32 Must-Visit Attractions in São Paulo

With 1,509 seats in its 1,000 square metre space, Sala São Paulo is considered the largest concert hall in Latin America. The hall has a movable ‘lining’ which allows for the adaptation of the acoustics depending on the music to be performed. The hall is also the only one on the continent which functions inside a working train station.

Founded in 1963 as a shopping centre, Galeria do Rock is a meeting point of the most diverse tribes in the center of São Paulo.The centre’s fame began in the 1970s, when music stores began setting up there and record fans from all over the city descended on the area for the rarest record or bargain tapes. Today Galeria do Rock is a space not only dedicated to rock music, but skaters, tattoo artists and music-themed clothes and accessories.

Founded in 1901 as the Serum Institute of the State of São Paulo, the Butantan Institute is not only an important tourist spot in the capital, but also one of the largest centres of biomedical research in the world, producing more than 80% of the total serum and vaccines consumed in Brazil. In addition to the nice park which surrounds the Butantan, visitors come to see the snakes in the open, rounded pits in the gardens located around the Institute. Several times during the week researchers take a variety of snakes out of their cages so that visitors can pet and hold them.

Don’t let the shiny, purple, red and blue skyscraper throw you, the Instituto Tomie Ohtake hosts some of the most sought-after exhibitions in the country. The building not only houses the gallery but is also home to a theatre, restaurant and book store. The gallery specialises in exhibitions of fine arts, architecture and designers who have been a reference in the art world for the past 50 years. Since the space has no permanent collection, visitors return again and again to see the new exhibitions.

Inaugurated in 1989, this building complex aims to strengthen Brazil’s political, economic, social and cultural relations with other Latin American countries. The memorial is home to more than 4,000 works of art, documents, sculptures, and handicrafts from nations around the region. Designed by Oscar Niemeyer, the complex has six buildings linked by a catwalk. The main symbol of the Memorial is Niemeyer’s seven-metre-high hand sculpture, with the map of the Latin American subcontinent in red, suggesting the dripping of blood of the population who suffered through many dictatorships, protests and authoritarian governments.

Another architectural masterpiece by Oscar Neimeyer, the OCA structure’s real name is Lucas Nogueira Garcez Pavilion. Because of its similarity to a typical indigenous hut – which in Tupi-Guarani is called an Oca – locals started to call it just that. The hemispheric format houses an exhibition space of more than 10,000 square metres inside the Ibirapuera Park.

From antique toys to aviator sunglasses to 1950s-style luggage, you can find it here at the charming Benedito Calixto square fair. The fair, which takes place every Saturday in Pinheiros, is considered one of the best antique fairs in all of Brazil, not only for its products but also for its snacks. In the afternoon people gather around to drink cold beer and eat typical Brazilian munchies while listening to chorinho (typical Brazilian music).

Although a place of worship, this temple – built by one of the founders of the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God – is a tourist attraction just due to its sheer size. Inspired by the biblical temple of the same name in Jerusalem, the Temple of Solomon has the capacity to hold more than 10,000 people and the height of an 18-story building. It hosts 36 Bible School rooms, television and radio studios, an auditorium for 500 people and parking for almost 2,000 cars. Visitation is free.

The weekend fair at the Liberdade neighborhood is one of the best places to buy delicate Japanese handicrafts. The stands sell not only souvenirs but also typical food from Japan, Korea and China. The fair is usually packed by mid-morning, with both tourists and Liberdade residents alike. If you are not staying in São Paulo during the weekend, a visit to Liberdade is still worth the trip.

JK Iguatemi has 180 designer stores and is currently the top luxury shopping center in the city. Daslu, Lanvin, Lacoste, Sephora and Scarf Me, among many others, can all be found at JK Iguatemi. This place also has other attractions, like the terrace which provides a beautiful view of the Parque do Povo and the area across the Pinheiros River toward the Morumbi neighborhood. The cinema is also a hit, with eight large viewing rooms, six of which are VIP, equipped with comfy chairs, reading lamps and bar service. The other two have 4D and IMAX technology, respectively.

One of the newest parks in São Paulo, the Parque do Povo was inaugurated in 2008, after the city rejuvenated a rundown area near Marginal Pinheiros. The park has three sports courts, paths for cycling and walking and gym equipment for senior citizens. If you like chess, the park also provides giant checkered boards, with huge chess pieces. There is also a garden, where aromatic herbs are grown for the enjoyment of everyone, including the visually impaired.

This entire block once housed the Kopenhagen Chocolate factory, with the sweet smell of cocoa spreading throughout the neighborhood. The factory moved to an area outside São Paulo city, and the block was transformed into a open mall area, with fast food stores, cafes, and a cinema. Surrounded by trees, it is easy for residents to forget they are in one of the busiest streets in Itaim Bibi. The area also has one of the few playgrounds in the neighborhood.

In addition to the beautiful stained-glass windows at the São Paulo Metropolitan Cathedral, located at the very centre of the city, visitors can also see the crypt of the Cathedral beneath the church’s main chapel. Located where the imaginary line of the Tropic of Capricorn passes, the crypt is just as impressive as the floor above it, with marble floors and arched ceilings. There are 16 bishops buried here, as well as the indigenous leader Tibiriça, who helped the Portuguese settle into São Paulo. Visitations occur from Tuesday through Sunday from 9am–5pm.

In the southern region of the city, near the Interlagos racetrack, there is a Buddhist temple that remains an underrated destination. Vibrant, colourful and featuring ornamental décor that will impress even the most seasoned visitor, the establishment actually has three temples devoted to the Buddhist and Taoist religions. These temples are open to visitors only on Sundays from 9am–2pm.

The Tobias de Aguiar Army Headquarters located on Avenida Tiradentes is much more than an army centre based in São Paulo. Built in the 1890s, the headquarters hide tunnels underneath its buildings that were used by soldiers in the 1924 Revolution. Later, in the 1960s, the tunnels were said to hold those being interrogated by the military dictatorship that ruled Brazil for over 20 years. The tunnels – which were almost 3km (1.8 mi.) long – were demolished with the arrival of the metro system to this part of the city, but 100m (109 yds.) remained and was transformed into a unique museum, with pictures and posters tracing its history. The atmosphere, however, remains damp, and visitors should arrive knowing they may come across bats and giant spider webs. Visitation is on Fridays and by appointment only.

You will have to wake up at dawn to visit South America’s largest flower and flower markets. Hundreds of flower trucks line up outside Ceagesp to deliver flowers and trees that will be bought by flower shops and supermarkets; decorators and architects also come here for inspiration. Here you can buy flowers and plants at a fraction of the prices at retail stores, and there is also a section selling clay pots and everything else you need to make flower arrangements. The flower market is open in the morning from 5am–10am, but if you want the best selection, you have to get there as early as possible. On Wednesday afternoons (4pm–10pm), there is a fruit and vegetable market in the premises, but the prices do not vary much from what you find in your local supermarket.