In the middle of a crazy city like Sao Paolo, unbearable traffic and skyscrapers, find the Ibirapuera park. It is an oasis of peace. In my case I love sports and whenever I travel I look around part of a city while running. I recommended this park. You can enjoy fantastic nature while you take a walk. There are a few basketball courts and football pitches, children parks, lakes, a street vendor and a bar to have a drink. Warning: do not go after dark.
Paulista Avenue is one of the main avenues in the city of Sao Paulo. It opened in 1891, and here you can find financial institutions, restaurants, shops, cultural centres, hotels, etc ... the metro passes through here, allowing you to make fast connections to different parts of Sao Paulo.
I love visiting the markets in the cities that I travel to. The one in Sao Paulo does not disappoint. You can also have a drink there, as well as enjoy the the spectacular bologna sandwiches (fabulous!!). Of course, it is the ideal place to buy some local foods of the area.
On the blue metro line, you can go to the station of Luz, which dates back to the nineteenth century. It's a historical site, where you can visit the Museum of the Portuguese Language. If you visit the museum at the weekend or on a holiday, you can enjoy a guided tour of the station. You can also cross the street to visit the park. It is a beautiful place to visit, and will be your starting point for many excursions.
The Sao Paulo Metropolitan Cathedral, located in the Plaza de Be, is one of the five largest Gothic churches in the world and the largest in the city of Sao Paulo. It has two towers of 92 m, and a large dome of 30 m. At the entrance to the cathedral is a carved image of Jesus Christ, similar to the much more famous statue of Christ the Redeemer which can be seen in Rio de Janeiro.
Besides Lina Bo Bardi’s very iconic architecture, which makes of MASP — Museu de Arte de São Paulo the crown jewel of Av. Paulista, the museum also has on of the most expressive collections. It may not be the biggest, but is definitely one of the best.
I must admit that I wasn't expecting much, but it was really worth the visit. Bring your camera, because there's no shortage of beautiful images to capture: flowers and animals. On the east side, you'll see plenty of monkeys. Other attractions are the greenhouses, the trees, a gazebo, a bamboo tunnel, different orchids, and so on ... there's a restaurant / cafe, but it's better to bring a basket and prepare a picnic! Admission is $ 5 (half price for students), and the park is open from 8 to 5.
The Sao Paulo zoo is the largest in Brazil, located in the southern part of the city, and next to the Botanical Garden. It is part of the State Park of Fuentes Ipiranga, named because the river Ipiranga starts here. In this park, Brazilian independence was declared. It has a great infrastructure, and is home to more than three thousand animals, as well as a nursery for newborn animals. There are bars here too, where tourists can buy snacks and juices.
The Sao Paulo art gallery is very easy to find, although the area is a bit dangerous. But during the day it's quiet, and it's a visit well worth making. The place is beautiful and very well-organised. I was lucky to see the preparations for the exhibition on Ron Mueck, the hyperrealist scuptor. But the permanent exhibitions will also take your breath away. The tactile gallery of Brazilian sculptures is great, designed to let people with visual disabilities also experience art.
The Altino Arantes building, popularly known as Torres Banespa, stands in the cntre of Sao Paulo and was one of the tallest buildings in the world when it was built in 1947. You can visit and climb to the 32nd floor, where you can go to the terrace, overlooking the entire megalopolis. Ideal for photography.
The Museum of Iparanga has merged with the Paulista Museum, which was inaugurated in the year 1895. Here you can see a collection of magnificent works showing the history of Brazil, especially the city of Sao Paulo. You're going to see sculptures, paintings, furniture, some indigenous objects, documents and other personal belonging, running from the seventeenth century to the twentieth. You can also see the garden and the park, which are just outside the museum. In the Independence Park is the Independence Monument, and there are plenty of fruit trees and a variety of local birds. It is a very green place, where people take their family, walk their dogs, and exercise - you're sure to encounter people running, biking, or skateboarding.
Home to one of the most tradicional soccer/ football teams in Brazil! There are guided tours in this brand new stadium and some nice things to see such as the field, the dressing rooms and the restaurants.
Being from São Paulo, one of the places I most like to walk when I have time is this park. In the northern part of the city, it is open daily from 9.00 to 17.00 and there is a 10 km walk from which you can see the city. It is not an easy walk but doing it calmly you can spend 3 nice hours there. To enter you have to pay R$5 (2.17 euros). If you are a student you pay half price. I recommend bringing food and water because no food is sold there. I also advise going by car. There is parking right in front of the entrance to the park but if you have no car you can get off at the metro station Tucuruvi and take a taxi. The station is 7.4 km from the park.