Walk up Paulista Avenue, São Paulo’s main thoroughfare, to see the full range of the São Paulo cityscape. The street passes between old and new areas and is bordered by high-rises and colonial-era buildings. The street is named after the city’s people, who refer to themselves as Paulistas. Walk along the busy avenue, stop by the São Paulo Museum of Art and join the city’s business people in bars at the end of the day.
The avenue stretches for 2.7 kilometres (1.7 miles) through the São Paulo city centre. Take the metro to the Paulista Centre, which lies at the avenue’s northern end. Pass through the Old Paulista district and stop by the poetry centre of Casa das Rosas. See the oldest house on the avenue, which belonged to Coronel Joaquim Franco de Mello and dates back to 1905.
As you head south, stop by São Paulo’s Museum of Art to admire the striking architecture. The building hangs down from two red supports. Explore the museum to see a collection that spans more than a century, with works from the Renaissance up to today. Nearby, find the Edificio Gazeta, a giant radio tower that residents call the Paulista Tower. By night, this becomes one of the brightest buildings along the skyline.
Step down one of the side streets off Paulista Avenue for the best selection of restaurants and cafés serving genuine regional cuisine. Sample a couve-de-folhas, a São Paulo specialty made out of cabbage leaves. Wash it down with a caipirinha, a signature Brazilian cocktail made with a special sugar cane-based liquor.
Paulista Avenue passes through the centre of São Paulo and is easily accessible from most of the city’s main attractions. Three subway stations are dotted along the street and numerous bus lines run along it. There is little parking in the area, so it is best not to come by car. The best time to visit is in the early evening when the business rush is over and locals relax in bars and restaurants.
