São Paulo City travel guide

São Paulo sits on a plateau at around 800 m and the weather is temperamental, influenced by the city’s altitude and by the sea, whose cold or warm air is pushed up by the coastal mountains. Rainfall is ample and temperatures fluctuate greatly. Summer temperatures vary between 20° and 30°C, occasionally peaking into the high 30s or even 40s. Winter temperatures fluctuate between 15° and 25°C, occasionally dropping to below 10° when a cold front comes up from the Atlantic. The winter months (April-October) are also the driest, with minimal precipitation in June and July. Christmas and New Year are wet. When there are thermal inversions, air pollution can be troublesome.

In May 2008 1 EUR = 2.6 BRL. Food is delicious and cheap!
in december 2008 1 EUR = 3.4 BRL .Food still delicious and more cheap !

São Paulo
Throughout the year there are countless anniversaries, religious feasts, fairs and exhibitions. To see what’s on, check the local press or the monthly tourist magazines. Fashion week is in the Bienal Centre (Bienal do Ibirapuera) in Ibirapuera Park, Parque do Ibirapuera, T011-5576 7600.

Air

São Paulo is the cheapest and the principal entry point to Brazil and is one of the key entry points to South America. All international flights (except a handful to Bolivia) and many of the cheapest internal flights arrive at Guarulhos airport (Guarulhos, 25 km northeast of the city, T011-6445 2945) officially known as Cumbica. There are plenty of banks and money changers in the arrivals hall open daily 0800-2200. There is a post office on the third floor of Asa A. Tourist information, including city and regional city maps and copies of the entertainment section from the Folha de São Paulo newspaper with current listings, is available from Secretaria de Esportes e Turismo (SET) (ground floor of both terminals, Mon-Fri 0730-2200, Sat, Sun and holidays 0900-2100) . Airport taxis charge US$50 to the centre and operate on a ticket system: go to the second booth on leaving the terminal and book a co-op taxi at the Taxi Comum counter; these are the best value. Emtu buses run every 30 minutes to Praça da República, Paulista, the bus station and Congonhas airport, US$10, 30-45 minutes, 0500-0200. Buy a ticket at the booth in domestic arrivals.

The domestic airport, Congonhas (Av Washington Luiz, 7 km south of the centre, 5 km from Jardins, T011-5090 9000) is used for the Rio–São Paulo shuttle (about 400 flights a week US$150 single, US$300 return) and some other domestic services including Salvador, Belo Horizonte and Vitória. A taxi to the city centre or Jardins costs about US$20.

Train

Railways are being privatized and many long-distance passenger services have been withdrawn. São Paulo has four stations but the only one useful for tourists is Estação da Luz (Metrô Luz, T0800-550121) which receives trains from the northwest and southeast of São Paulo state and connects with the tourist train from Paranapiacaba to Rio Grande de Serra.

Taxi

Taxis display their tariffs in the window (starting at US$4) and have meters. Ordinary taxis are hailed on the street or at taxi stations such as Praça da República. Radio taxis are more expensive but less hassle.

At the heart of the city, the Centro Histórico is a place to visit but not to stay. Most of the historical buildings and former beauty are long gone, but its pedestrianized streets are fascinating and gritty, with lively markets and a cluster of interesting sights lost in the concrete and cobbles. For a birds’ eye view of the city, head to the lookout platform at the top of the Banespa Tower at dusk. The commercial district, containing banks, offices and shops, is known as the Triângulo, bounded by Ruas Direita, 15 de Novembro, São Bento and Praça Antônio Prado, but it is rapidly spreading towards the Praça da República.

Immediately southwest of the Centro Histórico is the city’s grandest and most photo- graphed skyscraper-lined street, Avenida Paulista. The Museo de Arte de São Paulo (MASP), the best art gallery in the southern hemisphere, is here. North of Avenida Paulista is the neighbourhood of Consolação, centred on tawdry Rua Augusta but undergoing a Renaissance at the cutting edge of the city’s underground live music and nightlife scene. South of Avenida Paulista is the neighbourhood of Jardins. This is the city’s most affluent inner neighbourhood with elegant little streets hiding Latin America’s best restaurants and designer clothing boutiques. There are plenty of luxurious hotels and some budget options.

Next to Jardins, 5 km south of the centre, the Parque do Ibirapuera is the inner city’s largest green space, with running tracks, a lake and live concerts. Like Brasília, it is a repository of historically important Oscar Niemeyer buildings, many of which are home to interesting museums. The adjoining neighbourhoods of Vila Mariana and Paraíso have a few hotel options and great live music at SESC Vila Mariana.

Situated between Ibirapuera and the river, Itaim, Moema and Vila Olímpia are among the nightlife centres of São Paulo with a wealth of streetside bars, ultra-chic designer restaurants and European-style dance clubs. Hotels tend to be expensive as these areas border the new business centre on Avenida Brigadeiro Faria Lima and Avenida Luís Carlos Berrini, in the suburb of Brooklin. Pinheiros and Vila Madalena are less chic, but equally lively at night and with the funkiest shops.