text:
São Paulo/Downtown

São Paulo's city downtown area (Centro) is where the city was founded, in 1554. It contains many historical buildings and areas which are protected by the municipality. In the second half of the 20th century, business and upscale households have moved away from the Center, making the area meet urban degradation and rise of criminality. Many renovation projects are taking place, making the region slowly but confidently regain importance and take its place as the city's historic core and a vibrant commercial and cultural zone.

The Center is composed of the Sé and República districts, plus the ring of districts around these two: Bom Retiro, Santa Cecília, Consolação, Bela Vista, Liberdade and Cambuci.

Much of the best of the architecture of São Paulo is found in the city center. There are many baroque and neoclassical buildings, with some resemblance to those found in cities like Paris, Vienna and even Buenos Aires, as well as some impressive early-modern buildings like the S-shaped Copan. However, due to the lack of policies for protecting the cultural heritage of the city, some of these buildings suffer from vandalism and are sometimes completely covered with graffiti.

''Note: Avenida Paulista is partly in the Center. For places in this avenue and up to 4 blocks from it, check the São Paulo/Paulista section.''

Understand
Each district of the center has its own peculiar history and characteristics.
 * Bela Vista (also known as Bexiga/Bixiga) — One of the biggest meccas of Italian culture outside of Italy. Home to the city's most important theater venues and to a vibrant nightlife, dotted with bars where bands, be they new or veteran, show off all their skills when it comes to rocking the place.
 * Bom Retiro — Contains the neighborhood of Luz, one of the richest neighborhoods of the city during Brazil's coffee-based economy - which fell apart during the 1920s. Luz is a decadent area, with many streets populated by drug addicts, although a revitalization plan to relocate them is underway. Its historical importance and landmarks still make it a place not to be missed. Bom Retiro has also developed an officially-recognized Koreatown, with a large majority of shops and restaurants owned by Korean immigrants or their descendants.
 * Consolação — The neighborhoods composing this district, Consolação, Higienópolis and Pacaembu, were the first to grow outside the more historical part of the center. They are considered to be the "noble" areas of the Center, and even the "Red Light" zone on Rua Augusta is gradually being cleaned up.
 * Liberdade — Known as São Paulo's Japanese district, although nowadays more Chinese and Koreans inhabit this area, with many of the ethnic Japanese having moved to more upscale areas. However, the area is still visited a lot by Japanese-Brazilians and those who are fond of Japanese culture. Due to its cheap housing and high-quality cheap restaurants, the area is a very popular choice of place to live for students and temporary workers.
 * República — Once the site of the most elegant residential buildings in São Paulo, República was seriously hit by an exodus from downtown in the 1970s and 80s. Nowadays, it has been renovated as the whole historical central area. The streets between Praça da República and Largo do Arouche make up the oldest gay hot spot in town. It looks decadent, but many individuals young and old cruise in the clubs, movie theaters, dark rooms, and bars from Ipiranga Avenue down to Largo do Arouche.
 * Santa Cecília — Like República, Santa Cecília was an upscale residential area that experienced a downturn for various reasons, including the construction of Elevado Presidente Costa e Silva ("Minhocão"), one of the most ill-conceived projects that the city has met, and the most notorious landmark of the district. A revitalization plan for the district is also underway.
 * Sé — At the very beginning of its history, São Paulo was comprised of only the triangle formed by the Monastery of São Bento, the Monastery of São Francisco, and the Pátio do Colégio. Within this minute hub was the River Anhangabaú, which meant "bad spirits" in the native Tupi-Guarani language. In the 18th century, the river was made into canals and buried into the ground, but the Anhangabaú valley still remains in its place. Revitalization works in the 1980s shaped the beautifully arranged square in the Vale do Anhangabaú, where nowadays you can find skateboarders and office workers hanging about.

By metro or train
The rail network is the easiest and fastest way of getting to the center. The city center is crossed by various train and metro lines. These are the stations located at each district:

 * Bela Vista — Brigadeiro, Trianon-Masp, Consolação
 * Bom Retiro — Luz, Tiradentes, Armênia
 * Consolação — Paulista
 * Liberdade — Liberdade, São Joaquim
 * República — República
 * Santa Cecília — Santa Cecília, Marechal Deodoro, Júlio Prestes
 * Sé — Pedro II, Sé, Anhangabaú and São Bento

Oddly, Paulista Station is on Rua da Consolação, while Consolação Station is on Avenida Paulista. If you find you have gone to the wrong one, you can use the long underground passageway that connects them.

By bus
Numerous buses run continuously to the center from other parts of the city. For a visitor, they may sometimes be more convenient than the Metro, and you save some money by taking only buses instead of buses and train (but not that much). Check the SPTrans website for routes and itineraries (only in Portuguese).

From many parts of the São Paulo, there are buses going to Parque Dom Pedro II, where the busiest bus terminal of the city is located. If you step down at this terminal, memorize the spot where the bus stopped if you plan to go back using the same bus, as you may have a hard time finding it again in the large and confusing terminal.

By car
The Center is crossed by Corredor Norte-Sul, that links the north and the south parts of the city, and by Radial Leste-Oeste, that links the west the and east. Av. Rebouças and Av. Nove do Julho come from the Southwest, and Av. do Estado from the southeast.

On weekdays and Saturday morning, going to most parts in the Center of São Paulo by car is not recommended, unless you are masochist, rich, or have a lot of patience. Parking can cost as much as R$ 20 for a single hour! It is best to park in the street at Zona Azul areas, where you pay an amount set by the Municipality, but finding a place to park may take some time. On weekends, cheaper parking is usually available.

Concerts and theatre
The center of São Paulo contains dozens of theatres and concert halls, with dozens of performances being carried everyday. Most theatrical performances are in Portuguese, and their price may vary from completely free to R$ 300. It is better to choose the place by the performance you want to see. A list of performances being carried in the city can be found in various websites, including:, ,. The following theatres and concert halls are the ones that deserve particular attention:

Events
The center of São Paulo is the place of cultural events that may get hundreds of thousands of visitors. Avoid going to such events by car, as you may spend more time stuck in traffic and searching a place to park than enjoying the events themselves.

Learn
All these listed high education institutions are private and located in the district of Consolação.

 * Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie, Founded in 1870 as the American School, is one of the oldest institutions of higher education in Brazil. The university is regarded, nationally and internationally, as a center of excellence having graduated numerous important names of Brazilian history. The nickname Mackenzista is often used to refer to Mackenzie present or former students.
 * Fundação Armando Alvares Penteado - FAAP, Rua Alagoas, 903, tel. 11 3662-1662. The institute's college, or facul as the students call it, offers prime education for Brazil's super rich kids. After the museum and theater, the bodyguards on the surrounding of the campus are the main attraction.
 * Fundação Getúlio Vargas (FGV-SP), Av. 9 de Julho, 2029, Bela Vista, 01313-902, tel. (11) 3281-7777, . This university is one of Brazil's most traditionals, famous for its Economics and Management departments. It has two other campi, in Rio de Janeiro and Brasilia.

Buy
A little bit of everything is available in Centro. The Old City Center, especially around the Law School on Largo São Francisco, is the place to go if you’re looking for rare, discounted or out-of-print books. There are several good used bookstores in the area, some—such as the Messias—are traditional São Paulo favorites.

Eat
Contrast is the area's middle name. You can eat well both in traditional local eateries or elegant restaurants

Bela Vista
Bixiga's cantinas and pizzerias are amongst the best in the city. Try authentic fresh Portuguese rolls or Italian loaf with butter and "pingado," or "café com leite" —coffee with cream— from the bakery at the corner of Conselheiro Carrão and 13 de Maio streets. You won't regret it!

Consolação
As in all of São Paulo, the variety of gastronomical options in this section of town are plenty, so feel free to just stroll down the streets without a pre-fixed plan. Vilaboin square, nearby FAAP, holds options for every taste.

Liberdade
Liberdade is a paradise for fans of Asian food. Although the best Japanese restaurants may be in the East, those do not nearly match the cost-benefit of the ones in Liberdade. Besides, here you can find some interesting mixes of Asian and Brazilian food, like at Sukiya.

Stay safe
Safety in the Downtown region has largely improved. However, the Centro Velho ("Old Town", the area composed by the Sé and República districts, plus the adjacent Luz neighborhood in Bom Retiro/Santo Cecília), precisely the area where most historical sights are contained, is still problematic in terms of safety.

During the day (except on Sundays), the Old Town is considerably safe. You will see many homeless people in the streets, but there will be ostensive presence of police, and most streets will be quite crowded for anything to happen. Homeless people generally ignore passersby, but pickpockets in very crowded streets are common, just like annoying vendors. Watch your belongings all the time.

