Sao Paulo Packages/Deals & Travel Agents Near Me

Overview

Introduction

Sao Paulo—or Sampa, as residents call it—is one of the largest cities in the world, sprawling like a land-guzzling monster. It's full of high-rises, and the streets are an endless bustle of sidewalk traders, shoppers and sharp-suited business folk. Traffic jams in Sao Paulo are ubiquitous.

Sao Paulo's residents, or Paulistanos, work hard—the city is one of Latin America's most important industrial and economic centers—but they play hard, too. At night, the city throbs with laughter and music. There are top-notch restaurants and a wealth of cinemas and theaters, not to mention world-class nightclubs and DJs.

And whatever else they do, residents of Sao Paulo are united in their appreciation of futebol. It's the sport in town.

Must See or Do

Sights—A walk around downtown near Praca da Se and Praca da Republica; a stunning view of the city from the Banespa Building; strolling Avenida Paulista, with its cultural centers, museums and skyscrapers; a day at Parque do Ibirapuera or a day trip to Horto Florestal.

Museums—Works by Van Gogh, Rembrandt and other European masters at the Museu de Arte Sao Paulo (MASP); some of the continent's finest colonial art at the nearby Museu de Arte Sacra; contemporary and modernist Brazilian art at the Museu de Arte Moderna (MAM) or the Museu de Arte Contemporanea (MAC); a fascinating interactive exploration of Brazilian Portuguese at the Museu da Lingua Portuguesa; the historical and cultural legacy of Africans in Brasil at the Museu Afro-Brazil; more than 2,000 reptilian residents at the Instituto Butantan Science Park.

Memorable Meals—Traditional barbecue at Fogo de Chao; award-winning contemporary cuisine at D.O.M.; authentic pizza at Cantina e Pizzeria Speranza; feijoada (black bean and pork stew) at Bolinha.

Late Night—Sipping caipirinhas to the sounds of bossa nova and samba at Bar Brahma; checking out the view from Skye or Terraco Italia; dancing at one of several venues: Canto da Ema for Brazilian forro, Madame Sata for rock, Traco de Uniao for samba and D-Edge for the latest DJ selections; barhopping in the Vila Madalena and Pinheiros neighborhoods.

Especially for Kids—The roller coaster at Hopi Hari; lions and tigers at Zoo Safari; Parque Tenente Siqueira Campos—better known as Trianon—for a trip to a tropical rain forest in the middle of the city.

Geography

The sheer size of Sao Paulo can make navigating the city a daunting prospect for the first-time visitor. Apart from the Catedral Metropolitana—the geographical center of the city—in the old center, there are few landmarks, and the overall impression is a never-ending jumble of homes and high-rises. The center is just about the only place in the city where older architecture has been preserved, and like much of downtown in general, is now zoned for pedestrians, so your only choice is to explore it on foot.

A major street, Rua Augusta leads out of downtown to the southwest, passing through an up-and-coming area of hipster hangouts and new apartment buildings before reaching Avenida Paulista, an important financial and commercial center.

Crossing Paulista, Rua Augusta descends through the attractive, upper-class residential area of Jardins (Gardens)—home to plush hotels and restaurants, designer boutiques and a vibrant nightlife—to another significant commercial area on Avenida Faria Lima. This marks the beginning of the popular residential district of Pinheiros and Vila Madalena, while at the southern end of Avenida Faria Lima lie the business districts of Itaim Bibi, Vila Olimpia and Berrini.

History

Sao Paulo was founded as a mission in 1554 by Jesuit priests Jose de Anchieta and Manuel da Nobrega, but religion was quickly overshadowed by the activities of the bandeirantes. Both revered and reviled, these tough pioneers pushed the Portuguese frontier ever deeper into the interior. At the same time, they enslaved indigenous people to work on farms built on the rich agricultural land surrounding the city and in other parts of Brazil.

The city's first economic boom came in the 1870s, when landowners amassed incredible wealth by cultivating coffee. With the city soon turning to manufacturing as its economic base, as well as the development of the nearby coastal town of Santos into Brazil's most important port, Sao Paulo became an industrial and commercial center.

Beginning in the 1950s, Brazil's rural poor began flocking to the city, encouraged by the prospect of finding work in Sao Paulo's booming construction industry. But many of the working poor ended up in the city's sprawling favelas, or slums. These are home to millions, while the city's elite travel from posh mansions to work in bulletproof luxury cars and even private helicopters, of which Sao Paulo has one of the largest urban fleets in the world.

Step by step, the continent's largest city is improving (although its traffic is not). Bike sharing and ride sharing programs have become common, but hour-long waits in traffic jams continue. Many people take domestic flights because it is faster than driving; this includes between Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Plans for high speed trains linking the two cities have been put on hold.

Potpourri

Although the number is decreasing because of pollution, ornithologists have recorded some 260 species of birds that still make their homes inside city limits, many of them in Sao Paulo's numerous green areas.

An economic powerhouse, the state of Sao Paulo is responsible for 33% of Brazil's GDP.

Sao Paulo's population includes the largest number of Japanese people outside of Japan—more than 1 million of the city's estimated 12 million inhabitants—and the biggest Lebanese community outside of Lebanon.

There are more than 8 million vehicles on the roads in Sao Paulo, with an average of one car for every two people.

The area contained within Sao Paulo's city limits alone is staggering: at nearly 1,000 sq mi/1,600 sq km, it is one of the largest cities in the world, more than three times the size of Paris.

Both essential to the local economy and universally despised by motorists, motorcycle cowboys called "motoboys" weave in and out of traffic to express-deliver the city's packages. An estimated 150,000-200,000 (mostly) young men earn a living this way. They even have their own trade fair.