Overview
São Paulo is a city that can overwhelm the senses. Often compared with New York City, this vibrant metropolis houses over 10 million inhabitants, making it the largest city in South America. Its rival, Rio de Janeiro, is known for its beautiful, natural scenery. However, São Paulo's main attraction is its people and vibrant cultures. Here you'll find Japanese, Italian, Arab, Lebanese and other ethnic neighborhoods.
Hotels
Sofitel São Paulo Hotels & Resorts: Samantha chose to stay outside the city center at Sofitel São Paulo. São Paulo hotels cater primarily to business travelers, which means that on weekends you can negotiate some pretty good deals. about a 10-minute taxi drive to the airport, the Sofitel overlooks one of the city's best assets - the Parque do Ibirapuera (Sao Paulo's version of New York's Central Park).
Web: www.sofitel.com
Unique Hotel : Some say it's an urban work of art. Trendy, audacious and beyond imagination, it's definitely a "unique" hotel. Not only can you book a room in one of its 95 rooms and suites, but Samantha joined some friends at Skye, the hotel's rooftop bar and restaurant. Whether you're inside listening to the DJ, or outside sitting around the deck pools, Unique offers a knock-out view of São Paulo all lit up at night.
Web: www.hotelunique.com.br
Shopping
Chilli Beans: If there's one must-have fashion accessory to buy when you're in São Paulo, it's a great pair of sunglasses. While shopping in the Jardins district of the city, Samantha popped into Chilli Beans, a local São Paulo sunglass company, for a pair of cooler than cool shades. You can even find Chilli Beans sunglasses in the U.S. now.
Web: www.chillibeans.com.br
Arte Tribal: One of Brazil's best exports has to be 'havaianas' - the Brazilian version of the flip-flop. Samantha stopped into Arte Tribal, a shop filled with all sorts of locally made arts and crafts, to buy a pair. It is located in the Jardins neighborhood.
Web: www.artetribal.com.br
Food/Restaurants/Bars
Mercado Central and Hocca Bar: If you're a "foodie" and want to seek out authentic food experiences during your travels, look no further than the central market of the city you're visiting. In São Paulo, the place to go is the Mercado Central. accompanied by a local friend, Samantha explored the stalls in the market and checked out the unique foods sold there. Later, she headed up to the mezzanine for a local treat - a bologna sandwich at the Hocca Bar. Since 1952, this family business has specialized in making some of the biggest bologna sandwiches in São Paulo. They're HUGE!
Web: www.hoccabar.com.br
Pizza Bros. Pizza: Believe it or not, one São Paulo family tradition is Sunday night pizza! The residents of this capital city love pizza. Whether the pizza is to take out or dine in, the tradition is kept alive every weekend. Samantha met up with some friends at Pizza Bros., a hip pizzeria that has been making their beloved pies for nearly 20 years.
Web: www.pizzabros.com.br
Restaurante Sendai: Did you know that the largest population of Japanese outside Japan resides in São Paulo? Samantha and her friend, Andrea, headed to Liberdade, a neighborhood filled with Japanese markets, shops and restaurants. On the excursion, Andrea took Samantha to Sendai Restaurant for some sushi.
Web site: www.restaurantesendai.com.br
Salve Jorge: The Vila Madalena neighborhood has some of the city's best bars, restaurants and nightclubs. Samantha met up with some friends at a 'boteca,' where Paulistas (residents of São Paulo) end their day and begin their evening. These neighborhood bars or pubs offer food and plenty of conversation. One of the most popular is called Salve Jorge (Saint George). In fact, if you can prove your name is George to the servers there, you'll get a free drink.
Web: www.barsalvejorge.com.br
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