Sao Paulo Brazil (or Sampa, as it is known locally) is one of the most
modern and cosmopolitan cities in South America, so it boasts lots of
cultural attractions, a lively nightlife and a ton
of international restaurants.
If you are traveling to the city for the first time, one
of the most popular fun things to do in Sao Paulo Brazil is to take a
walking tour of Sao Paulo's neighborhoods such as Bela Vista (Little
Italy) and Liberdade (Japantown).
See below for more fun things to do in Sao Paulo Brazil:
Outdoor Attractions
Beaches
Heading to one of the nearby beaches to escape Sao Paulo's busyness is one of the most popular fun things to do during a trip to Sao Paulo Brazil.
One popular beach spot nearby Sao Paulo Brazil, it’s Praia Grande which is only an hour’s drive on the SP-160 highway. The beach offers all kind of water recreational activities such as jet skiing and banana boats.
The Sao Paulo Zoo and Gardens
The Sao Paulo Zoo and Gardens is one of the most popular fun things to do in Sao Paulo, if you are traveling with kids. Apart from visiting the Zoo’s amazing variety of local animals that include toucans and macaws, the zoo is home to beautiful gardens where you can enjoy a relaxing stroll.
The Ibirapuera Park
The Ibirapuera Park, Sao Paulo’s own version New York’s central park, is a beautiful park where you can enjoy a myriad of fun family outdoor activities, as well as visiting a few of the museums located there.
Places of Interest: Top 3 places to visit in Sao Paulo
As mentioned earlier, exploring Sao Paulo's many neighborhoods and museums are other activities you can add to your list of fun things to do in Sao Paulo Brazil. A few must see places in Sao Paulo include:
1. Liberdade District
Visiting the famed Liberdade district or Japantown is one of the most popular fun things to do in Sao Paulo Brazil.
2. Ipiranga Imperial Museum
The Ipiranga Imperial Museum, located in Ipiranga Park, is one of the most important museums in Sao Paulo Brazil, and for history buffs this is a must-see attraction.
The museum features paintings, period costumes, photographs and videos that tell visitors more about the history of Sao Paulo.
3. The Sao Paulo Museum of Art
The Sao Paulo Museum of Art, located on Paulista Avenue, is another interesting stop for those interested in local and international art. The museum hosts a variety of art collections that include African, Brazilian and European art.
Nightlife & Entertainment
Exploring the city's night scene is no doubt, one of the fun things to do in Sao Paulo Brazil. The nightlife hotspots in Sao Paulo are plentiful, though they're spread out all over the city’s neighborhoods.
If you are looking to enjoy nightclubs and prefer a busier night scene, Vila Olimpia district is perhaps one of the most popular places to hang out for clubbers, and it is where you’ll find some of the best nightclubs in Brazil.
Vila Madalena district, in the other hand, is more suited for those of you who want to enjoy a more relaxed night scene, as the district is mostly home to bars and lounges.
Festivals & Events
Attending Sao Paulo's events and festivals is without a doubt, one of the fun things to do in Sao Paulo Brazil. If you're flexible with your travel plans, you could make your trip to Sao Paulo coincide with one of the events below:
Anniversary of Sao Paulo
One of the biggest and most popular events in Sao Paulo is the Anniversary of Sao Paulo held on the 25th of January. During this day, Paulistas commemorate the date the city of Sao Paulo was discovered (1500’s).
The Sao Vito festival
The Sao Vito festival, held in May, is another popular event in Sao Paulo where visitors can soak in some Italian heritage while sampling Italian food and enjoying Italian traditional music.
Fun Things to do in Sao Paulo Brazil: Shopping
Sao Paulo is a shopper’s paradise and grabbing a bargain is undoubtedly, one of the most popular fun things to do in Sao Paulo Brazil for first time visitors.
For those of you interested in hand-made goods and all kinds of crafts, the Liberdade district is also a great place to find a variety of Japanese, Korean and Chinese goods.
Those of you looking to enjoy some retail shopping, the Ibirapuera Shopping Mall is one of the many shopping malls in Sao Paulo where you can find a variety of department stores to choose from.
For a more upscale shopping scene, head to Rua Oscar Freire which located on Paulista Avenue, and it is where you’ll find the popular designer names.
Fun Things to do in Sao Paulo Brazil: Sports
Those of you who are football (soccer) aficionados and even if you are not, should not miss the experience that is watching a football match among Brazilians.