There are some particular areas to be aware even during the day:
 * The Santa Ifigênia neighborhood in República, often called Crackland, the area delimited by R. Mauá in the North, R. São João in the South, Av. Duque de Caxias in the West and Av. Ipiranga in the East. It is okay to walk in the commercial, crowded streets (like Rua Santa Ifigênia), but the empty and run-down streets should be avoided as they are home to a large number of drug addicts.
 * Parque Dom Pedro II and most of its surroundings. This area contains also many drug addicts, and potentially violent robbers that stalk pedestrians. If you want to reach Catavento Cultural (Palácio das Indústrias), a safer route is to go from Mercado Municipal to the rear entrance of the palace, passing through the 25 de março parking lot.
 * The surroundings of Rua Glicério, in the east part of the Liberdade district, form a desolated area with a large number of homeless.

With so many skyscrapers, the Old Town may look a densely populated area, when in fact, it is not. The center of town is alive during week days because of offices and shops. During the night and Sundays, there is still some life in certain parts, like the bars/clubbing area between Largo do Arouche and Praça da República, but many streets may also become desolate, containing few people other than homeless and drug addicts. The "Crackland" should be completely avoided during the night unless you are in a trustworthy guided tour.

For the rest of Downtown, follow the general advice for São Paulo.

English-speaking churches
Near Bela Vista, Liberdade and Paraiso, the Fellowship Community church caters to English speakers in the morning and services are spoken in Portuguese in the evening. Calvary Baptist church in Campo Belo features services in American English and Saint Paul's Anglican in Alto da Boa Vista, in British English.

title: São Paulo/Downtown


text:
São Paulo/Far East

Far East is a region of São Paulo. With about 2.7 million people, it is the most populous region and the main reduct of São Paulo's working classes, a true "City of Workers". Known as one of the poorest areas of the city, the Far East contains some interesting attractions, including two huge parks and the oldest surviving church of São Paulo.

Understand
The Far East used to be occupied by farms and industries. During the second half of the 20th century, the fast economic growth of São Paulo attracted a large number of migrants from the Northeast of Brazil, who settled mainly in the city's peripheral areas. The Northeastern migrants and their descendants are now the predominant population in the Far East, although a significant Japanese community, that arrived during the farming era, is still present and remains culturally important to the region.

The Far East is known as a "dormitory city", with a very large population and few opportunities of employment within the region, and unfortunately, with high levels of poverty and crime. However, there is a lot of perspective for the region, due to the fact that Itaquera was chosen to host the opening of the FIFA World Cup 2014. Together with a new stadium, which will become the home of Brazil's 2nd most popular football team, Itaquera is being remodelled to become a new center of services and business in the East. It is yet to be seen what all of these will end up, but there is at least a big hope that in São Paulo, the time of the East has finally arrived.

By metro and train
The Line 3-Red is the busiest metro line of São Paulo, carrying everyday, along with Line 11-Coral and Line 12-Saphire, hundreds of thousands of workers from the East to the city center. These are the metro and train stations located at each district:
 * between Penha and Vila Matilde: Penha, Vila Matilde, Guilhermina-Esperança, Patriarca
 * Artur Alvin: Artur Alvin
 * Itaquera: Corinthians-Itaquera, Dom Bosco
 * José Bonifácio: José Bonifácio
 * Guaianases: Guaianases
 * Cangaíba: Engenheiro Goulart
 * Ermelino Matarazzo: USP Leste, Comendador Erlmelino
 * São Miguel Paulista: São Miguel Paulista
 * Jardim Helena: Jardim Helena-Vira Mara, Jardim Romano
 * Itaim Paulista: Itaim Paulista

The Line 15 Monorail connects Line 2-Green (Vila Prudente station) to Jardim Planalto.

By car
Main accesses to the Far East region are Marginal Tietê (gives access to Parque Ecológico do Tietê), Radial Leste (gives access to the Itaquera district) and Avenida Aricanduva (gives access to Parque do Carmo).

By bicycle
Cycleway Radial Leste (see São Paulo main section) is partly located in this region. The other cicleway is:

Eat
There is a concentration of bars and restaurants around Parque Tiquatira, a park between Penha and Cangaíba, surrounded by the lanes of Av. Governador Carvalho Pinto.

Drink
The Far East Zone of São Paulo has the highest concentration of immigrant workers coming from the North-East of Brazil. Catering to these "nordestinos" there is a huge amount of traditional bars known as "Casa do Norte", which are often owned and operated by nordestinos as well. Some typical drinks include "açaí na tigela", "caldo de mocotó", "cachaça pinga", and many others, in an environment of Pagode, Forró, Samba, and other Brazilian musical styles, and of people playing "truco" (a card game), "sinuca" (a kind of billiards), domino, or other games. Casas do Norte also often offer traditional foods such as "feijoada" or "zarapatel", sell dry fruits, dry fish or dry meat, and have a very strong tobacco known as "fumo de corda", produced in Arapiraga, Alagoas State. Most customers are men, it is very uncommon to see a woman in a Casa do Norte except when in the company of some of the men. There is always the ubiquitous televisor, on Wednesdays and Sundays invariably offering the transmission of a football match, among the loud yells of the clientele. Casas do Norte are a fine sample of authentic Brazilian atmosphere, unadulterated by tourist adaptations. Therefore, expect almost no one able to speak anything but Portuguese, and rather bad Portuguese at that. Warning: cachaça pinga is a very strong alcoholic beverage that must be tasted with caution. Drinking too much WILL knock down even the most hardened seaman.

Sleep
In spite of being a huge and populous part of São Paulo, there are almost no real hotels, because most residents are middle to low class workers and very few tourists ever bother to visit the area. What is easy to find is "motels", but they are not comparable to European or North American motor hotels. In Brazil the term "motel" is a sort of euphemism that refers to a place of dubious reputation, which rents rooms for some hours, usually for the practice of activities of doubtful morality. Not an accommodation for travellers.

There are a few cheap hotels in the historic centre of Distrito Penha de França, Rua Comendador Cantinho and nearby streets. There is a permanent police post there, at Praça Oito de Septembro, which may be able to inform on the location of some nearby hotels, but the hotel search should be done under daylight because the streets are not safe at night. Besides, small hotels may not have staff attending at night. Instead of a permanent reception desk, each tenant has a key to the hotel entrance and to his own room.

Persons wishing accommodation for some weeks should better find a "pensão" (a kind of boarding house), which is customarily paid for a full month. They may accept a customer for only a week, at a proportionally higher price. These "pensões" are cheap and exist in various locations, usually at the historic centre of districts such as Penha de França, Itaquera, or São Miguel Paulista. Most tenants are Brazilians who work in São Paulo, having migrated from the North-East of the country. Expect loud Sertanejo or Samba music in evenings and week-ends, and a smell of exotic cuisine.

The last option, and the best one for a group, is to rent a house. They can be found for as little as R$ 300 per month, but a decent "sobrado" will cost R$ 500 or 700, water and electricity apart. There are many small "agencias inmobiliarias" (real estate agencies) that can offer a suitable house. A refundable deposit of some months is often required. Or directly with the owner, looking for signs of "aluga-se" (for rent), but the negotiation has to be conducted almost always in Portuguese. Besides, furniture is seldom included.

The Football World Cup of 2014 opened in Itaquera, beside the station, in a huge stadium of new construction. This drastically changed the prospects for accommodation of visitors in the area, with prices rising for the few facilities that exist. However, because of frequent bus and train service to the city centre, most tourists do not need to find lodgings in Itaquera.

Stay safe
The Far East region used to have a reputation of being dangerous among Paulistanos, but crime has drastically decreased, and its crime rate is similar to that of the rest of the city.

Still, the region is quite large to be described by average statistics, and pockets of violent crime, as well as areas under the influence of criminal organizations, still exist. São Mateus, Cidade Tiradentes, São Miguel Paulista and Itaim Paulista are known to contain areas like this.

Therefore, if you want really to explore the region, having a local as a guide is advised. This is especially true if you don't speak Portuguese, as finding someone who speaks English may not be easy in the region.

A tourist reaching nightfall while still in the area should not risk to wander aimlessly in the deserted streets. For visitors on a very low budget the best option is probably to take a bus to one of the train stations or to one of the local bus terminals, and thence to the city centre, or a direct bus to the city centre. There are two bus terminals open round the clock and with some night bus service, at intervals of one hour or so.

Terminal A. E. Carvalho, in Estrada do Imperador corner Avenida Águia de Haia, Distrito Itaquera.

Terminal Cidade Tiradentes, in Avenida Naylor de Oliveira corner Rua dos Têxteis, Distrito Cidade Tiradentes.

There are three other local bus terminals in the area (Penha de França, São Mateus, São Miguel Paulista), but they close between 00:00 and 04:00, as it is also the case with the railway stations. The stations and terminals are safe, patrolled by guards. They often contain some snack bar inside and stall vendors at the entrance, though they may be closed from midnight to four Hours. If happening to reach a terminal or station that is closing or already closed, without any more buses or trains to the city centre, just spend the remaining night hours at the entrance, befriending the guards.

It will only be four hours in the worst scenario. Brazilians are helpful people, and realising that You are a foreign visitor and not a local beggar, they will likely allow Your waiting under some protective structure in case of rain. Do not walk away from the guards, as the surrounding streets are often dangerous at night. Once they open the station or terminal, thank them and take the first train or bus bound for the city centre. Do not photograph the facilities or themselves without their permission. They will probably speak only Portuguese.

