South America's main financial, corporate and commercial center, São Paulo is an imminent city that offers culture and pleasure for everybody at any time. Parks, bicycles, immigrant communities, cultural fairs, theaters, exhibitions, courses, events, music and restaurants are some options for those who choose to live in this city.
It is a space where you can find a little piece of every place in the world, like the largest Japanese community outside of Japan, as well as Italians, Jews and Lebanese. This mix of people, tribes and styles is reflected in the architecture, music, cinema and cuisine.
With a gastronomy rich in flavors, the city is the destination of the main Brazilian and international chefs who perform in Brazil. There are many career opportunities. So, come to visit São Paulo!
How to use transport in São Paulo?
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil in the territorial extension and the most populous, with 12 million inhabitants. Therefore, before deciding where you will live, it is important to identify how your locomotion will be and, preferably, to study a neighborhood near Le Cordon Bleu school.
The city has a fully integrated public transport system. With the
Single Ticket, it is possible to use buses, subway and trains from the CPTM. Learn more at the
SPTrans site
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As the city is very large, Paulistas are hard users of applications that help in locomotion. Some of the most used are
Moovit and
Waze.
If you like cycling, São Paulo has a system of cycle paths that crosses several points of the city. The Avenida Paulista is one of the options. It is possible to rent bicycles around the city with applications such as the
Ciclo Sampa and
Bike Sampa.
Tietê Bus Station
This is the largest bus station in Latin America and the second in the world. Integrated with São Paulo's transportation system, subway and urban buses, the bus station is the starting and arrival points of executive buses that travel to other cities in the state of São Paulo and other Brazilian states.
For ticket schedules and prices, visit the Rodoviária website.
Airports
In São Paulo, there are two airports:
Congonhas, located in the downtown, which operates domestic flights, and
São Paulo International Airport, located in Guarulhos, which operates both domestic and international flights.
Where to eat?
The gastronomic circuit of São Paulo must be in the script of every visitor of the city. There are more than 15 thousand restaurants and 20 thousand bars distributed in several points with options for all tastes. Renowned Brazilian chefs sign the finnest restaurants such as Dom, by chef Alex Atala, and Maní by chef Helena Rizzo.
The typical gastronomy of São Paulo is very diverse. Paulistas love pizza, mortadella or ham sandwich, chicken cakes, pastries and one of the most traditional of the city, the plate Virado à Paulista, a mixture of rice, bean, pork chop, sausage, crackling, bacon, braised cabbage, fried egg and breaded banana. And there is a certain day to serve: always on Mondays.
The influence of immigrants is also present in the dishes. For fans of Italian cuisine, the neighborhood of Bixiga has traditional canteens. There are several Japanese restaurants, also a city brand. A good tip is visiting the
Municipal Market, where you can find different ingredients and spices, as well as famous and traditional delicacies of São Paulo gastronomy, such as mortadella and pork sandwiches and codfish pastry.
Art and Culture Tips
You will have to organize a good itinerary to know the options of events and cultural spaces that São Paulo offers. The city is very busy and is always surprising visitors with shows in and out of galleries. This is because the streets are also the stage for open air exhibitions. Check out some tips divided by each region and prepare your agenda!
Paulista Avenue Area
Ibirapuera Park Area
Downtown and Luz Areas
Paulista Avenue
Symbol of the business city with its skyscrapers, Paulista Avenue is always bustling and gathers in addition to business centers, malls, cultural spaces, bars and restaurants of all types. During the walk, you will also be able to visit Casa das Rosas, at number 37 of the avenue, a bucolic building from the 30's that resists the economic center of the city. At night, the avenue has attractions for all tribes, concentrating on Rua Augusta.
São Paulo Skyline
A good option to admire the grandeur of the metropolis and visit the lookouts of the tallest buildings, located in the center. The
Banespão is a building of 35 floors and with 160 meters and height of tourists every day. Inaugurated in 1947 to house the extinct Banco do Estado de São Paulo, it offers a 360º view of the city. The
Martinelli Building is not currently open for visitors, but it is a postcard of the city and worth seeing for its architecture.
Ibirapuera Park
If you prefer outdoor activities, the Ibirapuera Park is a good tip. With beautiful landscapes, the place also has in its structure several sculptures and monuments for appreciation. It is also home to cultural and educational events held in the city. A perfect place for hiking, cycling and relaxing.
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Luz Station
Historical point of the city, Luz Station was the gateway to São Paulo, where products such as coffee were sent for export, and important personalities of the city society, such as coffee barons, entrepreneurs and kings circulated. Immigrants also arrived at this station. In the place, it is also possible to visit the Museum of the Portuguese Language and Pinacoteca.
Learn more
Oscar Freire Street
Sophistication and refinement are part of this address. Located in the Jardins area, Oscar Freire brings together several famous brands and is dedicated to the most fashionable public. The street has also great options of bars, restaurants, gift shops and ice cream shop.
Cathedral of Sé
The cathedral is located in the Cathedral Square and took almost 50 years to be built, inspired by the neo-Gothic architecture. It is one of the postcards of São Paulo.
Learn more
Liberty
The Liberdade neighborhood is the home of the largest Japanese community outside Japan. Much visited by tourists, the place houses art, architecture, gardens and Japanese cuisine, with descendants who speak the language and various facades written with Japanese ideograms. You can also visit the Zen Buddhist Temple Busshinji.
Useful Contacts
- Emergency Medical Assistance Service: 192
- Military Police: 190
- Civil Police: 147
- Fire Department: 193
- State Civil Defense: (11) 2193-8888
- Consumer Protection: 151
