Sao Paolo is one of the biggest cities in the world, and can be a bit overwhelming at first glance.  But with some planning a little navigational sense, you can make the most of your travels in Brazil’s capital and have a completely incredible experience.  With plenty of art, entertainment, and culture, a fast-pace combined with typical Brazilian warmth and zest for life, Sao Paolo offers everything any traveler could desire – you just have to figure out how to find it.   

One of the problems with navigating Sao Paolo is that its rapid growth resulted in not a single grid of streets, but many grids extending in somewhat concentric circles from the center.  This makes finding your way a bit difficult, but luckily most places of interest are located in a relatively small area that can be managed easily with a good map.  Plus, an efficient metro system connects most central areas, and some outerlying neighborhoods as well.

A good place to start is the historic center, which is very pedestrian-friendly and offers great architecture, cafés, and museums. Stroll around all day, hit a museum or cultural center, and spend your afternoon sipping a café and people-watching.

For some interesting neighborhoods outside of the historic center, check out Liberdade, home to Brazil’s largest Asian community. This area has great restaurants from across Asia, shopping, and a lively Sunday street market with food stands and market stalls.  The streets of Bela Vista, the Italian neighborhood, are lined with old-fashioned restaurants serving traditional fare, and are great to wander through day or evening.  For something more tranquil, Jardim Paulista is Sao Paolo’s most beautiful and upscale neighborhood, where real shoppers can find stores to buy the choicest goods.

For sports fans, one don’t-miss daytime activity is football, or soccer for the fans up north.  Sao Paolo’s Estadio Morumbi seats 80,000 people and games are everything you would imagine from a crowd of loud, passionate Paulistanos who live for the game.

At night, Sao Paolo has laid-back bars, hopping night clubs, and great live music venues.  Be ready to dance – Sao Paolo is famous for samba so find a local to take you out on the floor and teach you a step or two.  You might be bashful at first, but after downing a couple caipirinhas you should be getting in touch with your Brazilian groove. To really brush up, take some samba classes during the day at one of the many schools in the city.

There are many festivals in Sao Paolo, and getting to town for one of these will show you the true Paulista party spirit. Carnaval is of course a big one, with parades and parties throughout the city, but it is not the biggest or the most important.  Bienal de Sao Paolo is held every two years from October through December in Parque Ibirapuera, and is widely considered to be the most important artistic event in Latin America. Rivaling the Bienal for biggest celebration is Sao Paolo Pride, a week long festival in mid-June which attracts nearly 3,000,000 people.  It includes an unbelievably huge parade through the streets in addition to political meetings and demonstrations, fairs, concerts, and nightlife.

High season in Brazil is December through March, but backpackers in Sao Paolo will find the best deals on accommodation during these times. There are plenty of inexpensive hostels throughout the city offering safe, clean, budget lodging options.  You can meet plenty of other backpackers to enjoy your travels with and the staff is usually more than happy to help direct your way through the city.  The best part of traveling on a budget in a city as big as Sao Paolo is you can get anything you want at a variety of prices, so as long as you can find your way there anything is possible.  Have a great trip!