Connect
In 2012 the Brazilian branch of the Spanish Telefonica bought the Brazilian Vivo, one of the main mobile telephone companies in Brazil. Because of the bad reputation that Telefonica has always had (number one in customer complaints of any company in Brazil), it was decided to drop completely the infamous name "Telefonica" and use the name "Vivo" instead. As "Vivo", therefore, the former Telefonica continues telephone operation of fix land lines, and it has also assumed all the mobile numbers that had belonged to Vivo, but it has closed the few public locutories that existed. By law the company is required to keep in operation public telephone booths, known as "telefones públicos" and popularly as "orelhões", due to their form. Many people lack their own telephones and are forced to use booths. The calls are paid by telephone cards bought at news stands, some bars or shops, some railway stations and bus terminals. There are plenty of telephone booths, but poorly maintained.

For Internet access there are many small LAN houses with a few computers rented for one or more hours, and a shorter number of Internet cafés with better resources. These ones are predominantly in or near shopping centres. Public Internet access is available for free at libraries and at Telecentros that belong to the Local Government, at Infocentros that belong to the State Government, and at some other official institutions such as CEU or Poupa Tempo. This free public service is intended for residents, not for visitors, but in practice they do not really mind to let any person use it, if they have some computer inactive at that moment. However, in their typical Brazilian bureaucratic fashion, all these services will demand to see some identity document of the person wishing to use the computer, and to fill an application form. Even private LAN houses or Internet cafés will request this formality, unheard of in Europe or in North America.

In the general trend to privatisation of services in Brazil, the postal service is operated by the private Correios company, which has several offices in the area (usually in the historical centre of Distritos such as Itaquera or São Miguel Paulista, but not always), and with street post boxes painted in yellow colour. The post boxes can be used for sending letters, post cards, or other postal items of small size, but always with the correct postage or higher. Most of them are collected twice or thrice per week, some are collected daily, except Sundays or holidays. For parcels, printed matter, or other items of bigger size, or in case of not knowing the correct postage for a certain destination, it is necessary or recommended to go to a post office. They have a limited opening time, and they are closed on Sundays or on holidays. Besides, the vast majority of their personnel speaks only Portuguese. Some post offices offer a few minutes of free Internet access, without any bureaucratic requirements.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: São Paulo/Far East


text:
São Paulo/Far South

Far South is a region of São Paulo. It is the largest region of the municipality of São Paulo, and although the second most populous, it is by far the least densely populated. A large portion of the region is covered by forest, farms and water (the Guarapiranga and Billings water reservoirs). For a visitor, the Far South offers options that cannot be found anywhere else in the municipality, like doing nautical sports, watching F1 races, meditating in a Messianic temple, visiting indigenous tribes, and even watching the sea on the top of Serra do Mar.

The Far South is divided in 12 districts, grouped in 5 subprefectures:
 * Campo Limpo: Capão Redondo, Campo Limpo, Vila Andrade
 * M'boi Mirim: Jardim São Luís, Jardim Ângela
 * Socorro: Socorro, Cidade Dutra, Grajaú
 * Cidade Ademar: Cidade Ademar, Pedreira
 * Parelheiros: Parelheiros, Marsilac

Understand
The Far South region corresponds to the peripheric area of the extinguished municipality of Santo Amaro. In the beginning of the 19th century, German immigrants established farms in the region that would become known as Parelheiros. Not much would happen until the beginning of the 20th century, when the Guarapiranga and Billings water reservoirs were constructed with the goal of supplying water to São Paulo. The reservoirs gave the region unmatched beauty and leisure potential in the city. Many attempts to attract wealthy people to live in the area have been made by that time, but they only met partial success.

The real change would happen in the second half of the 20th century, following the industrial and commercial growth of Santo Amaro. Working class suburbs, mostly populated by migrants from the Northeast of Brazil, started to form around the water reservoirs. The growth was fast, chaotic, and not followed by proper governmental action. Irregular occupations, destruction of nature areas, pollution of water, and formation of numerous slums (favela's) took place. In contrast with the South Central, which is a predominantly wealthy region with some poor areas, the Far South became a predominantly poor region with pockets of wealth, like the Panamby and Riviera Paulista neighborhoods, respectively in the Vila Andrade ad Jardim São Luís districts. In parallel to that, Japanese immigrants settled in the farms of Parelheiros, where they founded the Solo Sagrado of the Church of the World Messianity, one of the region's major attractions.

Efforts to deal with the social and environmental problems of the region are underway. The shores of Guarapiranga and Billings are being gradually turned into public parks, which both protects them from residential occupation and offers additional leisure options to the inhabitants of the region. These parks are, however, controversial among environmentalists, as some of them argue that the primary purpose of the reservoirs is to supply quality water to the city and not provide leisure, with the goals being sometimes at odds with each other. Guarapirange is very popular for nautical sports like sailing, windsurf, wakeboard and rowing, and Billings for fishing.

Parelheiros and Marsilac (which compose 24% of the area of the municipality) are still mostly covered by preserved rainforest, as are known as the Amazônia Paulistana. Most of their area is now under protection of environmental laws, and their natural beauty have attracted the attention of ecotourism companies.

By public transport
As one may expect from a large and sparsely populated region, public transport is quite limited in the Far South. Line 9-Emerald is the main rail connection of the region to the rest of the city, and does not go beyond the north of the Grajaú district. The bus network is decent, but not very convenient if you want to visit more than a single place.

These are the metro and train stations located at each district:
 * Cidade Dutra: Autódromo, Primavera-Interlagos
 * Grajaú: Grajaú
 * Vila Andrade: Giovanni Gronchi, Vila das Belezas
 * Campo Limpo: Campo Limpo
 * Capão Redondo: Capão Redondo

By car
A car is recommended to seriously explore the surroundings of the Guarapiranga/Billings reservoirs and the Amazônia Paulistana. The Marginal Pinheiros and the Corredor Norte-Sul reach the north of the region. After that, it is necessary to take Corredor Santo Amaro-Rio Bonito-Parelheiros, composed by Avs. Atlântica, Sen. Teotônio Vilela and Sadamu Inoue.

Be aware that many roads in Parelheiros and Marsilac are not pavemented, so have a car prepared for that, especially if there is possibility of rain.

By a guided tour
If you don't feel particularly adventurous or don't have much time for planning, it is probably better (and safer) to hire one of the ecotourism agencies that operate in the region. They will typically have transport departing from more central regions of the city.

Amazônia Paulistana
The districts of Parelheiros, Marsilac and Grajaú contain three protected nature areas. They are open for ecotourism. Their tourist information center is located at Av. Senador Teotônio Vilela, 8000,.

Do

 * Go to Guarapiranga or Billings for a boat ride, nautical sports (jet skiing, windsurf, wakeboard, kitesurf), or fishing at one of the various private clubs in the region.
 * Go trekking at APA Capivari-Monos or Parque Estadual Serra do mar.

Stay safe
The Far South was once known as the "Triangle of Death" due to its reputation for violent crime. With a combined effort of the public power and of the local communities, homicides have sharply decreased, probably more than any other part of the city. The Far South, remains, however, being the most violent region of the municipality.

Most crimes are related to internal affairs of local communities, and are unlikely to target a visitor that does not get involved with these affairs. Still, a visitor must keep in mind that many, if not most neighborhoods in the region are extremely poor, and it is not difficult at all to stand out. If you are visiting or passing through these communities, it is better to have the guidance of someone who lives in the region or knows it very well. If you don't know anybody, consider guided tours of trustworthy tourism agencies.

title: São Paulo/Far South


text:
São Paulo/Northeast

Northeast is a region of São Paulo. A rural area turned residential, it is now known for its large exposition and event centers, and many of the city's largest events, including the São Paulo Carnaval Parade, happen here. A no less important feature of the region are its nature areas, including Parque Estadual da Cantareira, one of the largest urban forests of the World.

The Northeast is divided in 11 districts, grouped in 4 subprefecutes:
 * Casa Verde/Cachoeirinha subprefecture: Cachoeirinha, Limão, Casa Verde
 * Santana/Tucuruvi subprefecture: Mandaqui, Tucuruvi, Santana
 * Tremembé/Jaçanã subprefecture: Tremembé, Jaçanã
 * Vila Maria/Vila Guilherme subprefecture: Vila Medeiros, Vila Guilherme, Vila Maria

Understand
The occupation of the Northeast started with rural properties, which later evolved into residential neighborhoods. Since the 19th century, the main link of the region with the Center is Ponte das Bandeiras, and the district of Santana, in the north side of the bridge, has became the "center" of the 1.35 million people region.

Santana is the true "event arena" of São Paulo, being home to Parque Anhembi, a 400,000-m² area for all kinds of events, plus other smaller event centers and areas. Popular celebrations and manifestations take place at Praça Campo de Bagatelle and Praça Heróis da FEB. Besides, Santana contains the wealthiest residencial areas of the region, plus most (or almost all) of the Northeast's gastronomy and nightlife.

