Discover Sao Paulo
Hotels, halal food, prayer spaces, things to do, and itineraries in Sao Paulo.
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Must-see attractions in Sao Paulo
From headline landmarks and heritage icons to parks, waterfronts, and major museums, discover 15 standout sights to build into your time in the city.
Touted to be the richest city in Brazil, Sao Paulo has a life of its own. With some 11 million people living in the city, Sao Paulo’s skyline is dotted with sky scrapers and high-rises that house banks, insurance, and multi-national companies, much like any other metropolitan city around the world. The road network is extensive and can be confusing for those who are not used to multi-lane highways and complex flyovers. The beaches are beautiful and endless; a dream come true for all those who face the biting cold in their own countries. The seemingly endless festivals and exhibitions (not to mention the bars and clubs) make Sao Paulo a happen
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Muslim travel planner
Plan a Muslim-friendly trip in Sao Paulo
Halal restaurants in Sao Paulo
Sao Paulo’s food scene is part of the city experience. Choose from 16 restaurants and food districts with location notes and planning tips.
sao-pauloPaddock Jardim
This restaurant boasts one of the best piano bars in the city. The menu includes an excellent combination of classic French and Brazilian cuisine. Here you can order escargot, beef jerky, and scallops.
sao-pauloFasano
If interested in a culinary adventure, guests at the restaurant can opt for the five-course tasting menu designed specially by the chef. If not, try some of the best pasta and other Italian favorites such as veal cutlets, roasted tomato soup with shrimp, and tuna steak.
sao-pauloAntiquarius
Serving traditional Portuguese cuisine hot and delicious everyday. On offer are items that are authentic and difficult to sample out of Portugal.
sao-pauloFigueira Rubaiyat
A trip to Brazil would be incomplete without trying the country’s specialty: beef. The restaurant is known to serve the best prime beef in the city and for those looking for other options, seafood is on the menu.
sao-pauloSushi Yassu
Very popular among the tourists and locals alike, this restaurant serves piping hot Udon noodle soup, teppanyaki, sushi, and sashimi.
sao-pauloArabia
A large middle-eastern population lives in Sao Paulo, which is one reason why restaurants serving middle-eastern cuisine are quite popular. You can pick from daily specials or from their regular menu. Food here is mainly Lebanese and is known to be quite delicious.
Sao Paulo masjids and Muslim travel
Landmark masjids and prayer-aware notes for visitors planning salah, family movement, and halal-friendly days.
Masjid Salah ed-Din al-Ayubi
Address: Rua Barão de Ladario-922, Sao Paulo Phone: 0055-11 3311-6734
Islamic Centre of Brazil
Address: Av. Do Estado, 5382 Cambuci, Sao Paulo Phone: 011 – 32086789
Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho
R. Pamplona, 145 - Cerqueira César, São Paulo - SP, Brazil
ETEC Júlio de Mesquita
R. Prefeito Justino Paixão, 150 - Centro, SP, Brasil
Where to stay in Sao Paulo
Choose where to stay by trip style, from landmark luxury and family bases to central, airport, and neighborhood-led stays.
sao-pauloEmiliano – Sleek and modern
this hotel oozes luxury. Amenities include a menu of pillows to chose from, butlers to help you pack and unpack, and toiletries.
sao-pauloFasano
Decorated with period pieces from the 1930’s, the hotel exudes old-world glamour with hints of sleek modern design. Additionally, the restaurant in the hotel – by the same name – is known to be the best Italian restaurant in all of Brazil.
sao-pauloCaesar Park São Paulo Faria Lima
Located in Centro, the hotel is close to the main cultural and heritage sites in the city. Amenities at the hotel include breakfast, sauna, a swimming pool, and more. It is also pet-friendly.
sao-pauloL’Hotel
A small boutique hotel with only eighty rooms, it does not compromise on luxury and promises only the best. The bathrooms are furnished with beautiful marble-finishing with bedroom décor to match the standards. The hotel also includes a small bakery.
sao-pauloRennaisane Sao Paulo Hotel
Designed by well-known architects, this is one of the largest hotels in the city. The exterior includes glass-paneled walls that add to the charm of the hotel, making it sunny and welcoming.
History and today in Sao Paulo
Read the city today, its history, residents, culture, and character before planning your route.
Sao Paulo Residents
Known as Paulistanos, the people of Sao Paulo are racially diverse. You will find a huge Japanese population here along with Chinese, Korean-Brazilians, Christians, Arabs, Jews and Italians.
City Information
When to go
Sao Paulo is known for its tropical climate and has no extreme weather conditions. Simply put, Sao Paulo’s weather is usually pleasant and dry and never too hot. The winter months are from June to August while spring is from September through November. After that, summer begins and lasts until about June. Like most other tropical cities of the world, summer in Sao Paulo is characterized by humidity and brief but sudden downpours, which become increasingly frequent from March onwards. Thus, the best time to visit Sao Paulo is anywhere from September to March when you can soak up the sun and hit the beaches.
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Fast Facts
Location: State of Sao Paulo, south-east Brazil Dialling code: 55 Emergency numbers: Police 190; Fire 193; Ambulance 192 Population: 11 million (city); 20 million (metropolitan) Languages: Portuguese; Spanish and English taught in schools Time zone: GMT - 3 (GMT - 2 from November to February) Average January temperatures: 23°C (73°F) Average July temperatures: 17°C (63°F) Annual rainfall: 1,317mm (52 inches).
