Things to do in Sao Paulo
Sao Paulo is something of a shock if you've arrived straight from Rio. The city's hard working, business-like ethic is quite at odds with the playful, carnival atmosphere of its compatriot further up the coast. While Sao Paulo will win few beauty awards, this enormous city is well worth spending a day or two in to see how the country really lives and there are a number of interesting places to visit as well, although there is little in the way of historical architecture.
The city is rightly famous for its art galleries and there a number of good ones in the Ibirapuera Park. The Museu de Arte Moderna de Sao Paulo houses a varied range of recent works by South American artists, while the Museu Afro-Brasil is home to around 1,000 art works depicting the history of black people in the country. The Bienal show is well worth visiting if it happens to be on while you're in the city. This enormous exhibition takes place every other year, and usually has a fine array of art works to see. Down at the FAAP university, the Museu de Arte Brasileira is also worth checking out. Despite its name, this small gallery often puts on exhibitions of major works from outside the country.
The Catedral da Sé, in the city's central square, is one of Sao Paulo's few architectural wonders. This neogothic church, which was renovated in 2002, contains the remains of Tibiriçá, a Brazilian native who assisted the Portuguese in when they arrived in 1554.
Many visitors are surprised by the number of Japanese descendents that have made Sao Paulo their home. It is estimated that some 1.5 million of the city's inhabitants have Japanese ancestry and the Museum of Japanese Immigration in Liberdade recounts the history of this immigration, which began in the 20th century. The city's Japanese community has suffered many problems during the past 100 years, particularly during World War II, and the museum is a fascinating history lesson. Visitors need to show some form of documentation to get in.
The wonderful market that is the Mercado Municipal is well worth a visit to pick up some local colour. Over 300 stalls can be found in this specially designed building in the centre of town. Many wonderful foods can be tried here, although steer clear of the smoked pigs' knees. Upstairs there a number of great eateries from where you can enjoy the scene below.
If it's atmosphere you are after, take in a football game at one of the city's many stadiums. The big four teams in the city are Corinthians, Santos, Palmeiras and Sao Paulo and local derbies are keen affairs ? not for the faint of heart.
For those looking for some respite from the city, there are a number of wonderful beaches nearby, and the visitor will find them less busy and just as pleasant as the more famous ones of Rio.
|
Things to do