But there are of course reasons to go beyond Santana. These includes historical constructions from the region's rural period, the various Carnaval groups, and the largest park contained in São Paulo metropolitan area, the Parque Estadual da Cantareira. This is composed of millions of square meters of preserved rainforest, and offers some breathtaking views of the city.

By public transport
The Northeast isn't well-covered by the rail network, with all metro stations located in two districts:
 * Santana: Portuguesa-Tietê, Carandiru, Santana, Jardim São Paulo
 * Tucuruvi: Parada Inglesa, Tucuruvi

For all other areas, taking a bus is required. In many events that happen in the Northeast, there is a number of dedicated buses going from the Tietê station to these events, so reaching them using public transport shouldn't be a problem.

By car
The Marginal Tietê, that runs on the shores of the Tietê river, links the Northeast to the West and the East of the city, and Corredor Norte-Sul links it to the Center and the South. A car is probably the best way to reach Parque da Cantareira.

Get around
A visitor that goes to the Northeast will probably stay most of the time in the district of Santana (where most attractions, as well as most metro stations, are), so going around should be easy, either on foot or by public transport.

The north part of the region (where Parque da Cantareira and Horto Florestal are) is extremely hilly, so going to it on foot or by bicycle is not so easy as it may seem on the map.

Sports, hobbies and cultural activities
The Northeast offers some interesting options for those who will stay more than a couple of days in the city. Besides the various Carnaval groups, the region offers, through the Campo de Marte airport, activities for those interested in aircraft and aviation.

Brazilian food

 * Mocotó - Avenida Nossa Sra. do Loreto, 1100 - Santana - +55 11 2951-3056
 * Mocotó - Avenida Nossa Sra. do Loreto, 1100 - Santana - +55 11 2951-3056

Japanese food

 * Joy Sushi - Rua José Doll de Morais, 70 - Alto de Santana - +55 11 2950-0987
 * Matsuya Restaurante Japonês - Avenida Águas de São Pedro, 848 - Tucuruvi - +55 11 2283-1080
 * Joy Sushi - Rua José Doll de Morais, 70 - Alto de Santana - +55 11 2950-0987
 * Matsuya Restaurante Japonês - Avenida Águas de São Pedro, 848 - Tucuruvi - +55 11 2283-1080
 * Matsuya Restaurante Japonês - Avenida Águas de São Pedro, 848 - Tucuruvi - +55 11 2283-1080

Drink
Nightlife areas:
 * Avenida Brás Leme.
 * Avenida Engenheiro Caetano Álvares.
 * Avenida Luís Dumont Villares.
 * Rua Dr. César
 * Alto de Santana neighboorhood: (Ruas Pedro Doll, Francisca Júlia, Voluntários da Pátria, and Rua Antônio Pereira de Sousa).
 * Bar do Luiz Fernandes - Rua Augusto Tolle, 610 - Alto de Santana - +55 11 2976-3556 One of the most traditional bars in São Paulo.
 * Bar do Luiz Fernandes - Rua Augusto Tolle, 610 - Alto de Santana - +55 11 2976-3556 One of the most traditional bars in São Paulo.
 * Bar do Luiz Fernandes - Rua Augusto Tolle, 610 - Alto de Santana - +55 11 2976-3556 One of the most traditional bars in São Paulo.
 * Bar do Luiz Fernandes - Rua Augusto Tolle, 610 - Alto de Santana - +55 11 2976-3556 One of the most traditional bars in São Paulo.
 * Bar do Luiz Fernandes - Rua Augusto Tolle, 610 - Alto de Santana - +55 11 2976-3556 One of the most traditional bars in São Paulo.

Stay safe
The Northeast is pretty much average in terms of criminality, so use the recommendations that apply to the rest of São Paulo. There are, however, some dangerous areas, especially in poor neighborhoods in the north part of the region, near the area of Parque da Cantareira.

The streets in Santana and Vila Guilherme close to Marginal Tietê aren't particularly safe when they become deserted, especially during the night. So, when walking to (or back from) an event in the area, try to follow other people walking from (or to) the metro station. This shouldn't be a problem in large scale events. If this is not possible, taking a bus or a taxi to the metro station may be a good idea.

title: São Paulo/Northeast


text:
São Paulo/Northwest

Northwest is a region of São Paulo. It is mostly suburban and residencial (a "Dormitory City") similar to the Far East, with the difference that considerable portions of the region remain rural or unoccupied. Among these portions, we have Parque Anhanguera and Parque Estadual do Jaraguá, two of the largest and most important nature areas of the city.

The region is divided in 7 districts, grouped into 3 subprefectures:
 * Perus subprefecture: Perus, Anhanguera
 * Pirituba subprefecture: Pirituba, São Domingos, Jaraguá
 * Brasilândia-Freguesia do Ó subprefecture: Brasilândia, Freguesia do Ó

Understand
The first settlers of the Northwest region were explorers (Bandeirantes) searching for gold at Pico do Jaraguá, which they would never find. The first church, Nossa Senhora do Ó, would be raised in 1615 and would give origin to a village that today is the neighborhood of Freguesia do Ó. For a long time, the Northwest would remain as a rural region.

The expansion and economic growth of São Paulo would eventually turn the Northwest into a "Dormitory City", with abundance of residences but few availability of employment. In thas sense, the Northwest is similar to the Far East region, but with more contrast. The part of the region closer to the city center, including Freguesia do Ó and Pirituba, is in the process of real estate valorization and verticalization, with middle class and wealthy neighborhoods becoming predominant. Far from the city center, like in Perus, Jaraguá, Anhanguera and Brasilândia, some extremely poor neighborhoods and villages can be found.

But despite the advance of human occupation, the region has still large unoccupied areas. Three of them have been turned into public parks: Parque Estadual do Jaraguá, Parque Anhanguera, and part of Parque Estadual da Cantareira. The first of them contains Pico do Jaraguá, the highest point of the city and probably the primary reason to visit to region.

Like the Far East, the Northwest is also waiting for something big to happen. In the end of 2011, the municipality announced the construction of a 5 million square meters convention center (more than 3 times the size of Parque Ibirapuera) in the region. Besides spaces for events, this convention center is also expected to contain hotels, leisure areas, and a CBD.

By public transport
The Northwest is the only region of the city that does not contain metro stations. It is attended by a single surface train line, Line 7-Ruby. These are stations located at each district:
 * Pirituba: Piqueri, Pirituba, Vila Clarice
 * Jaraguá: Jaraguá
 * Perus: Perus

By car
Given that the region is sparse and public transport is somewhat limited, a car is a preferable means of transport to a visitor. Marginal Tietê connects the region to the Center, Norheast, Southeast and Far East, and Marginal Pinheiros to the West, South Central and Far South. The Anhanguera motorway transverses the region in Southeast to Northwest direction.

Do
Take a walk or bicycle to top of the mountains.

Buy
Unlike all other regions of São Paulo, the Northwest does not contain any large shopping mall, not even in wealthier areas like Pirituba. Street commerce culture is predominant.

Eat
There is a concentration of eateries and restaurants at Largo Matriz de Nossa Senhora do Ó (in Freguesia do Ó), a square reminiscent of the city center of small towns in the countryside of São Paulo, containing a church and surrounded by bars and restaurants.

Drink
The Largo Matriz de Nossa Senhora do Ó is also where the most popular bars of the region are located.

Sleep
Given that the region is sparse, it is difficult to find hotels quickly. There are some mid-range options available in Perus and Anhanguera. Due to its scenic beauty, there are a couple of luxury hotels approaching the developed areas.

Stay safe
The region's northern half, composed of Anhanguera, Perus, Jaraguá and Brasilândia, is infamous for violent crime. Homicides are usually related to internal affairs of communities and not likely to target to visitor, but even so, caution and proper guidance to visit neighborhoods in the area is recommended.

The southern and more middle-class half of the region (Pirituba, São Domingos and Freguesia do Ó) is less problematic. Use the guidelines that apply to the rest of São Paulo.

title: São Paulo/Northwest


text:
Paranapiacaba

Paranapiacaba is a city on the edge of Grande São Paulo. It is part of Santo André, but is quite remote from the city itself.

Understand
Paranapiacaba is actually in a neighboring county on the outskirts of the city, towards the coast. It is a historical village and railroad station nestled in the Atlantic rain forest at the top of the Serra do Mar range, the last stop before trains descend the Serra do Mar to the coast.

The district is southeast of greater São Paulo (latitude south 23° 46'; longitude east 46° 21'; altitude 796 m). The area is 4.81 km² (village) and 83.22 km² (district). The population is 2,131 in the village, 3,885 in the entire district. The weather is in between subtropical and alpine, marked by morning fog, due to the high altitude.

Weather
The village usually has extreme weather conditions, usually very different from the weather on the Highlands. Winters tend to be relatively hot and sunny, while summers are usually defined by very wet days with blankets of dense fog. The wearing of mosquito repellent is advisable, especially in winter.

