Best things you can do in Brazils largest city
São Paulo, a mega city containing 18 million people, has a lot to offer. For those who love big cities, nightlife, museums and culture check out the list below of all you can do in Brazil’s economic hub. The city was founded by Jesuit missionaries on January 25, 1554, the anniversary of the conversion of Saint Paul, where it got its name from. You can use this list to see what you want to do and I hope you will enjoy. One thing that I wish I had done, especially because I’m Dutch, was to do a guided bike tour. You will get an idea of how big the city is and also how crazy it can be. I mean you will experience it any way but it would have been cool.
See art at the Pinacoteca do Estado
For those of you who love art, the Museum Pinacoteca do Estado is one of the best museums in town. The building is beautiful and while you are there, walking across the street to see the station, it’s very pretty. Across from the museum you also have a museum that specializes in the changes in Portuguese language. I went there with my Brazilian friends but it was very hard to understand. So back to the museum, Pinacoteca has a beautiful collection of paintings, art installations and statues. If you like modern art you can go to Pinacoteca Contemporânea, it’s just around the corner. The expositions change so if you want you can check out the website beforehand to see what is on display. You can buy a ticket there too and I do advise you to do so, because it can take a while to get in if you don’t have a ticket. After the museum I popped into the lovely park just beside the museum. The museum is accessible for wheelchair users. There are multiple ramps that you can use.
See the beautiful windows of metropolitana da Sé de São Paulo
The cathedral of São Paulo is definitely a must see! If you take the metro there is a stop super close to the church. The cathedral isn’t very old, like some of the ones you can find in Europe. But having said that, the origin of the cathedral goes back to 1589, when a church was built in the small city of Sao Paulo. When the church started to grow a new church was built on the same spot but that modest church was considered too small as well. The construction of the cathedral we now know started in 1913 and it opened in 1954. The towers were completed in 1967. The style of the cathedral is neo-gothic with the exception of the dome which was made in a renaissance style. The cathedral was renovated in 2002. If you want to take some pictures in front of the cathedral, be aware of the many cyclists who can try and grab your phone. If there are a lot of police there, it’s a bit more safe.
The cathedral is accessible but…. There is a side door for when you want to enter with a wheelchair but there are no signs. If you are alone there is no way to get to someone to open the side door. If you have a companion they will have to enter the church and ask for help. There are some part where you can’t come due to some stairs or steps but you are probably used to things like that.
Wonder around in the Japanese neighborhood Liberdade
The neighborhood of Liberdade is very close to the Metropolitana da Sé. We walked from the church to the neighborhood. How do you know that you are there? Easy, if you see Japanese shops or the red and white lantern lights at the side of the roads. We walked around the whole morning, going in and out of different Japanese shops, going into different little Japanese parks and learning the location of the Japanese Immigration Museum. (More on that later.) Watch out for the manga comic shop and the paper and craft shop. We decided we wanted to have a Japanese Curry and my friend knew a good restaurant for that. It was delicious and the restaurant felt very traditional. We loved hanging out in this neighborhood. Check out the best restaurants here.
You can walk around with a wheelchair but there are some uneven and steep streets. Most of them are okay and you can always ask for help from people around. Some store and restaurants are accessible but some also have steps. But just walk around because you can already see a lot.
Did you know there is also a ‘Korea town’ in São Paulo? Bom Retiro is a great place for checking out Korean restaurants. There are not as many Korean shops as there are Japanese shops but if you come on Saturday there is a market called Feira do Bom Retiro. The vendors sell typical Korean food, music (K-Pop) and gadgets.
Visit the interesting Japanese Immigration Museum
This museum is on the top floors of a large building so finding it was a bit hard. The museum explains everything you need to know about why there are so many Japanese descendants living in Brazil. (I do have a blog on that if you’re interested, see button here after. The museum has a large display of items from the ships, log books with names of the people that came and shows the living conditions of the first immigrants. This was such an interesting museum. The museum is in a big building and the museum is on the top floors. You can access it with your wheelchair and the elevators are in the lobby downstairs.
