travel tips | sao paulo (eng.)

SAO PAULO

TRAVEL TIPS

VISÃO GERAL ATRAÇÕESTRANSPORTE COMPRAS ONDE FICAR ONDE COMEROVERVIEW ATTRACTIONSTRANSPORTATION SHOPPINGWHERE TO STAY WHERE TO EAT

OVERVIEW

The city knows exactly how to harmoniously unite modernity and history, that can be seen in the architecture of many buildings, and the really famous museums.

The capital of the state of Sao Paulo is known for its excitement. With all the characteristics of a metropolis, Sao Paulo seems to be always moving 24 hours a day. The largest city in Brazil has a pulsating lifestyle with art exhibitions and cultural events happening every week, there are also great restaurants all around the city. The frenetic pace can also be represented by shopping. It may be in malls, stores or Fairs streets, there are always thousands of people going around the streets of Sao Paulo looking for the latest trends. Another striking point is the gastronomy with

excellent restaurants with cuisine from various cultures around the world.

CLIMATEThe city has an average annual temperature around 25 °C, a subtropical climate. The seasons are well defined. The winter, from June 21 to September 23, is dry and mild, the summer, from December 21 to March 21, is rainy and hot. The other seasons (spring, 23 September to 21 December and fall, March 21 to June 21) have a nice climate. The hottest month is February with temperatures getting to 40 °C. The buildings, asphalt and few areas with trees make this time of the year even hotter. July is the coldest month with low temperatures, barely exceeding 15 °C.

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and, because of pollution, it seems like the temperature is even higher. In the winter, the nights are quite cold, around 15 °C.

If you are looking for a cultural experience, there are many festivals in Sao Paulo, that is why the city is known as Latin America cultural capital. Throughout the year there are exibitions and festivals of dance and cuisine. It is worth consulting a travel agent before traveling, so you know what is happening in Sao Paulo when you go.

Known as the “Land of Drizzle”, Sao Paulo does not honor this title. According to recent studies, the temperature increase in the past few years has resulted in less drizzle and less fog, which still occurs, but far less frequently.

BEST TIME TO VISIT When it comes to the climate, the best time to visit Sao Paulo is between April and June or October and December, because the temperatures are mild. In the summer the temperature gets too hot, above 30 °C

TRANSPORT

Just like any big city, Sao Paulo’s traffic is very complicated, especially during peak hours. There is a system called ‘Rotation’ which tries to decre¬ase the amount of cars on the streets. On each day of the week, a selected group of cars cannot circulate around town, and that is based on the car plates of cars and trucks. If your car plate ends with a number 1 or 2, for example, you cannot use your car on Mondays. So you need to analyze if renting a car is the best option to get around the city. On the other hand, there are a lot of public transportation lines available, by bus, train or subway, and taxis everywhere that allow you getting to know the city.

BUSThere are about 10 000 buses connecting all the city’s neighborhoods. The destination is written on the front of the bus, and they can also be identified by numbers and letters. The fare is around $ 3. There is also the ‘Single Ticket’, a card that can be used four times every three hours for a single value.

SUBWAYNearly 70 km long, the subway in Sao Paulo has 20 km further expansion. There are four lines divided by color: Line 1 – Blue, Line 2 – Green, Line 3 - Red and Line 5 - Lilac. It opens from Sunday through Monday, from 4:40am. The closing time varies according to each station. The time limit to transfer between lines is midnight, but on Saturday and Sunday hours are extended until 1 am, except for Line 5 - Lilac that only works until midnight.

The Blue Line connects north-south, from Tucuruvi to Jabaquara, the Green Line crosses Avenida Paulista, from Vila Madalena station to Alto do Ipiranga, the Red Line is the east-west route from Corinthians/Itaquera to Barra Funda, and the Lilac Line is from Capão Redondo to Largo Treze. The fare is less then R$ 3, but there are some tickets that you can also use in the bus and train, those have different prices.

TRAINThere are seven train lines, also identified by colors: Line 7 - Ruby, Line 8 - Diamond Line 9 - Emerald, Line 10 - Cyan, Line 11 - Coral and Line 12 - Safira. There are 89 stations connecting 22 cities in 260 km. The rates are less then R$ 3, but there are some tickets that you can also use in the bus and subways, those have different prices.


TAXI AND CAR RENTALSThere are over 30 000 registered vehicles that work as taxis. Prices vary according to how far you need to go. The meter is used to show the price per kilometer and it must be visible to passengers. If you prefer, there are several car rental companies everywhere in the city, including the best brands in the world.