Get in
To get to Paranapiacaba, take the urban train from Luz Station in downtown São Paulo to Rio Grande da Serra. The train leaves every 20 min or so.

From outside the train station in Rio Grande da Serra, next to the drug store, catch the bus to Paranapiacaba. Despite being a train station itself, no passenger trains actually go to Paranapiacaba, only freight trains on their way to and from the port in Santos.

See
Most of the village was built by the English (many of the materials came from Europe), and the historical part of the village is in the typical English style with colourful houses made of wood. There is a scale replica of Big Ben on the main train platform, that was part of the original train station and the rail yards are somewhat of a train graveyard, with many rusting old wrecks that one can look through. There is also a railroad museum.

It is a very pleasing place both for railfans (it's the only place in Brazil that still has electric locomotives moving freight) and nature lovers, providing easy access to the rain forest of the Serra do Mar.

Do
The surrounding rainforest is a State Park and offers many excellent hiking opportunities, including a 15km hike right down to the coast, through the Vale do Quilombo. The hiring of guides is a good idea, since the rainforest is dense and people have been known to get lost; you can do this through the Paranapiacaba Environmental Monitors' Association, (11) 4439-0155, or ask around in the village. Paranapiacaba is familiar enough with tourism and the locals are friendly and happy to help; though as with most of the area, English is not widely spoken.

During the holidays and weekends there is a Steam Locomotive that provides a ride in the yard. Look also for a platform: during sunny days it is possible to see the Atlantic Ocean and the industrial installations of the coastal city of Cubatão.

Buy
There are several shops that sells memorabilia and clothes, but most of them are closed in the weekdays. Paranapiacaba is also a popular place for artists: several of them keeps their shops and ateliers there.

Eat
There are plenty of little restaurants and snack bars in town where you can eat something.

It's a nice & simple "por kilo" in the center called "Beija Flor" where you can observe hummingbirds!

Another options is "Casa do Tio César" Rua Antônio Olintho, 489 - Parte Baixa - Vila de Paranapiacaba Telefone: (11)4439-0281 c/ Cesar

Sleep
There are some simple guesthouses in and around the village, if you want to spend a couple of days, which is a good idea if you intend to go hiking.

title: Paranapiacaba


text:
São Paulo/Paulista

Paulista region (Região da Paulista) is commonly used by people of São Paulo to refer to the area around Avenida Paulista. The term is subjective, as Av. Paulista crosses different neighborhoods, districts, and even different regions. To avoid redundancy with other sections, this guide will refer to the places contained in Av. Paulista and up to 4 blocks from it in transversal direction.

Understand
The 2.8-km-long Avenida Paulista is located between the Center (the "old" city) and the west (the "modern" city) and almost predictably, the avenue looks like a perfect blend between the old and modern faces of São Paulo, with historical architecture coexisting with glass skyscrapers.

The avenue is crowded day and night, with people from all ages, social classes, and ethnic backgrounds. On the avenue and in the streets surrounding it, you can find many shopping malls, restaurants, food courts, pubs, cafés, cinemas, theaters and cultural centers, from all price ranges.

But Paulista is much more than just a tourist attraction or an entertainment and shopping area. Paulista remains one of the most important business centers of the city, and it is also home to a number of education institutions. During lunch time, the food courts and restaurants are packed with workers and students from the area, who move to the pubs, cinemas and cafés when released from their daily tasks.

Perhaps Paulista is not a perfect summary of São Paulo, but represents what the city wants to be: a cosmopolitan place, filled with people who are always working hard and rushing, who are different from each other but can forget their differences and feel proud of being Paulistanos.

By metro and train
The rail network is the most practical way to get to Avenida Paulista. The avenue contains stations Consolação, Trianon-Masp and Brigadeiro of Line 2-Green of Metrô. Station Paulista of line 4-Yellow (connected underground to Consolação station) and station Paraíso of line 1-Blue are very close the avenue.

By bus
Many buses pass through Avenida Paulista and nearby streets. Generally, the metro is fastest and more reliable, making buses attractive only if your place of stay is far from a metro or train station. An exception is if you are staying near the dedicated bus corridor Av. Rebouças-Francisco Morato; in this case, you can easily reach Paulista by taking buses in the corridor.

By car
Going by car to Av. Paulista on weekdays should be avoided. Traffic is intense, often even outside peak hours, and parking can be ridiculously expensive. On weekends, Paulista is often closed for demonstrations and events.

See

"Old" Av. Paulista
These are buildings and landmarks constructed before Conjunto Nacional (1953).

"New" Av. Paulista
These are remarkable buildings and landmarks that were constructed after Conjunto Nacional.

Do

 * Walk Avenida Paulista from one end to another. Although the main landmarks and shopping areas are in the avenue, the best restaurants and pubs are in the surrounding streets, so take a peek on them too.
 * Walk Rua Augusta either in direction of the Center or the West, and see how the theme of the street change as you move from one region to another: "decadent/sexual" in the Center, "cultural/bohemian" in Paulista, and "luxurious" in the West.
 * Watch a cult movie. Movie theaters of non-mainstream movies include:
 * Go the theater. Performances are usually in Portuguese. Check the theatres' websites for performances:
 * Go the theater. Performances are usually in Portuguese. Check the theatres' websites for performances:
 * Go the theater. Performances are usually in Portuguese. Check the theatres' websites for performances:
 * Go the theater. Performances are usually in Portuguese. Check the theatres' websites for performances:
 * Go the theater. Performances are usually in Portuguese. Check the theatres' websites for performances:
 * Go the theater. Performances are usually in Portuguese. Check the theatres' websites for performances:

Shopping malls and areas
Most shops are concentrated in Avenida Paulista and Rua Augusta. There you can find many shop galleries selling everything you can imagine (clothes, accessories, handcraft, books, natural products, games, electronics of reliable and unreliable origin), as well as stores from major international and Brazilian chains (such as FNAC, Renner, JNE Info and Marisa). Besides, there is a number of shopping malls, typically offering services other than shops (such as food courts, banks, pharmacies and cinemas):

Splurge

 * Trebbiano,Alameda Campinas, 266, 11 2183-0500, Lunch and Dinner with glamour and style. ..
 * Trebbiano,Alameda Campinas, 266, 11 2183-0500, Lunch and Dinner with glamour and style. ..
 * Trebbiano,Alameda Campinas, 266, 11 2183-0500, Lunch and Dinner with glamour and style. ..
 * Trebbiano,Alameda Campinas, 266, 11 2183-0500, Lunch and Dinner with glamour and style. ..

Drink

 * Prainha, Alameda Joaquim Eugênio de Lima x Av. Paulista
 * Prainha, Alameda Joaquim Eugênio de Lima x Av. Paulista
 * Prainha, Alameda Joaquim Eugênio de Lima x Av. Paulista
 * Prainha, Alameda Joaquim Eugênio de Lima x Av. Paulista

Stay safe
Avenida Paulista and some surrounding streets, such as Augusta and Frei Caneca, are generally safer than most parts of São Paulo, due to the ostensive policing and high flux of people. During the night it is better to avoid the empty streets, and be aware of large groups of homeless people, which have been increasing.

The avenue has become known for its frequency of large scale protests, often of political nature. While these are not dangerous per se, things often turn awry and it is better to stay away from them if you have no business with them.

title: São Paulo/Paulista


text:
São Paulo/South Central

South Central is a region of São Paulo. It is the wealthiest region of the city on average, although it does contain some poorer areas, especially in the extreme south.

The region contains residential, commercial and a few industrial areas. Its residential areas are highly verticalized, and nowadays contain some of the most expensive places to live in the city. The region's main landmark and attraction is Parque do Ibirapuera, one of the largest and most important areas of green, leisure and culture of the city. The region also contains the gigantic Morumbi Shopping-Shopping Market Place commercial center, an indoor commercial center with more than 600 shops and dozens of restaurants, one of the favorite places of high-income consumers in the city.

The South Central region is composed of 7 districts, grouped in 3 subprefectures:
 * Vila Mariana subprefecture: Vila Mariana, Moema, Saúde
 * Santo Amara subprefecture: Campo Belo, Santo Amaro, Campo Grande
 * Jabaquara subprefecture: Jabaquara.

''Note: Avenida Paulista is partly in the South Central region. For places on this avenue and up to 4 blocks from it, check the São Paulo/Paulista section.''

Understand
Although the South Central looks more or less homogeneous when compared to its contrast-filled neighbors, it may be separated in two areas in terms of history. The north and east part of the district (Vila Mariana, Moema, Saúde e Jabaquara) emerged with the growth of São Paulo in south direction, and are strongly residential with middle to high class neighborhoods, with high level of verticalization. These districts contain a large number of descendants of Japanese immigrants, who typically have moved from other parts of the city after their social ascension. Annually, the region hosts the Festival do Japão, the largest event of the Japanese community of São Paulo.

