A Cultural Tour of São Paulo

Locals describe São Paulo as rebellious, cosmopolitan, seductive, abysmal, multicultural, a city that never sleeps, and an open-air laboratory of life. This vibrant metropolis is considered a meeting place and center of the art and culture scene, as well as of film and theater professionals. Numerous museums and cultural institutions house the treasures of the past, present, and future. Here, traditions and modernity collide, creating the ambiance of the country's free spirits and creative minds.
On a trip to Brazil, there is probably no other place where travelers can learn so much about Brazil's culture and history. Visitors from all over the world are inspired by the vibrancy of this colorful metropolis that unites so many cultures. On a cultural tour of the metropolis, one travels from Italy to Japan, from Africa to the Amazon, and across South America.

Hardly any other place in the world unites so many cultures and people of different origins. With around 13 million inhabitants, São Paulo is not only one of the most populous cities on earth, but also the commercial and financial center of Brazil and the South American continent.
The Paulistas or Paulistanos, as the inhabitants call themselves, have their roots in Portugal, Spain, Italy, Poland, Germany, Japan, and Lebanon, among other places, but are also descended from indigenous natives and African slaves. The traditions, festivals, and arts in this melting pot of cultures combine the various influences into a colorful reflection of history and the present. On this basis, there are no limits to creativity and forms of expression.
The city of São Paulo has always had a tradition of street festivals. Especially Italian festivals like "Festa de Nossa Senhora de Achiropita", "Festa de São Vito Mártir", and "Festa de São Genaro" are celebrated extensively and with many culinary delicacies. But also modern film, art, music festivals, and exhibitions line up and determine the cultural scene.

On Sundays alone, Avenida Paulista, one of the city's lifelines, is worth a trip, as the four lanes are closed to motor vehicles and the street is transformed into a promenade lined with street musicians, artists, and carnies.

To get a first feel for São Paulo, a visit to the Sesc Paulista on Avenida Paulista, inaugurated in April 2018, is recommended. The 17-story building features a café on the rooftop terrace with a great panoramic view of the city. The associated institution Sesc supports access to the cinema, theater, concerts, museums, and libraries for the entire population and has dedicated the building to art and technology in particular.

Across from the Trianon City Park, a small green oasis amid the skyscrapers, is the art museum MASP, the Museu de Arte de São Paulo, the most important art museum in Brazil, where exhibits from the last 500 years can be admired. The museum was founded in 1947 by Pietro Maria Bardi, whose wife Lina Bo Bardi designed the architecture of the building.
The Bardi couple organized countless art exhibitions, designed numerous public and private buildings, and therefore had a fundamental impact on the city's cultural scene. A special gem of their work is the Casa de Vidro, in English Glass House, which was built in 1950 and served as the Bardis' home for over 40 years. Later it became very famous and is considered an icon of Modern Architecture in Brazil. Today, the Glass House has become a meeting place for researchers, professionals, and students of art and architecture from Brazil and abroad. It is dedicated to the promotion and dissemination of architecture, design, urbanism, and popular art.

Following Avenida Paulista in a southwesterly direction, one arrives at the Rose House, in Portuguese Casa das Rosas, a neoclassical French mansion that provides a stage for various cultural events with a focus on literature and poetry.

Only about 3 kilometers from Avenida Paulista lies the heart of São Paulo's cultural life, Ibirapuera City Park in the Vila Mariana district. The green lung in the middle of the city and the beautiful parks with lush nature, some of which were created by Burle Marx, invite visitors to linger and stroll. Among the cultural institutions in and around the park is the Museu Afro-Brasil, whose collection deals with topics such as religion, labor, art, slavery in the historical course, and the African influences in the construction of Brazilian society.

Furthermore, Ibirapuera Park is home to the MAM, the Museum of Modern Art, the Auditório Ibirapuera concert hall, designed by Oscar Niemeyer, the Ciccillo Matarazzo Pavilion, where the São Paulo Art Biennial is held, and the Pavilion of Brazilian Cultures, in Portuguese Pavilhão das Culturas Brasileiras, whose space is used for cultural events and exhibitions.

