Coming from Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo certainly has a different vibe. Think Los Angeles with the scent of tropical trees.

We spent 4 days in São Paulo, and despite ticking almost all of the stops we had planned to, we probably only saw 1% of this 12 million people city.

The safety concerns were not as high as in Rio, probably because we also knew fewer people that had visited São Paulo. Nonetheless, we followed all of the basics we had embodied in Rio: carry the minimum, always be aware of your surroundings and avoid walking at night.

Here are our insights on how to enjoy a bit of culture, vibes and food, and also some practicalities that may come in handy.

What to do in São Paulo

Experiences

• Walk around Parque Ibirapuera and be mesmerized by the football skills of the locals
• Stroll down Avenida Paulista – closed for pedestrians only on Sunday mornings
• Create your own food itinerary to taste a bit of all the different delights in the city
• Walk around Jardins, Pinheiros, Vila Madalena and Vila Mariana for a glimpse of the different local lives
• Choose one of the tall buildings to get a high view of the city (Siesc Paulista, Edificio Italia, Edificio Copan, and many others)
• Enjoy a show @ Blue Note São Paulo
• Visit Beco do Batman on Sundays, for graffiti art combined with a cool market
• Do some people watching @ Rua Oscar Freire

Culture

Most museums are either completely free or free on Saturdays, so if you have the opportunity, leave this day for the cultural sights. 

• Museu da Língua Portuguesa – Free on Saturdays
• Pinacoteca da Cidade de São Paulo – Free on Saturdays
• Mosteiro de São Bento – Free
• Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil – Free
• Theatro Municipal de São Paulo – Free 1 hour tours
• Copan Building – Free
• Italia Building – for views of the city, free 15h-17h Monday to Friday
• Instituto Moreira Salles – Free
• Museu de Arte de São Paulo – Free on Tuesdays
• Sesc Avenida Paulista – Free
• Itáu Cultural – Free
• Pavilhão Japonês – Free on Thursdays

Top foods you should try in São Paulo

On top of the local Brazilian delicatessens, São Paulo has the international food scene of a cosmopolitan city. After all, it is South America’s largest city.

You can get all of these locations of where to eat in São Paulo pinned on your google maps with this link

Pinheiros & Vila Madalena

• Moqueca de Camarão and Cochinha @ Pirajá Faria Lima (several locations)
• Bolinho de Abóbora com Rabada @ Bar Moela (several locations)
• Smashburguer @ Patties (several locations)
• Pizza Marguerita @ Da Mocca Pizza Shop

Jardins

• Beirut @ Frevo (several locations)
• Pastrami sandwich @ Z Deli Sandwich Shop
• Tiramissu @ Restaurante Fasano

Liberdade & Vila Mariana

• Anything @ Bar Kintarô
• Anything @ Temaki do Ailton
• Doraiaki @ Liberdade food market
• Best coxinha and caipirinha in town @ Veloso Bar
• Casquinha de siri @ Jabuti Chopperia Frutos do mar

Centro

• Sanduíche de Mortadela @ Bar do Mané

Also on our wishlist were the following restaurants, which we were not able to visit (this time!):

To eat:

• Bolinho de Arroz and Cocktails @ Guarita Bar – Pinheiros
• Pastel @ Pastel da Maria (several locations)
• Traditional brasilian food @ Bar do Biu – Pinheiros
• São Cristóvão Bar e Restaurante @ Vila Madalena
• Guioza @ Família Nakamura – Liberdade
• Sanduiche de Pernil @ Bar e Lanches Estadão – Centro
• A Casa do Porco Bar @ Centro
• Hamburguer @ Seu Oswaldo – Ipiranga
• Cachaça and testicles @ Valadares – Vila Romana

Practical Information when travelling to São Paulo

Moving around

Metro is safe and well-established to wander around the more central areas. You will need to buy a refillable metro card or a single trip. At the counters, you can only pay with cash.

Uber is widely available and cheap. Choose the comfort/black options when later at night or in less touristy areas. The last option would be taxis, always opt for the registered yellow cabs.

Some parts of the city like Pinheiros and Vila Madalena are quite hilly, so consider that when planning walking distances.

Where to stay

Our research showed Vila Madalena is the best place to choose for accommodation. After visiting the city, we would add Pinheiros and Jardins to the list of places to stay. They are all central, walkable and feel safe.

Safety Tips

Leave your expensive clothes and accessories at home. Dress as casual as possible and carry only what you could go without. To use your phone, take a look at your surroundings to check if it is safe. If you feel uncomfortable, just walk into a cafe or store. At night, avoid walking around, and prefer ubering in and out. Carry some cash just in case.

Accessibility

For data plans, it is better to purchase an e-sim on a third-party app, as most of the cell operators ask for a Brazilian ID number. In Rio de Janeiro, we found a workaround at Claro Leblon, which did not seem to exist in São Paulo.

ATMs work for foreign cards such as Revolut, you pay a 20R commission to withdraw. You can pay with card almost anywhere, even with street vendors. However, carrying some cash is advised.

English is not widely spoken, however, Spanish is a great alternative to Portuguese. If none of these work for you, try and learn a few essentials or carry a translator app on your phone.