The southwest part of the district (Santo Amaro, Campo Belo and Campo Grande) were until 1935 part of the municipality of Santo Amaro, which also included what today is São Paulo's Far South region. Santo Amaro was the center of this municipality, and remains until the present the day as the "center more important than the center" for many people that live in the districts corresponding to the extinguished municipality. Today, Santo Amaro, Campo Belo and Campo Grande form an important business and industrial area for São Paulo, and that is where the Congonhas Airport is located. However, the continuous expansion of São Paulo in south direction has resulted in residential growth to also "invade" these districts.

By Metro and train
The South Central region is served by three Metro lines; Lilac, Blue, and Green and one train line, Emerald. These are the Metro and train stations located at each district:
 * Vila Mariana: Paraíso, Ana Rosa, Vila Mariana, Hospital São Paulo, Santa Cruz, Chácara Klabin
 * Saúde: Praça da Árvore, Saúde-Ultrafarma, São Judas
 * Jabaquara: Conceição, Jabaquara
 * Santo Amaro: Borba Gato, Alto da Boa Vista, Adolfo Pinheiro, Largo Treze, Santo Amaro, Socorro, Morumbi;
 * Campo Grande: Jurubatuba
 * Moema: Eucaliptos, Moema, AACD–Servidor
 * Campo Belo: Brooklyn, Campo Belo

By car
Most parts of the region can be reached by car from Corredor Norte-Sul, originating from the Center, '''Av. dos Bandeirantes, originating from the West, and Av. Dr. Ricardo Jafet''', originating from the Southeast. Depending on where you are and where do you want to go other ways may be more efficient.

By bus
For buses, check the SPTrans website for routes and itineraries (only in Portuguese).

Get around
The metro, train, bus and car are the natural way of getting around in the region. Outside Parque do Ibirapuera, the South Central is not great in terms of sightseeing and has not many interesting places to be explored on foot.

On foot
Visitors who want to see less cars and more people may explore the area of Largo 13 de Maio, the de facto "city center" of the extinguished municipality of Santo Amaro. For those who prefer more upscale places, one option is Avenida Ibirapuera and its surroundings, in Moema.

By bicycle
Cycleway Marginal Pinheiros (see São Paulo main section) is partly located in the South Central. There are also approximately 3.3 km of cycleways in Moema, located at Av. Pavão, Av. Rouxinol and Av. Iraí, that all cross Av. Ibirapuera. There are other 6.5 km of "cycle routes" in the same region, where cyclists have preference but not a dedicated lane.

A large portion of Ciclofaixa de Lazer (see São Paulo main article) is also in the South Central region and it is a great way to explore the region on two wheels.

Theaters and concert halls
A list of performances being carried in the city (and a full list of theatres) can be found in various websites, including:, , ; it is better to choose the theatre by the performance you want to see.

Buy
One cannot be in the South Central region and be far from a large shopping center. The diversity of the shopping scene is also fascinating, from the affluent and indoor Morumbi Shopping-Market Place, to the popular and outdoor Largo 13 de Maio area, both in the district of Santo Amaro.

Eat
In the South Central area, many bars are also known for serving good food, so be sure to check also the section.

If you are on budget, you should try popular snacks (salgados) including esfiha's, empadas and pastéis. Good places to eat those can be found in the district of Vila Mariana, in and near R. Domingos de Morais, including: Rancho da Empada, Yokoyama, Jaber, Árabe Alhabeb and Pastel Croc 30.

In Moema, plenty of restaurants are located around Av. Ibirapuera, between Av. Indianópolis and Av. dos Bandeirantes. Many restaurants can also be found in the underground floor of Morumbi Shopping.

Drink
In Moema, focus on Lavandisca Avenue and its surroundings: there are several bars, both modern and traditional, as well as Italian cantinas. On the other side of the neighborhood, go to Anapurus Avenue. Good options are beer on tap at Bar do Giba on Moaci Avenue, or at Original, on Graúna Street, and pizza served at the nearby Braz restaurant. Moema is also famous for being home to most swinger clubs in the city.

In the district of Vila Mariana, good local bars are located at Rua Joaquim Távora, specially between crossing streets R. Rio Grande and R. Áurea.

Stay safe
Vila Mariana, Campo Grande, and the surroundings of Parque do Ibirapuera are relatively safe, at least for São Paulo standards. However, Santo Amaro and Jabaquara are known for considerably high criminality, especially robberies. In particular, extra care is advised in the commercial center of Santo Amaro (around Largo 13 de Maio), although the area used to be much more dangerous in the past.

Campo Belo, Saúde, and the surroundings of Av. Ibirapuera have crime rates more or less in the average of the city, so use the general safety guidelines for the city of São Paulo.

title: São Paulo/South Central


text:
São Paulo/Southeast

Southeast is a region of São Paulo. It can be described as a "transition zone" between its three surrounding regions: the Historic Center (the Downtown), the "City of New Rich" (the South Central) and the "City of Workers" (the Far East), mixing characteristics of these three regions. In the past, the region was an industrial and working class residencial area, with population mostly composed of foreign immigrants.

The Southeast is divided into 15 districts, grouped into four subprefectures:
 * Mooca subprefecture: Pari, Brás, Belém, Tatuapé, Mooca, Água Rasa.
 * Ipiranga subprefecture: Ipiranga, Cursino, Sacomã.
 * Aricanduva subprefecture: Carrão, Vila Formosa, Aricanduva.
 * Sapopemba-Vila Prudente subprefecture: Vila Prudente, São Lucas, Sapopemba.

Understand
In the first half of the 20th century, the Southeast was mostly occupied by industries and working class neighborhoods, with a large number of foreign immigrants. During São Paulo's great economic and populational growth during the second half of the 20th century, industries have been replaced by services, or moved to peripherical areas of the city. Foreign immigrants and their descendants advanced to middle and high social classes.

Nowadays, the Southeast remains heavily populated by immigrants and their descendants, mostly Italians, but also Spanish, Japanese (most from Okinawa), Portuguese, Lithuanian, Lebanese, Koreans and Yugoslavians. There is also a large number of migrants from the Northeast of the country. Verticalization is accelerate and progressing towards the east part of the region. This is attracting shops and restaurants to the area, but it is also causing problems, including increase of traffic and pollution.

Besides, buildings from the industrial era of the region are disappearing, with a significant number of them only remaining in the Brás and Belém districts. Tatuapé is the center of gastronomy, shopping and nightlife in the Southeast, and Museu do Ipiranga, probably the most beautiful museum of the entire São Paulo state, is one of the primary reasons to visit the region.

Brás is also one of the busiest centers of popular commerce in São Paulo, and it is particularly important for the Christian Pentecostal community: the district is home to the central churches of Congregação Cristã and Igreja Mundial do Poder de Deus, and the new colossal cathedral of Igreja Universal do Reino de Deus, a replica of King Solomon's temple, is being constructed there.

By metro and train
These are the metro and train stations located at each district:
 * Brás: Brás, Bresser-Mooca
 * Belém: Belém
 * Cursino: Imigrantes
 * Ipiranga: Alto do Ipiranga
 * Mooca: Mooca
 * Tatuapé: Tatuapé, Carrão
 * Vila Prudente: Ipiranga, Tamanduateí, Vila Prudente, Sacomã

By bus
8 of the 15 districts have no metro/train stations, making the bus the only available public transport to reach them. Some attractions are also not really close (or not close at all) to a metro/train station.

By car
The Radial Leste-Oeste links the Southeast to the Far East and Center regions, Marginal Tietê links it to the Northeast, and '''Av. Dr. Ricardo Javet, together with Av. Pres. Tancredo Neves''', links it to the South Central.

By bicycle
Cycleway Radial Leste (see São Paulo main section) is partly located in the Southeast. The other cycleway is:

Football and other sports
The association with football (soccer) is one of the most remarkable traits of the Southeast. The region is home to Corinthians Sport Club, the most popular football club of the state (and 2nd most popular of Brazil), Associação Portuguesa de Desportos, a club that also usually runs in the 1st division, associated with the Portuguese community, and Clube Atlético Juventus, a minor but traditional club, that is part of the history of the Italian community of the city. Besides football clubs, these clubs are also general sport and social clubs, so associating with them may be a good idea if plan to stay a long time in the city.

Buy
The Southeast has a rich and diverse shopping scene, not much behind Downtown, West and South Central.

Eat

Stay safe
The Southeast is relatively safe, and as proven by crime statistics, it is actually the safest region of São Paulo. The only area which is more dangerous than the average of the city is Vila Heliópolis, in the district of Sacomã, a neighborhood that was once the largest favela of São Paulo.

Brás used to be a dangerous area in the past. Although there are still some run-down areas (typically the areas occupied by abandoned factories), today, the commercial center is relatively safe. Watch your belongings as in any crowded area.

title: São Paulo/Southeast


text:
São Paulo/West Side

West is a region in São Paulo. If the Downtown represents the São Paulo of the past, probably no other region represents the São Paulo of present day as well as the West. Although it contains only 7.7% of the population of the municipality, the West is by far the most economically active region, concentrating 28.5% of the jobs. And with little doubt, the West is the place to be in the city for dining, drinking, clubbing, art, culture, business and science.

