Tourist Information

São Paulo has many interest areas worth visiting. Most of them are located in the expanded center of the city, and near a metro station. At the metro homepage you can find a good map with main points of interest.

http://www.metro.sp.gov.br/turismo/teturismo.shtml

Paulista, Consolação, Paraíso e Augusta

One famous region is the Paulista/Jardins. The Paulista avenue ~100 years ago is where the rich people used to live. Those large and expensive house were eventually bought by banks and companies that have changed Paulista from a residential street to the most important street in Brazil when regarding economy and money. Nowadays, the big corporations are changing again to the South zone, and leaving the Paulista Avenue. Paulista area is still the place for arts, shops and restaurants.

Coming from Paraiso to Consolação direction we will first see the Shopping Paulista, a nice and calm shopping mall, the prices are not so high neither so low. Going a little further on the paulista avenue, we will pass some cultural centers, hospital, finally getting to the Gazeta building. It's a large building with a big stair in front of it. There we have a theater and a cinema. In the blocks surrounding the gazeta building there are many bars/restaurants and a large book/electronic store called FNAC.

Still, on paulista avenue, going a little further you will find the MASP, Museum of Art of São Paulo which is a must (WebSite). The museum is important as a museum, but more than that, it's one of the most political, cultural active place in the city. It's building is considered an architectural landmark because it stands above the largest open space in Brazil. Beneath MASP, on Sundays we have a traditional antique street market.

Finally from MASP to the Consolação avenue (in the end of the paulista avenue) you will find cinemas, bars and cultural centers. One important stop is the Augusta street: to one side this street goes downtown, where you will find, bars/night clubs (mens only stuff)/and some less expensive shops. To the other side, Jardins, you will find many posh restaurants, some of the most expensive stores and bars.

MASP

Paulista Avenue

Downtown

São Paulo downtown also has many interesting points:

• República square (Praça da República) where we have an open air arts market on Sundays (Metrô República)
• Anhangabaú valley between the Chá bridge and the Sta. Efigênia metal bridge (reformed some years ago),
• The Municipal Theater, with the most influent and importants operas, and concerts.
• The São Paulo Concert Hall, an important and new theater and concert hall inside a very important building, the Julio Prestes train station, a must see !!!
• Sé Metropolitan Cathedral, the principal and most important cathedral in the city, it's located near the zero mark of the city, in the heart of São Paulo. There's a metrô station with this name under the Sé square, in front of the Cathedral.
• The São Bento monastery, on the São Bento square, is famous by it's organ concerts, you can check the schedule on this homepage.
• The municipal market, in the central area, is a beatfull construction with more than 10 m high, with many foods stores and restaurants. It was remodelled short time ago. For more information check the Website at http://www.mercadomunicipal.com.br
• The São Paulo state bank, has a tower in the heart of São Paulo. The tower has 36 floors, and from there you can see all city downtown, paulista and many many interesting places. In my point of view, it's the best ever place to visit in São Paulo. You can visit there from 10h to 17h every week day For groups with more than 10 people it's necessary to set appointment before.

Downtown

Ibirapuera

Another interesting point in São Paulo to visit is the Ibirapuera Park, located in the south-central region of the city. The easiest way to go to the park is getting a bus on the Faria Lima avenue. Inside the park you will have museums, nature, lakes, sport activities and relax in the shade of the many trees around.

There's no need to pay to enter the park, To visit the museums, the Japanese House or some other places you will have to pay a ticket. Inside the park there's restaurants, but they are not so good. One suggestion is to go to the park in the morning, and then take a 10 minutes bus ride to the Paulista avenue, or 20 minutes ride to downtown.

Ibirapuera Park