Sao Paulo Travel Guide

By Timothy Ware

December 2017

Sao Paulo is a big city filled with culture, fun, and diversity. It is a beautiful city and visiting it is worthwhile, but there are a few things one must know before going there. From knowing how to get around to some do’s and don’ts, Brazil is different from the US in many ways, and knowing these differences is very important for one to have a successful trip to Sao Paulo.

First of all, getting around can be somewhat challenging for tourists in Sao Paulo. There are a lot of streets and they are not numbered like in New York. The roads are instead given a name, usually names of famous Brazilians. There is always the option to walk if that is what you choose to do so, and the locals will always be more than happy to help you with directions. If for some reason you don’t want to walk or if the destination is too far away, you can always take a taxi.

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Taxis in Brazil are actually very different from American taxis. For one, they are much friendlier and they don’t have that window barrier between the driver and the passenger so giving the driver directions is much easier.

One misconception about Brazil is that it is a Spanish speaking country, however, that is not the case. Brazilians speak Portuguese, and no, it is not the same language as Spanish, so do not go to Brazil expecting to hear Spanish.

Sao Paulo is a big city and there are lots of places to visit from museums to beautiful parks. It can be difficult to pick just a couple of places, so here are a few that are a must. The Masp is the most famous art gallery in Sao Paulo and the architecture of the building is amazing. It is located on the Avenida Paulista, which is the main road in Sao Paulo and is a place in itself to visit. The road is full of culture and fun and the Masp is on this road so you can do both in one visit. If you plan on going there, go on a Sunday. On Sundays, they close the road for cars so people can roam around on the street freely.

Another place to visit is the Pinacoteca, which houses 19th-century art and sculptures and the ticket is only 6 BRL, which is around 2 dollars.

If you are into soccer, there is an entire museum dedicated to the sport. It is located in the Pacaembu stadium and has interactive games, historic documentaries, and statues of great players. You can even bring your own cleats and participate in a soccer shootout.

One place that many tourists miss is the Parque Estadual da Cantareira. It is located in the northern part of San Paulo and is one of the world’s biggest urban forests. It also offers an exceptional view of the city along with all sorts of wildlife.

Brazil, as I have mentioned before, can be very different from the US in many ways so here are some dos and don’ts.

First of all, no matter what you do, don’t speak Spanish, for reasons mentioned earlier.
Be a careful pedestrian, Brazilians are not the best drivers and add that to the amount of traffic accidents are not uncommon, so be careful.
When going to Brazil, keep in mind that it is still a developing country so crime and poverty are a real issue there. Some things you can do to avoid getting robbed is leaving all expensive and valuable items at your accommodation. Keep your backpack on your chest so that pickpockets have a harder time accessing it, also you should never leave your bags unattended.

Overall, Brazil is a beautiful country filled with a special culture that you only get there. Brazilians are probably the friendliest people you will ever meet and visiting Brazil is an amazing experience that you will bring with you throughout life.