A concrete jungle with a warm soul: Sao Paulo. The world’s second largest city can seem intimidating and cold to first-time visitors, but Paulistanos make every effort to welcome tourists and their alegria (joy) is infectious.
The first thing travellers coming off their Sao Paulo flights will notice is that the city is a true melting pot. Immigrants from Japan, Italy, Portugal and Lebanon have settled here over the years. The Liberdade neighbourhood, for example, has the largest Asian community with the best dim sim this side of China. It’s precisely this cultural diversity that makes the city so cosmopolitan and exciting to visit for a few days.
Exploring the city on foot is really the best way to avoid the unbearable traffic. Stop by its world-class art museums. Art collectors and enthusiasts from all over the globe come here to visit the Pinocoteca do Estado and Museu Arte Sao Paulo (MASP), both of which house some stunning Brazilian art as well as Picassos and Monets. The city is also a shopper’s haven where you can find just about anything from international designers to local crafts. After a long day of touring the city treat yourself to some cold chopp (beer) and picanha in an “all you can eat” Churrascaria.
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