few drinks. Beloved of Paulistanas (including for sit-down working lunches), the lanchonete is very much a São Paulo institution with different set lunches available on different days of the week. Prices are fair, and quality is usually excellent so beginning the hunt for your favourite lanchonete is generally a very rewarding endeavour.
Avenida Paulista
This skyscraper-lined three-kilometre avenue is arguably the city’s principal commercial artery, and is an often-used symbol of the city. Whilst newer clusters of high-end office buildings have started to challenge Paulista’s throne, this remains the beating heart of commercial São Paulo and also home to some of its leading shopping centres.
Throw in some excellent bars, the MASP art gallery and Parque Trianon, and Avenida Paulista is still likely to be somewhere that everyone should visit. The street also has excellent metro connections to elsewhere in the city, and provides easy access to pleasant areas such as Jardins and Paraíso.
Jardins / Paraíso
The upmarket, largely residential area of Jardins sits to one side of the Avenida Paulista. The contrast with the hectic thoroughfare however is stark, with pleasant tree-lined streets, gentle hills and upscale apartment blocks and villas providing a pleasant area in which to wonder around.
Neighbouring Paraíso is perhaps one notch down in terms of real estate prices, but is also a very pleasant area to explore. Both areas also have numerous appealing eating and drinking establishments.
Parque Ibirapuera
The largest park in central São Paulo, Parque Ibirapuera occupies a central place in the hearts and minds of many residents. Constructed to mark the 400th anniversary of the city’s foundation in 1954, it was built along the lines of classical English landscape gardens and combines greenspace, lakes and sporting facilities, as well as a cluster of buildings by the celebrated Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer. If you want to jog or run whilst in São Paulo, this is the place to head for.
MASP
Sited in the middle of the Avenida Paulista, the Museu de arte de São Paulo or MASP as it is universally known, is a striking building that houses both an important collection of Brazilian art and also Latin America’s most significant collection of Western art.
Even if personal interests don’t extend as far as visiting the collections themselves, the building itself, which sits on stilts remains striking.
Get up high
The view from the Hotel Unique is wonderful, but there are numerous taller buildings that provide an even greater panorama view of this enormous city.
The view from the Banespa building
The location of the central Banespa building together with the fact that it has a free observation deck, makes it a personal favourite, but there are also a range of other options dotted across the city.
The São Paulo Coast
Although the beaches of other areas of Brazil loom large in the popular imagination, it should come as no surprise that the coast of São Paulo state is also home to some excellent beach destinations.
I have written elsewhere about some of the different destinations on the São Paulo coast for those seeking a beach break and given that the coast is only an hour away from hectic São Paulo, it is well worth the journey.
Museo do Ipiranga
Recently re-opened after an extensive period of restoration and modernisation, the Museo do Ipiranga has a range of collections associated with the history of Brazil, and particularly the independence period.
Named after (and located near) the spot on the Ipiranga river where Emperor Dom Pedro I supposedly proclaimed Brazilian independence, the museum sits in a beautiful nineteenth century building set amongst ornate gardens.
Memorial da Resistência de São Paulo (Memorial of the Resistance)
Located close to the Luz train station, the Memorial da Resistência de São Paulo is a museum dedicated to the victims of Brazil’s military dictatorship.
The fact that it is located in the imposing (and beautiful) building that was previously the headquarters of the State Department of Political and Social Order of São Paulo makes it even more poignant. Whilst not an emotionally easy place to visit, the museum provides some real insight into a dark period of Brazilian history.
Another interesting area to walk around is the Liberdade district. São Paulo is home to the world’s largest Japanese population outside of Japan, and Liberdade has traditionally been home to one of their largest communities. Therefore, expect good traditional Japanese food and some interesting and unexpected architectural adornments.[……]