The MAC, the Museum of Contemporary Art, is also located right next to the park. It is an institution of the University of São Paulo, directly linked to teaching, research, and national and international artistic creation. The museum, also part of the architectural complex designed by Oscar Niemeyer, is home to the most important collection of 20th-century art in Latin America. Among the approximately 10,000 exhibits are oil paintings, drawings, engravings, conceptual works, and sculptures.

Two of São Paulo's most beautiful churches, the Catedral da Sé and the Mosteiro de São Bento monastery, are among the city's most famous sights. They are worth visiting not only for religious reasons but also for their history and beautiful architecture. The imposing building of the cathedral marks the center of the city and the cornerstone of São Paulo at Praça da Sé square. The interior, which seats 8,000 people, is surrounded by tall stained-glass windows, mosaics, and sacred artwork, as well as a large organ that is considered the largest in South America.

Particularly picturesque is the Pinacoteca do Estado de São Paulo, another important art museum. The building was constructed in 1900 by Domiziano Rossi and Ramos de Azevedo and is located directly at the city park Jardim de Luz, which invites for a stroll and offers a very special ambiance with its romantic pavilions.

The Theatro Municipal de São Paulo is one of the most important theaters in Brazil. Inaugurated in 1911, the municipal theater provides a stage for great Brazilian and international actors and musicians and their performances. The prestigious building not only opens its doors at night but also offers a free cultural tour of its elegant and ornate halls during the day.

Solar da Marquesa is a unique place in the city and an example of what urban residences looked like in the 18th century in São Paulo. The house got its name from its former occupant, the Marquesa dos Santos. Today, the Solar houses many cultural exhibitions that are open to the public.

For a glimpse of Far Eastern culture, it is worth visiting the Zu Lai Temple in Cotia, in the greater São Paulo area. It is considered the largest Buddhist temple in Latin America, with a built-up area of 10,000 square meters. Events include open houses, guided tours, and public meditation practices. It is a truly amazing place that inspires and transports visitors to another world.

Art in São Paulo is not limited to the walls of museums, but can also be admired on the walls of the city. In graffiti and street art, the young and wild life of the city comes to the fore. Especially many of these works, accessible to the public at all times, can be found in the Vila Madalena neighborhood. On one street corner, the Beco do Batman, dozens of these murals are gathered and impressive picture galleries are created. The neighborhood is also a wonderful place to browse antique stores and secondhand stores. It is also very popular due to its lively nightlife and countless botecos, as the bars are called, which serve simple food as well as beer and drinks.

Brazil's cuisine is as colorful as its society. São Paulo is home to chic restaurants and hip food trucks that offer and reinvent dishes from around the world.
Walking through the Mercado Municipal market is one of the best ways in São Paulo to get to know the local cuisine. If you like to try different delicacies, this is the place to be. Visiting it is an opportunity to taste exotic fruits of the country and try cheeses, salami, and other specialties that are sold there.
Along with countless Japanese and Arabic restaurants, Italian cuisine, and pizza, in particular, occupy the largest place in the culinary world of São Paulo.

The history of Brazil and especially the influences of immigration from all over the world are reflected in this vibrant metropolis, affectionately called "Sampa" by its inhabitants. Those interested in art and culture will find a wide range and immense diversity of museums, historic buildings, and modern events in the trendy neighborhoods during a Brazil vacation in São Paulo.

The central starting point for discovering the city is Avenida Paulista, one of the most important streets in the city center, which runs for 3 kilometers through the heart of São Paulo, and where, for example, the MASP art museum is located.

A Brazil vacation usually starts in São Paulo to get to other regions of Brazil, as most international flights land at Guarulhos Airport in São Paulo. The borough is about a 45-minute drive from hotels near Avenida Paulista.
Those already in the country and arriving in São Paulo by domestic flight often take off or land at the smaller Congonhas Municipal Airport, about 15 to 20 minutes from Avenida Paulista.
Travelers can spend several days or weeks in the city and be inspired and swept away by its vibrancy. But even a day trip during a stopover or a short visit to the sights and parks is worthwhile to get an impression of São Paulo's culture!