T
SÃO PAULO Ella Buchan
spends a weekend in Brazil’s
biggest city
hink of Rio de Janeiro and a flurry of vividly coloured
feathers might flash through your mind. São Paulo, a huge 95,800sq mile metropolis and home to more than 20% of Brazil’s population, is much harder to pin down. But a little time digging
beneath its steely, skyscraper- dominated exterior can unearth gems that sparkle just as prettily as its party-loving cousin, making it well worth a stopover for those visiting Rio during the Olympic Games in August. It’s been nicknamed the
‘Brazilian Big Apple’ and, just like New York, has world-class restaurants, a true 24-hour
culture and a frenetic pace. Thankfully Sampa, as locals know it, also has some charming, bite-sized barrios or neighbourhoods that make a trip there much easier to digest. Two of the prettiest, most charming and safest barrios are boho-paradise Vila Madalena in western São Paulo and leafy, well-heeled Jardins to the south. Both make lovely bases for exploring the museums, architecture and nightlife of central São Paulo, easily accessible on the metro system. British Airways and Tam Airlines both fly direct to São Paulo from London, with the latter connecting the city
to other Brazilian highlights including Salvador on the pretty Bahia coast and, of course, Rio.
w DAY ONE 09:00: Get an early start to beat the crowds to the observation deck at Altino Arantes or Banespa (24 Rua João Brícola), modelled on the Empire State Building, next to São Bento metro station in Centro. Entry is free and the 161-metre lift to the top rewards with head-spinning views.
10:00: Around 10 minutes west, off Viaduto do Cha, is Ramos de Azevedo. Named after a lauded Brazilian architect who designed the Municipal Theatre, this public
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travelweekly.co.uk 12 May 2016
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