Edifício Itália: Get a bird's-eye view of the concrete jungle of São Paulo
São Paulo’s city centre was once one of the most attractive in South America. English visitors in the 19th century described it as being spacious, green and dominated by terracotta-tiled buildings. There were even parrots and sloths in the trees. Today they are long gone and the centre is dominated by towering (and rather ugly) buildings, broken by a handful of interesting churches and cultural centres, and criss-crossed by narrow pedestrian streets. These are lined with stalls selling everything from shoes to electronics, second-hand goods and bric-a-brac, throughout the week. The best way to explore the area is by metrô and on foot, but don’t stay after dark as the area is unsalubrious.
The best place to begin a tour is the Praça da Sé, an expansive square shaded by tropical trees and dominated by the cathedral. While the site of the founding of São Paulo can be reached by walking north from the bottom of the Praça da Sé, along Rue Santa Teresa and to the Praça Pátio do Colégio. The most beautiful of all churches in São Paulo is the Mosteiro São Bento. There are also a few interesting sites at the Praça da República.
