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Sao Paulo, Brazil
Sao Paulo is overwhelming in scale but deeply rewarding on foot, with each neighborhood offering a completely different experience. The historic center around Praca da Se and the Patio do Colegio tells the story of the city's founding, while the Edifício Itália and Terraço Itália restaurant provide views of the endless skyline. Vila Madalena is the city's creative heartland, with the famous Beco do Batman (Batman Alley) covered in street art, plus independent galleries, vinyl record shops, and craft cocktail bars. Paulista Avenue, the city's main boulevard, is pedestrianized on Sundays and lined with cultural institutions including MASP — the São Paulo Museum of Art suspended on striking red legs. Liberdade is the Japanese neighborhood, Bixiga is Little Italy, and the Mercado Municipal showcases the city's incredible food diversity under a stained-glass ceiling. Ibirapuera Park, designed by Oscar Niemeyer, is the city's green lung.
explore by interest
Sao Paulo is enormous — use the excellent Metro to jump between neighborhoods, then explore each one on foot. Sundays on Paulista Avenue, when the boulevard closes to cars, are the best walking experience.
March through May and September through November offer mild temperatures and less rain, though Sao Paulo's cultural calendar runs year-round.