| Population | 20,200,000 |
| Language(s) spoken | Portuguese, some English |
| Currency | Brazilian real |
| Average temperature | Winter: 63F; Summer: 75F |
| High season | December to March |
This year, the business capital of Latin America and its most culturally diverse city celebrates its 450th anniversary. In honor of this occasion, I made the ultimate three-day guide to So Paulo, Brazil's largest and most exciting city, a true mecca for the culture vulture.
Day 1: The money capital
Sao Paulo is a city of spectacular wealth. In fact, most of Brazil's money is concentrated here. Within the sea of skyscrapers that pepper this city of nearly 20 million inhabitants, you'll see some impressive architecture, world-class shops and unforgettable entertainment.Start in the Centro district, the historic business center of the city (Sao Paulo is so big that it actually has four business centers) around Avenida Paulista. Have breakfast in a corner bakery, which serves up different breads and pastries for which the city is famous. Or have a coffee at Terraco Italia, atop the building of the same name. There you'll see an almost 360 view of the urban sprawl that seems to have no end.
Nearby you'll greet the intersection on Ipiranga and Sao Joao Avenues, a meeting spot of artists with great bars that was immortalized in a song by Caetano Veloso, a world-famous Brazilian singer.
Keep walking around Centro and take in the bustle of selling and trading that spills onto the streets, and keep this economic super-engine running.
Sao Paulo is rated among the top five cities for good food in the world, and with its ethnic hodgepodge of immigrant communities, the only difficulty is choice. I recommend Famiglia Mancini restaurant for a good lunch; by far the best Italian food this side of the Atlantic.
If you're there on a Sunday, the flea market by the Museu de Arte de Sao Paulo (MASP) is a great spot for gift shopping. If not, head to the Jardins district for the most exclusive shops in the country.
Having burned off all that pasta with shopping, it's time for some authentic Brazilian dining. Baby Beef Rubaiyat is one of the city's best churrascarias , or all-you-can-eat meat restaurants where legions of waiters bearing huge skewers with meats salted and seared to perfection keep serving you until you beg them to stop.
Now head to Vila Madalena for some great barhopping and see the very colorful nightlife that this metropolis is known for. Cap off the evening with a live show at Bourbon Street Club, where the likes of B.B. King and Norah Jones are frequent guests.
Day 2: A bit of culture
Overwhelmed with the business frenzy? Then feed your mind a bit. Start at the Museu de Arte de Sao Paulo, the largest art gallery in Latin America, rife with works by Degas, Picasso, Chagall, Gaugin, Van Gogh, Monet, Manet, and Renoir, to name a few.For a glimpse of national artists, head to the Luz metro (subway) station and check out the Pinacoteca. A very pleasant park promising a nice stroll is just outside.
Head to Oscar Freire Avenue and pick among hundreds of great restaurants for lunch. For authentic Brazilian flavors, try Bargaco and order a moqueca (fish or shrimp in spicy coconut sauce) or a feijoada (black bean and meat stew). Or you can pick among the city's 5,000+ pizzerias that give the pies in Florence a run for their money.
To see what the city looked like in its colonial glory before the urban expansion, check out Praca da Se square with its gothic cathedral and the Patio de Colegio, where the original Jesuit mission landed in 1554.
Relax a bit in Parque Ibirapuera, Sao Paulo's Central Park, which is just as convoluted and just as pleasant. When hunger strikes again, head to the Liberdade district, Sao Paulo's Japanese town, where the sushi is so fresh, it still twitches.
Get classy in your night escapade and start at Skye bar in the Hotel Unique, in the Jardins district. It's a terrace atop this boat-shaped hotel with an awesome view of the skyline and great DJs. Find out just why this city never sleeps, and check out the Love Story after-hours club, which closes when the last customers leave, usually around 8 a.m.
Day 3: Head to the beaches
Enough urban madness! Thankfully, Sao Paulo's coast is gorgeous, and great beaches are only one hour away by bus.Guaruja is a favorite, right next to the city of Santos. If you're looking for less crowded spots, further south you'll find the beaches of Praia Grande, Mongagua, Itanhaem, Peruibe, and Ilha Comprida, one more beautiful than the other.
If you're willing to travel a little further for an even better beach experience, then Ilhabela is where you want to go. Three hours by bus and a short ferry ride will get you to this island boasting almost 22 miles of non-stop beaches that rival the tropical paradises of Polynesia.
Water sports abound, as does great beach food. Or you can just lie back on the sand and enjoy the many sights, especially those that walk by in diminutive bikinis.
Here's a tip: go the extra mile and head to the less crowded eastern shore of the island. A little exploration will take you to dreamy coves that seem untouched by human presence.
tips for the trip
Resources:
http://www.virtualtourist.com/vt/16e676/4/
http://www.frommers.com/destinations/saopaulo/2851021197.html
http://www.economist.com/cities/displayobject.cfm?obj_id=768390&city_id=SAO
http://gosouthamerica.about.com/cs/southamerica/a/BraIlhabela.htm
http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?s=008738&refer=&units=us
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Largest_cities_of_the_world
Sao Paulo Travel Guide
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