São Paulo
Largest City In The Southern Hemisphere And The Financial And Cultural Capital Of Brazil, Founded As A Jesuit Mission In 1554 · São Paulo, São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in the Southern Hemisphere, a metropolitan region of more than twenty million people, and the economic engine of Brazil. It is not a beautiful city at first sight - a sea of towers with no beach and no mountain - and most visitors arrive on business. The ones who stay find the best restaurants in South America, a museum scene second to none on the continent, and a nightlife that runs until morning. Avenida Paulista is its spine, home to the MASP art museum raised on red pillars, and closes to cars on Sundays. Ibirapuera Park, laid out with buildings by Oscar Niemeyer, is its Central Park. The city was built by immigrants: it holds the largest Japanese community outside Japan, in Liberdade, and large Italian, Lebanese and Jewish ones, which is why the food is so good. The Municipal Market, the graffiti alleys of Beco do Batman and the Pinacoteca are the other classics. Traffic is notorious; the metro is the way to move. Give it two or three days, and plan around food.
Avenida Paulista, Bela Vista, São Paulo, SP, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
A city, always open, but its sights run on a rhythm worth knowing. Most museums close one day a week, usually Monday, and several have a free-entry day or free afternoon, traditionally including MASP on Tuesdays - confirm before building a day around it, because free days bring long queues and policies change. Avenida Paulista closes to cars on Sundays and public holidays and turns into a street fair; it is the best day for the avenue and the worst for driving across it. Weekday rush hours, morning and evening, are the day-ruining trap: a short taxi ride can take an hour, so plan museum visits around the metro. The Municipal Market runs mostly by day and is quieter early. The historic centre around Sé and Luz is busy in business hours and empties after dark. Top restaurants take bookings and serve late; walk-ins at popular places mean long waits on weekends. Over Carnival and New Year the city empties as locals head to the coast, which is pleasant for sightseeing but some restaurants close.