However, despite its reputation as a "wealthy" area, the West is also the region where São Paulo's social inequalities are most blatant. Here it is possible to find everything, from mansions and luxurious apartments to working class suburbs and slums (favelas), with extremes sometimes quite close to each other.

The West is divided into 15 districts, grouped into three subprefectures:
 * Lapa subprefecture: Jaguará, Jaguaré, Vila Leopoldina, Lapa, Barra Funda and Perdizes.
 * Butantã subprefecture: Rio Pequeno, Butantã, Raposo Tavares, Vila Sônia and Morumbi.
 * Pinheiros subprefecture: Alto de Pinheiro, Pinheiros, Jardim Paulista and Itaim Bibi.

''Note: Avenida Paulista is partly on the West. For places in this avenue and up to 4 blocks from it, check the São Paulo/Paulista section.''

Understand
Although neither the largest nor the most populous region of the city, the West is a probably the most diverse. The districts described below are the ones that have more attractions for a visitor, although many attractions listed in this page are in other districts.
 * Butantã — The life in this former farming area changed during the early 1900s, with the coming from Instituto Butantan and University of São Paulo. Butantã turned into a middle-class suburban area, whose real estate is quickly rising in value.
 * Barra Funda — For decades, this district carried industrial activity and was home to Italian immigrants who worked in the factories. After the decline of industry, many areas become degraded, but the population became more diversified and cultural activity has intensified. Today, Barra Funda has economically recovered and is home to many attractions, and it is emerging as a new center of nightlife in the city.
 * Itaim Bibi — For most of the past century, the neighborhoods of this district, like Brooklin and Vila Olímpia, were calm and residential, strongly influenced by German and Italian immigrants who lived in little ranches. The constant expansion of the city on a northeast-southwest direction, combined with government investment, made the region the new point for businesses, hotels and residences. As one may expect, the area also began to attract all kinds of service to cater to the richer people who moved here, including restaurants, bars, clubs and shopping malls.
 * Jardim Paulista (Jardins) — From Avenida Paulista, if you decide to go down on Rua Augusta towards river Pinheiros, you will find a sea of side streets named after countries of Europe and the Americas, full of trees and elegant houses (although some are hard to see, hidden behind tall walls). It is probably the area with the most expensive shops and restaurants in the city.
 * Morumbi — The district is home to the government of the state of São Paulo, and a large portion of the district is occupied by mansions, where many of the richest people of the city live. A number of favelas also exist, illustrating the social contrasts of São Paulo in an almost stereotypical manner. The quick growth of middle class apartments, as well as the expected coming of a monorail, are likely to change the characteristics of the district and are a matter of concern among its inhabitants.
 * Pinheiros — Vila Madalena and other neighborhoods of this district have become a hot spot for artists, writers, journalists, movie directors, intellectuals in general and, of course, wannabes in every one of these categories. It's not uncommon to run into a famous Brazilian artist – or nearly so – when casually drinking in a bar, leaving the supermarket or having an espresso.

By metro and train
The east side of the Pinheiros river is well-covered by the rail network. In the other side there is a single station (Butantã) although other are planned in Vila Sônia and Morumbi. These are metro and train stations in each district:
 * Alto de Pinheiros: Pinheiros, Cidade Universitária, Villa Lobos-Jaguaré
 * Barra Funda: Barra Funda
 * Butantã: Butantã
 * Itaim Bibi: Vila Olímpia, Berrini
 * Jardim Paulista: Consolação
 * Lapa: Domingos de Moraes, Lapa
 * Perdizes: Sumaré, Vila Madalena
 * Pinheiros: Hebraica-Rebouças, Cidade Jardim, Faria Lima
 * Vila Leopoldina: Ceasa, Imperatriz Leopoldina

By car
The West is connected to the Northwest, Northeast, South, and north part of the Southeast by Marginal Pinheiros, and to the South-Central and south part of the Southeast by Avenida dos Bandeirantes. Connection to the Historical Center and to the north part of the South-Central is made by non-express corridors, like Av. Rebouças, Av. Cidade Jardim and Av. Juscelino Kubitschek.

A car (or taxi) is particularly convenient to reach places in the west side of the Pinheiros river, and also to enjoy the nightlife as walking during the night is not recommended in most places (see ).

By bus
Other than car, buses are the only way to reach most places in the west side of the Pinheiros river. There is a dedicated bus corridor that crosses the West region in east-west direction, starting at the Historical Center and passing through Av. Rebouças and Av. Francisco Morato.

Get around
The West is a large region, with main attractions relatively spread. As such, using metro/train, buses or a car is recommended to extensively cover them. If you have a bit more time, however, some areas can be nicely explored on foot or on pedals.

By bicycle

 * Cycleway Marginal Pinheiros (see São Paulo main section) is partly located in the West.
 * A large portion of Ciclofaixa de Lazer (see São Paulo main article) is also in the West and can be used on Sundays.
 * A large portion of Ciclofaixa de Lazer (see São Paulo main article) is also in the West and can be used on Sundays.

On foot
Two nice areas to be explored on foot are the Itaim Bibi (see ) and Jardim Paulista districts. The two areas are relatively large, however, so it is a good idea to plan your walking route to pass through the most interesting museums, landmarks and shopping areas. Otherwise you may spend a lot of time in boring residential streets.

Skyscrapers

Museums and cultural centers
The campus of University of São Paulo (USP) in Butantã, Cidade Universitária, is home to 7 museums (only 3 described below: see the USP website for others). Pinheiros and Jardim Paulista are the place to find small and medium art galleries of local and international artists (not listed here). Combined with Memorial da América Latina, Instituto Tomie Ohtake, Instituto Butantan, and other museums and institutes, that makes the West possibly the city's most important area in terms of culture and science.

Learn

Shopping malls

Centro de São Paulo

 * Mercado Municipal de São Paulo, A must-see for tourists from all over Brazil and other countries, the officially named Municipal Market Paulistano, known by many just as Cantareira or Mercadão is one of the most traditional tourist spots in the city.

Jardim Paulista
Jardim Paulista is São Paulo's pearl of gastronomy, with many (if not most) of the best rated restaurants of the city here. Be aware, however, that great quality does not always mean great cost-benefit.

Drink
The neighborhood of Vila Olímpia, in Itaim Bibi, is São Paulo's most famous clubbing area, and Vila Madalena, in Pinheiros, is the place for die-hard Bohemians. Nightlife is also intense, although a bit more sparse, in the districts of the Lapa subprefecture (like Barra Funda, Lapa and Vila Leopoldina), and now these areas contain some of the best clubs of the city.

Butantã subprefecture
Most parties from the students of University of São Paulo happen inside the campus, or in other districts like Pinheiros (especially Vila Madalena) or Barra Funda. Outside the campus, the district of Butantã isn't really an exciting place, although lately there are a growing number of bars.

Pinheiros
The bizarrely named streets of Vila Madalena, such as Aspicuelta (who was a 16th century Spanish priest), Girassol (the sunflower) and Purpurina (glitter), are home to bars with something for everyone: there are “classic” pubs with Portuguese tiles on the walls serving super-chilled draught beer and bean soup, such as the Filial; some are homes away from home for journalists and soccer fans, such as São Cristóvão; and for the GLS (Gays, Lesbians and Sympathizers) crowds, Farol da Vila is a good bet.

Those who are fond of live music have several options, from samba to shows by future stars of Brazilian Popular Music—MPB. Even Father Aspicuelta used to have a little glass of wine after mass in some of the bars on “his” street, such as Posto 6 (in honor of Rio de Janeiro), Zé Menino (in honor of the port city of Santos) or Salve Jorge, that gives discounts to clients named Jorge. The search for the perfectly-chilled draught beer might take you to the nearby neighborhood of Lapa, where a happening nightlife scene is beginning to take hold.

Stay safe
Crime statistics in the West are more or less in the average of the city. However, richer neighborhoods like Pinheiros report a high number of kidnappings, specially express kidnappings - about 50% of express kidnappings in São Paulo happen in the West (see ).

There is no need to panic, though. The usual victims of these crimes are not visitors but Paulistanos, who like to show their expensive cars and possessions when going out. Do not imitate them. If you need a car to go clubbing or dining in the region, consider to take a cab or ride with a group of friends.

Acting like a reckless tourist, however, will bring you problems no matter if you look rich or not. Don't go to run-down areas or favelas, not even during the day. Don't walk during the night if you don't see people on the streets. Keep the number of a radio-taxi at hand.

Students of University of São Paulo are often robbed near the pedestrian-only entrances, even during the day. If you are going to the University, there is no need to avoid these entrances, but if you are using them, don't bring valuable items like laptops, tablets or your passport.

title: São Paulo/West Side


text:
São Sebastião

São Sebastião is a coastal city and a municipality on the North Coast of São Paulo. The city is known for its historical heritage and for the Maresias beach, part of the international surf circuit and regarded as "the Ipanema of São Paulo".