ATTRACTIONS

Known as the cultural capital of Latin America, Sao Paulo has one of the most important art collections in Brazil. There are dozens of galleries and museums throughout the city. It is not just in theaters, cinemas and cultural centers that the city shows its cultural diversity, the architecture of temples, buildings and monuments are also beautiful and are living part of history in Brazil. Regardless the purchasing power, there is always an attraction in Sao Paulo that can fit in your budget.


TRIANON PARKThe park Tenente Siqueira Campos was inaugurated in April 1892. Designed by Paul Villon, the entrance is on Avenida Paulista. It can be called ‘Little Green Oasis’, after all it contrasts with the gigantic buildings around it. Nowadays, the only remaining rain forest in the region is there. Other attractions are the statues and fountains. It is an excellent natural refuge to relax and for some leisure time.

MASP - MUSEU DE ARTE DE SÃO PAULOFounded in 1947, there currently are around 8,000 pieces, most of them are Western art, from fourth century BC until today. Some of the highlights are the Italian and French paintings. This art museum is considered one of the most important in the Southern Hemisphere, after all there are pieces by great artists such as Renoir, Monet, Van Gogh, Delacroix and Cezanne.

MAM - MODERN ART MUSEUMConsidered one of the most important museums in Latin America, MAM was founded in 1948 inspired on the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York. There are over 5,000 pieces by more than one thousand of the most significant artists of modern and contemporary art in Brazil. Besides the permanent exhibits, throughout the year there are several cultural and educational activities such as courses and workshops. There is also a library that offers more than 65 thousand titles and documents. It’s located in Ibirapuera Park, between Pavilhão da Bienal and Oca.


IBIRAPUERA PARKLocated in Moema, it is over 1,500 square kilometers with several attractions. Opened in 1954 to celebrate Sao Paulo 400th birthday, it is currently the most visited park in the city. There are large areas for outdoor activities such as bike paths, lighted tennis courts, jogging tracks, and many cultural programs. Some of the attractions are the Japanese Pavilion, Sculpture Garden, Museum of Contemporary Art, Museum of Modern Art, Museum Afro Brazil, Planetarium and others.

IPIRANGA MUSEUM

Opened in 1895, the Museum of the University of Sao Paulo, or simply Ipiranga Museum, is a landmark in the history of Sao Paulo and Brazil. Situated between Patriotas street and Nazareth avenue, the museum has a collection of over 125 000 items like sculpture, paintings, jewelry, medals, furniture, utensils, and other documents. There are also objects from the sixteenth century up to the twentieth century, which explain the history of Brazilian society.

TEATRO MUNICIPALOne of the most important theaters in the city, Teatro Municipal of Sao Paulo is also one of the most visited sights. The visit is worth just by the front and its beautiful architecture. Inspired on the Paris Opera, it is extremely significant when it comes to history and Brazilian culture.

It was where the Week of Modern Art of 1922 took place, which was the first landmark of modernism in Brazil. Today, it is the setting for the Symphony Orchestra of Sao Paulo, the Lyric Chorale, and others.

WHERE TO STAY

There are all kinds of hotels in Sao Paulo. It is a big metropolis where businessmen or students want to come and stay for a while, so there is a wide range of quality accommodation for several prices. There are hostels, guest houses, hotels with different prices. This sector is constantly growing and can be compared to the best places in the world.

WHERE TO EAT

There are many restaurants in Sao Paulo, not only Brazilian food, but many other cuisines. Many tourists come to Sao Paulo attracted by its gastronomic attractions, after all the city grew because of people from different countries and parts of Brazil. There are over 12,000 establishments with over 50 kinds of different cuisines. You can find German, Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Scandinavian, French, Greek, Indian, Japanese, Portuguese, Swiss, Thai, vegetarian and even Jewish restaurants. Sao Paulo is known worldwide for quality and diversity in this type of service.

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If you want to eat pasta or pizza, Bixiga neighborhood is the place to go, that is why it is called “Piccola Italia”. To enjoy some of the best Japanese food in town, Liberdade neighborhood is a great option. Vila Medeiros, in the north part of town, is a great place to taste typical Brazilian cuisine, from the the Northeast of Brazil, Minas Gerais and Rio Grande do Sul. Jardins neighborhood is where the most luxurious restaurants are. There you can enjoy Moroccan dishes, French, Indian and what is more sophisticated in the Brazilian cuisine. If you are looking for junk food, such as snack bars that serve hamburger or pizza you need to go to Aclimação, near downtown.

