Tourism in Sao Paulo

Sao Paulo is the largest city in South America. To learn more about SP and several reasons why you should visit it, go to cidadedesaopaulo.com/v2/

Pinacoteca Art Museum: This museum of fine arts is housed in a beautiful building dating from 1900, surrounded by parkland. The building is as much worth a visit as the exhibitions themselves, having undergone extensive renovations in the 1990s to produce an exceedingly light and airy structure.

Ibirapuera Park: One of the largest urban parks in the world, boasting 3 museums (the Museum of Contemporary Art - MAC, the São Paulo Museum of Modern Art - MAM and the Afro-Brazilian Museum) and extensive lakes and woodland, Ibirapuera is often referred to as the heart of São Paulo.

Mercado Municipal de São Paulo: Known as the Mercadão, this large public market is located in the city’s historic centre. There’s no better place to try some of the dizzying variety of fruits Brazil is known for, such as cupuaçu, caja, graviola and açai, either as a juice or sorbet. The market also sells arts & crafts and many Brazilian products such as cachaça and nuts. Look out for the stained glass windows depicting market scenes.

Paulista Avenue: This long avenue divides north from south São Paulo and has been the seat of much of Brazilian history. The former mansions of the coffee and sugar barons which once lined the avenue have been transformed into some of the city’s main cultural attractions, such as the São Paulo Museum of Art (MASP), Trianon Park, the Conjunto Nacional and the Rose Garden. It’s also worth checking out Japan House, a recent homage to São Paulo’s Japanese immigrants - the largest Japanese expatriate population in the world.

Embu das Artes: If you get the chance, take a day out on the weekend to explore this lovely town to the southwest of São Paulo. A former Jesuit mission, it hosts a vibrant arts & crafts fair on Saturday and Sunday, selling everything from hammocks to clockwork to Bahian food. It’s especially well-known for the quality of its woodwork and carpentry.