Understand
São Sebastião is a long and noncontiguous coastal area, offering an incredible number of beaches, the majority with a somewhat rustic aspect. In the beginning of the 1990s, its tropical climate and savage feel attracted wealthy Paulistas who, suffering with the infrastructure problems of the Baixada Santista, looked for calmer beaches and less congested roads. Nowadays, the reality of the chaotic traffic affects São Sebastião, but the municipality resists growth through laws, such as one that forbids the construction of tall buildings.

By bus
Intercity buses between São Paulo and São Sebastião are provided by Litorânea and can be taken from the Tietê intercity bus terminal. Note that there are two types of buses: one takes 3½ hr and another takes 5 hr 25 min, and they cost about the same, about R$70. There are also less frequent buses to Maresias and to the ferry boat to Ilhabela. Check the website for detailed information.

Normandy runs a bus from Paraty to São Sebastião twice daily.

By ride sharing
Many people offer the trip for R$35-40. Read more here.

By car
Coming from São Paulo, there are three routes of access.
 * Take SP-070 (Trabalhadores/Ayrton Senna) and go to São José dos Campos, then take SP-099 (Tamoios) to Caraguatatuba, on the coast, and finally BR-101 (Rio-Santos) south to São Sebastião.
 * Take SP-150 (Anchieta) or SP-160 (Imigrantes). At Cubatão, follow the signs to go to Bertioga, north via BR-101 (Rio-Santos). São Sebastião is past Bertioga.
 * Take SP-070 (Trabalhadores/Ayrton Senna) and go to Mogi das Cruzes, then take SP-098 (Mogi-Bertioga) to Bertioga, on the coast, and finally BR-101 (Rio-Santos) north to São Sebastião. This path is somewhat more complicated as you need to find your way through Mogi das Cruzes.

Get around
The "city" of São Sebastião is more properly described as a compact downtown and various discontinuous or semi-continuous coastal suburbs, distributed along 100 km of coast.

Downtown is small enough to walk around. A map can be obtained at the tourist information office located on Av. Dr. Altono Arantes (not far from the ferry terminal). The ferry terminal is located at the end of Av. Antonio Januário de Nascimento; look for the signs 'Balsa'.

To get around the beaches, you may take bus 51 operated by Ecobus, which departs every 20-30 minutes (more on weekends). This bus goes from the intercity bus terminal (Rodoviária) downtown (from inside, not the bus stop outside) to the Boracéia beach, at the division with Bertioga. Getting around by car using BR-101 should be straightforward.

Stay safe
São Sebastião is a relatively safe city. During the summer, large numbers of tourists come to the city, which also attracts criminal activity (pickpocketing, grand theft auto, home invasion, etc). However, police will always provide more officers and cars to the city during that season to even the odds. Just apply commons sense and you'll probably be fine: avoid dark streets at night, pay attention to your valuables, never leave your car unlocked, etc.

When in the beach, try not to leave your belongings alone when going for a swim. If you're in a relatively large group (say, 6 people or more), it might be a good idea to have at least one person at a time to stay on the sand to look after cellphones, etc.

Stay safe
São Sebastião is reasonably safe. In 2011, the robbery rate was around 1.85%, comparable to cities like Long Beach or San Diego, and three times lower than São Paulo's most popular beach town, Guarujá.

Stay healthy
As elsewhere in Brazil, some beaches in São Sebastião are not suitable for bathing, and conditions can change from day to day. On the day of your visit, check the map of the latest weekly beach quality bulletin (in Portuguese, boletim de qualidade das praias) of the state's Environment Department (CETESB).

Go next
You find hostels and private rooms in:

 * Ilhabela – It is an archipelago with various savage beaches and ecotourism options. Accessible only from São Sebastião by ferry.
 * Camburi and Boicucanga – 40 km in the west. It is considered by Paulistas as one of the best beaches on their coastline. There are also quite a few small restaurants and bars along the road going through Camburi. Camburizinho beach is right next door.
 * Caraguatatuba – 30 km in the north. It is the largest city of São Paulo's north shore. Caraguatatuba is located near the Serra do Mar and is home to the Parque Estadual da Serra do Mar.
 * Ubatuba – 80km in the north-east. Beautiful beaches are the main attraction of this place, as well as its well-preserved nature. You can do mountain biking and trekking. One of the best places in Brazil to practice surf, nautical sports, diving and birdwatching.
 * Paraty – 150 km in the north-east. A fully-conserved 18th-century colonial town by the ocean, hidden by tall jungle-covered mountains which used to be a hideout for pirates after the Portuguese ships; a must-see for people interested in History and Culture; also good for Rainforest hiking and kayaking.

title: São Sebastião


text:
São Tomé

São Tomé is the capital city of São Tomé and Príncipe, and the largest city, travel hub and main commercial center in the country. It had a population of almost 72,000 in 2015, or over a third of the total population of the country. As it has the only international airport in the country, it plays an important role in the country's small tourism industry.

Understand
The city was founded in 1485 in the northeast of the island of São Tomé by Portuguese colonists, who wanted to explore the cultivation of sugar cane. Sao Tome retains much of the colonial architecture, with buildings dating from the 16th century, such as the Fort of São Sebastião, now the National Museum. It is in the city center that the main commercial activities take place.

When to go: December and January are the best for birding as birds adopt their bright breeding plumage. From mid-November to early February turtles nest on the beaches, and you can watch the eggs hatching 45 days later. Humpback whales, killer whales and dolphins can be seen off the northeast coast from August to October. Trekking is best in the dry season from June to September.

Climate
The city has a tropical humid climate, with temperatures between 27-31 ºC, and frequent precipitation.

During the dry season from June to September, be prepared for clear skies and a very strong, equatorial sun. There are two rainy seasons – the short rains in October and November and the long rains from February to May.

By plane

STP Airways is on the list of carriers banned from operating into the European Union, so its flights are operated by the Portuguese airline EuroAtlantic Airways.

Get around
Motorcycle, bicycle and car hire is available in the city center. The main taxi rank is next to the Municipal Market.

Shared yellow minivans ply multiple routes. These collectivos are usually 9 seats but the drivers will overpack to seat 12 passengers along with vegetables, luggage and other market produce.

The main routing being the highway on the East coast of the island from São Tomé city in the north to Porto Alegre in the far South tip of the island. You can stop one anytime by raising your hand as they pass.

The full 2.5-3–hour trip in either direction is quoted as 100 Dobra for the full trip to tourists. You can negotiate with the driver for shorter trips, and can stop anywhere along the route by shouting to driver.

Hire a scooter from the locals! They are friendly, and hotel staff will assist you with this. Cost is about US$20 per scooter.

See

 * The coast of Ana Chaves Bay
 * Avenida de 12 de Julho
 * the Holy See Church
 * The court building
 * Independence Square
 * Independence Square

Buy

 * Visit the Municipal Market

Money can be exchanged on the street outside the Hotel Central - the vendors who approach are honest and the set rate is 25 Dora for €1.

Splurge

 * Agosto Neto, either a large B&B or a small boutique hotel. This quiet hotel is on a side street a couple of blocks from the Presidential Palace.  The hotel is relatively new, spotlessly clean, and will open the kitchen upon request. Full breakfast is included.  Internet access in the lobby, and the desk tries to speak English. A partner company, Netu Services, rents cars here. +239 222 6728
 * Agosto Neto, either a large B&B or a small boutique hotel. This quiet hotel is on a side street a couple of blocks from the Presidential Palace.  The hotel is relatively new, spotlessly clean, and will open the kitchen upon request. Full breakfast is included.  Internet access in the lobby, and the desk tries to speak English. A partner company, Netu Services, rents cars here. +239 222 6728
 * Agosto Neto, either a large B&B or a small boutique hotel. This quiet hotel is on a side street a couple of blocks from the Presidential Palace.  The hotel is relatively new, spotlessly clean, and will open the kitchen upon request. Full breakfast is included.  Internet access in the lobby, and the desk tries to speak English. A partner company, Netu Services, rents cars here. +239 222 6728

Stay safe
Safety is not an issue in São Tomé, though the roadway traffic is hazardous as in other parts of Africa. Violent crime in public is almost unheard of. However, with an increase in tourism there has been an increase in crime against tourists.

The Typhoid fever vaccine is not required of foreign visitors, but is advisable.

Cope
As a rule, establishments are open M-F 08:00-12:30 and 15:00-17:30. On Saturday they work from 08:00 to 13:00. The public sector operates from M-F from 07:00 to 15:30.

Go next

 * Pico de Sao Tome: climbing this peak will take 2 days and require physical fitness. The ground is tough and you need to be capable of about 8 hours hiking a day to complete it.
 * The Boca do Inferno (Mouth of Hell) blowhole on the south side of São Tomé island: waves enter an underwater cave and, with nowhere to go, shoot straight up.
 * Micondó, Inhamé and Jalé are some the island's finest beaches, and are usually inhabited only by the kingfishers and the giant crabs. Piscina offers calmer swimming where lava has created natural infinity pools lined with white sand.
 * Ilhéu das Rolas, an island of beaches, straddles the Equator, and is the nearest land mass to 0°N 0°E.
 * Principe

title: São Tomé