For those who enjoy nightclubs, Sao Paulo is famous for one of the best cities to go out at night. Neighborhoods like Cerqueira César, Pinheiros, Vila Olimpia and Itaim are where the best nightclubs are, so you can have fun until early in the morning.

SHOPPING

Sao Paulo is the South American capital of capitalism. Regardless of the time of the year, every month millions of people are buying everywhere the city. In Sao Paulo streets you can find vinyl from the ‘50s and clothing brands. Há produtos por menos de um real e até de milhares deles, basta saber onde comprar, afinal Sao Paulo está preparada para todo tipo de orçamento. You can find products for less than a

dollar, you just need to know where to buy. Sao Paulo is prepared for every budget.

JARDINSAlong these streets are located boutiques that sell national and international brands. Oscar Freire street is one of the ten most luxurious strees in the world. Even if you do not want to buy anything, it is worth the visit. The stores buildings are beautiful and they are very creative showing their good taste.

BAIRRO BOM RETIROIt is considered women’s paradise. There are many streets where you will find stores, one next to the other, and several shopping centers all filled with shops. The place used to be a wholesale center. Nowadays it is where several factory stores, apparel and clothing stores are locate. Most of them are women’s fashion and prices are worth every minute spent there. It is better to go during the week, because on Saturday it is really crowded. To get there by subway, it is very easy. Just get off Estação da Luz and walk towards Rua José Paulino.

25 DE MARÇOThis is where people bargain like never before. Known throughout the country and even in South America, you can find a little bit of everything. Every day about 500 000 people come here to buy. The street won the title of the largest open-air shopping center in Brazil, with over 1300 stores of all sorts of products. You can find household items, stationery materials, imported goods, clothing, accessories, sporting goods, costumes. And


also specific items from different nationalities, like Arabs, Chinese and many others. It does not matter what day of the week it is, the streets are always crowded.

Other streets to go shopping are: Cardeal Arcoverde, a street full of antique shops. Arouche and Republica is where you can find leather products. At Senador Queiroz Avenue and Rua Brigadeiro Tobias there are articles for hunting and fishing. There are many stores that sell religious items at the streets Senador Feijó and Beijamin Constant, and at the streets 24 de Maio and 7 de abril is where you will find many rare vinyls.

Most stores open from Monday to Saturday from 10am to 6pm. Some even open on Sundays, especially department stores. The malls open everyday, from Monday to Saturday from 10am to 10pm, on Sundays, it depends on each store.

The best months to go shopping are in January, February, September and October, when all the stores are on sale.

STREET MARKETSFeirinha da madrugada: Famous for the low prices, this open air fair is located in the area of Bras neighborhood. On the streets Oriente, São Caetano and Monsenhor de Andrade is where you will find many products. For over 10 years, this fair happens from Monday to Saturday from 3am to 9am. There are many booths selling men, women and children clothing. You can also buy accessories such as jewelry, shoes and handbags, lingerie and perfumes. The prices are really low, that is why everyday thousands of people from all over Brazil go there to buy for themselves and also to sell in stores. You can buy at retail and wholesale.

Feira da liberdade: Established for over 30 years, it always had the same idea: to

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promote Eastern crafts and the culture of oriental immigrants. It is situated in Liberdade neighborhood, where most inhabitants are Japanese. There are around 200 booths where you can find many products such as candles, leather goods, jewelry, plants, sculptures, paintings and many others typical of eastern culture items. Throughout the year, there are also several events at the fair, such as sumo championships and festivals like the Chinese New Year. It opens on Saturdays and Sundays from 8am on.

Feira da praça benedito calixto: Intellectual and cultural reference in Sao Paulo, this fair has become part of routine who likes vintage products. There are nearly 320 exhibitors selling crafts, pieces of art and antiques. Situated in Pinheiros neighborhood, it happens every Saturday from 9am to 7pm. There is also a food court.

CURRENCY The Real (acronym R$) is the currency in Brazil. After successive monetary changes, Brazil adopted the Real in 1994, and allied to a drastic fall on inflation rates, now the country has a stable economy. The change of foreign currency for national currency (Real) can be done in banks and at exchange bureau. The use of credit cards is also very common in most places, however, it is advisable to ask before.

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