São Paulo
São Paulo is the capital and largest city of the state of São Paulo.
The largest city in Brazil, it is also the most populous city in South America, the Americas, and in both the Western and Southern Hemispheres. The city exerts international influence in commerce, finance, culture, gastronomy, arts, fashion, technology, entertainment and media, having been listed by UNESCO's Creative Cities Network as a "City of Film" and the title of "World Capital of Gastronomy", and by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network (GaWC) as an alpha global city. It is the largest urban area by population outside Asia and the most populous Portuguese-speaking city in the world. The city is named after Paul the Apostle and people from the capital city are known as paulistanos.
Getting to São Paulo
Check the official Brazil tourism website and the get in section of our article on Brazil for general information regarding visas and customs, and the Cidade de São Paulo homepage for updated events and art exhibitions around town.
- 01São Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport
- 02São Paulo–Congonhas Airport
- 03Viracopos International
- 04Terminal Rodoviário do Tietê
Tietê bus terminal is the second busiest terminal in the world, hence an enormous building, but there is an information desk in the middle of the main lobby.
Worth seeing
Avenida Paulista (Paulista Avenue) is one of São Paulo's most popular postcards, as it is the pride of Paulistanos. It is one of the largest business centers, and probably the largest cultural region in the city. Its architectural contrast reflects the fact that the avenue is located between the "old" and "new" parts of the city.
Things to do
The two most important concert and opera houses of the city are Theatro Municipal and Sala São Paulo (see São Paulo/Historic Center). São Paulo has a great number of theaters, most of which feature plays in Portuguese.
Where to eat
São Paulo is home to a superb diversity of restaurants and cuisines, where you can enjoy typical dishes from literally all over the world. The price range is as wide as the diversity of the restaurants in the city, from cheap snacks and meals in simple and cozy restaurants and food tents in popular markets, to the hugely expensive high end cuisine and internationally recognized restaurants.
Getting around São Paulo the local way
- Get inTransport by air by helicopter throughout São Pauo.
- Go nextMany of São Paulo's immediate neighbors are connected by the EMTU bus service and the commuter rail, making for a range of good day trip options.
- Go nextHotels sometimes provide leisure activities such as scuba diving, mountain biking and trekking.
- Go nextIlhabela (3½ hr) - Accessible only from São Sebastião by ferry, it is an archipelago with various savage beaches and ecotourism options.
From Wikivoyage: São Paulo, CC BY-SA. Not yet checked by us. Last edited 2026-09.
Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: Wikimedia Commons (see file page), Wikimedia Commons.