Sao Paulo is also the birth place of famed footballer called ‘Pele’, and those of you who want to see football memorabilia of the famed footballer can do so at the Museum of Football (The Museu do Futebol )
See below for more fun things to do in Sao Paulo Brazil:
Outdoor Attractions
Beaches
Heading to one of the nearby beaches to escape Sao Paulo's busyness is one of the most popular fun things to do during a trip to Sao Paulo Brazil.
One popular beach spot nearby Sao Paulo Brazil, it’s Praia Grande which is only an hour’s drive on the SP-160 highway. The beach offers all kind of water recreational activities such as jet skiing and banana boats.
The Sao Paulo Zoo and Gardens
The Sao Paulo Zoo and Gardens is one of the most popular fun things to do in Sao Paulo, if you are traveling with kids. Apart from visiting the Zoo’s amazing variety of local animals that include toucans and macaws, the zoo is home to beautiful gardens where you can enjoy a relaxing stroll.
The Ibirapuera Park
The Ibirapuera Park, Sao Paulo’s own version New York’s central park, is a beautiful park where you can enjoy a myriad of fun family outdoor activities, as well as visiting a few of the museums located there.
Places of Interest: Top 3 places to visit in Sao Paulo
As mentioned earlier, exploring Sao Paulo's many neighborhoods and museums are other activities you can add to your list of fun things to do in Sao Paulo Brazil. A few must see places in Sao Paulo include:
1. Liberdade District
Visiting the famed Liberdade district or Japantown is one of the most popular fun things to do in Sao Paulo Brazil.
The district is characterized for being home the largest Japanese
community outside Japan, and it is a great place to find delicious
eateries and Asian produce.
2. Ipiranga Imperial Museum
The Ipiranga Imperial Museum, located in Ipiranga Park, is one of the most important museums in Sao Paulo Brazil, and for history buffs this is a must-see attraction.
The museum features paintings, period costumes, photographs and videos that tell visitors more about the history of Sao Paulo.
3. The Sao Paulo Museum of Art
The Sao Paulo Museum of Art, located on Paulista Avenue, is another interesting stop for those interested in local and international art. The museum hosts a variety of art collections that include African, Brazilian and European art.
Nightlife & Entertainment
Exploring the city's night scene is no doubt, one of the fun things to do in Sao Paulo Brazil. The nightlife hotspots in Sao Paulo are plentiful, though they're spread out all over the city’s neighborhoods.
If you are looking to enjoy nightclubs and prefer a busier night scene, Vila Olimpia district is perhaps one of the most popular places to hang out for clubbers, and it is where you’ll find some of the best nightclubs in Brazil.
Vila Madalena district, in the other hand, is more suited for those of you who want to enjoy a more relaxed night scene, as the district is mostly home to bars and lounges.
Festivals & Events
Attending Sao Paulo's events and festivals is without a doubt, one of the fun things to do in Sao Paulo Brazil. If you're flexible with your travel plans, you could make your trip to Sao Paulo coincide with one of the events below:
Anniversary of Sao Paulo
One of the biggest and most popular events in Sao Paulo is the Anniversary of Sao Paulo held on the 25th of January. During this day, Paulistas commemorate the date the city of Sao Paulo was discovered (1500’s).
The Sao Vito festival
The Sao Vito festival, held in May, is another popular event in Sao Paulo where visitors can soak in some Italian heritage while sampling Italian food and enjoying Italian traditional music.
Fun Things to do in Sao Paulo Brazil: Shopping
Sao Paulo is a shopper’s paradise and grabbing a bargain is undoubtedly, one of the most popular fun things to do in Sao Paulo Brazil for first time visitors.
For those of you interested in hand-made goods and all kinds of crafts, the Liberdade district is also a great place to find a variety of Japanese, Korean and Chinese goods.
Those of you looking to enjoy some retail shopping, the Ibirapuera Shopping Mall is one of the many shopping malls in Sao Paulo where you can find a variety of department stores to choose from.
For a more upscale shopping scene, head to Rua Oscar Freire which located on Paulista Avenue, and it is where you’ll find the popular designer names.
Fun Things to do in Sao Paulo Brazil: Sports
Those of you who are football (soccer) aficionados and even if you are not, should not miss the experience that is watching a football match among Brazilians.
Sao Paulo is also the birth place of famed footballer called ‘Pele’, and those of you who want to see football memorabilia of the famed footballer can do so at the Museum of Football (The Museu do Futebol )