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Public holidays 2010
Jan 1: New Year's Day Jan 25: Founding of São Paulo Feb 12-17: February Carnival Apr 2: Good Friday Apr 21: Tiradentes May 1: Labor Day Jun 3: Corpus Christi Sep 7: Independence Day Oct 12: Our Lady Aparecida, Patron St of Brazil Nov 2: All Souls' Day Nov 15: Republic Day Dec 24: Christmas Eve Dec 25: Christmas Day Dec 31: New Year's Eve
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Annual temperatures
January:: 27°C (high); 18°C (low); February:: 28°C (high); 18°C (low); March:: 27°C (high); 18°C (low)
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Sao Paulo today
Touted to be the richest city in Brazil, Sao Paulo has a life of its own. With some 11 million people living in the city, Sao Paulo’s skyline is dotted with sky scrapers and high-rises that house banks, insurance, and multi-national companies, much like any other metropolitan city around the world. The road network is extensive and can be confusing for those who are not used to multi-lane highways and complex flyovers. The beaches are beautiful and endless; a dream come true for all those who face the biting cold in their own countries. The seemingly endless festivals and exhibitions (not to mention the bars and clubs) make Sao Paulo a happening place for the culturally refined. As a rich city, many elites own helicopters and use them to ‘commute’ to and from work since Sao Paulo’s traffic is so hectic. Unfortunately, Sao Paulo has a somewhat high crime rate given the grossly uneven distribution of income in the city, so unsuspecting tourists may find their valuables stolen if they are not careful.
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Sao Paulo History
Present-day Sao Paulo started off as a small village known as São Paulo de Piratininga in 1554 founded by Jesuit priests and a Native American chief. The village was established with the explicit purpose of spreading Catholicism among contemporary natives. In the 18th century, Sao Paulo became a city and in the 19th century, its economy flourished owing largely to coffee exports. As a result, people from other countries came to Sao Paulo in search of opportunities and eventually settled in the city. The end of the slave trade and rising prices caused the coffee boom to fizzle out in the 20th century, which led to Sao Paulo’s reinvention as an industrial city. Today, Sao Paulo has a booming services industry, as mainstream industrial activities have moved to other cities of Brazil.
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Shopping in Sao Paulo
Explore 14 shopping stops, from malls, markets, and book bazaars to fashion streets and souvenir finds.
sao-pauloLe Postiche
With some of the biggest international brands for leather products, this is the place to go if you are in the mood to splurge and buy some quality leather products and accessories.
sao-pauloClube Chocolate
This is a unique store because it is set like an art gallery that sells extremely high-end clothing (as well as other products). There are also home decoration items and gifts available here.
sao-pauloAnna Pegova
A French beauty products brand, the Anna Pegova store is perhaps one of the best stores to go to if you are looking for some Brazilian beauty. Many of them have been customized to suit the local conditions.
sao-pauloO Boticario
A beauty product store that prides itself on being eco-friendly and all natural, O Boticario is a local, best-selling brand that has been designed for Brazilian skin tones. It features products for both men and women.
sao-pauloInovathi
Another store for leather goods, but not as pricey as Le Postiche. You can find gifts here at good prices.
Signature sights in Sao Paulo
A curated pick of the city's standout sights, led by the strongest editorial recommendations.
Festivals and events in Sao Paulo
Plan around 10 festival seasons, public events, Ramadan/Eid periods, book fairs, art cycles, and winter food activity.
sao-pauloThe Sao Paulo Fashion Week (SPFW)
The Sao Paulo Fashion Week (SPFW) is one of the world’s most anticipated international events. Started in 1996, the SPFW is held at Ibirapuera Park twice a year. The Fashion Week in January features the fall collection while its June counterpart showcases the spring collection. The SPFW can be described as “fashion for a cause” since it is known for endorsing anti-hunger, poverty, cancer, AIDS and pro-environment-related campaigns. The Fashion Week is attended by the who’s who of Sao Paulo and indeed of the world, as international brands such as Versace, Chanel, and Gucci, among others, show their collections here.
sao-pauloThe Sao Paulo Carnival
The Sao Paulo Carnival, a colorful, festive affair, pays homage to the highly energetic dance genre: The Samba. Many of the city’s Samba schools participate and compete in this weekend carnival hoping to win the Samba Award. While the Carnival is nothing like the one that takes place in Rio de Janeiro, it is still quite popular given that it is cheap and is not very commercial. The parade that finally leads to the Samba competition in the Sambadrome is worth watching -those in Sao Paulo in February should not miss it.
sao-pauloThe Cultura Inglesa Festival
The Cultura Inglesa Festival comprises dance performances, exhibitions, and musical acts.
sao-pauloThe Electronic Language International Festival
The Electronic Language International Festival is the biggest art and technology festival held in Brazil and aims to promote new media art that is gaining popularity. The focus is mostly on digital media.
sao-pauloThe Festa da Achiropita or Achiropita Festival
The Festa da Achiropita or Achiropita Festival is an Italian festival organized by a church in the city and takes place for roughly ten days. The festival celebrates Italian traditions and sells Italian food, handicrafts, and the like.
Sao Paulo tours and experiences
Heritage walks, food crawls, coastal trips, museum circuits, family days, and guided ideas for an easier day out.
sao-pauloGo in Sao Paulo
This company includes tours of museums, shopping districts, the Zoo, and coffee farms and provides pick-up to and from your hotel.
sao-pauloCheck Point Tours
This company more or less offers a city tour along with a tour of Sao Paulo’s art galleries.
sao-pauloEasygoing Brazil
This company takes you to museums, art galleries, parks, and resorts and has English-speaking guides to its credit.
The Irhal city file
Sao Paulo travel guide sections
Focused sections for articles, directories, maps, and trip planning.