Experience the crazy nightlife of São Paulo
I’m not a big nightlife person so I’m not the best person to talk about this one. But my friends from São Paulo have told me that there are some really awesome clubs here. They even have said it is one of the best places on the planet for clubbing. So if you like to go out, this is a great place for you. The clubs of Itami Bin or the samba bars of Zona Leste are considered to be the best places in the country. Centro and Bixiga are known for their LGBTQ-friendly establishments. I wouldn’t know if night life in São Paulo could be accessible for wheelchair users but I will let you be the judge of that.
Go shopping and eating at Mercado Municipal
In most cities you have a big market hall where you can buy fresh produce, fish and other foods. The Mercado Municipal in São Paulo has become a tourist attraction and because of the high prices it is better to buy your fresh produce elsewhere if you can. It is nice to see different fruits you might never have seen or tried. There are some fishes from the Amazon Rainforest that they sell here too if you want to see or try. You can try the most famous dish from São Paulo here. The sanduiche de mortadelaor mortadela sandwich is available at most vendors’ stalls in the food court. The difference lies in the size and quantity of meat. The Mercado Municipal has ramps and elevators for you to use.
Experience the beautiful Museu de Arte de São Paulo- MASP
Of all the museums I visited in Brazil, this was one of the best ones. The building itself is quite unique and the standard collection is displayed in such a cool way! The exposition that was shown while I was there was good but I felt it wasn’t as nicely displayed as the rest of the art pieces. The colorful native art pieces were a surprise and a delight. As I mentioned, the standard collection was shown in a very unique way. The art works are mounted on a glass wall that is set in concrete blocks. These easels were inspired by the concrete building of the museum. What makes it so special is that you can see the backs of the paintings. Even the backs of some paintings have a story to tell. I have never seen something like this before. The Museum displays works from Van Gogh, Cézanne, Monet, Renoir, Picasso and many more. The museum is accessible for those who need ramps and elevators.
Walk around Ibirapuera Park and/or visit one of the museums
This park is on every list when you search for what you should do in São Paulo but I actually didn’t see it. I did want to mention it because if you are craving some green this definitely one of the places you can go to. The museum of art Oca is situated in the park as well as Museu Afro and the Japanese pavilion. We just didn’t have more time and because we already saw so much we decided to skip it. Most of the park can be accessed by wheelchair users, there are some parts though that have steps but don’t be discouraged to come because there is still a lot to see.
Take lots of pictures at Beco de Batman or Batman’s alley
This alley is absolutely amazing. The artworks from different graffiti artists are vibrant, fun and quirky. The art that you see changes constantly because new artists come and paint the existing works. So you will probably see something new and fresh. There is an app you can download and see works come to life in the experience of augmented reality. The QR codes are at the bottom of the art works. Don’t forget to check out the smaller art works on landpost and little hidden walls. Around the alley are some souvenir shops, galleries and restaurants. I spent about 2 hours here, with a coffee break included. Because this is a normal road everyone can come here.
Learn about Japanese culture at the Japan house São Paulo
As you now know, the city of Sao Paulo is well known for its Japanese community. The Japan house is a house where different exhibitions are held. Sometimes about the history of Japan, Japanese artists, sports in Japan or traditional Japanese toys. The time I went, there was a very interesting miniatures exhibition. We loved it! Check out what exhibitions there are before you go because they change a lot and you do want to go when something interesting is on display. There is a nice restaurant and a beautiful shop with books, Japanese art and decoration pieces. The museum is easily accessible for wheelchairs.
Learn about Brazils independence at Museu do Ipiranga
The museum is located close to the place where the Brazilian Independence in 1822 would have been proclaimed. The monumental building was built in 1884 and only six years later it was turned into a museum. You can learn more about the history of independence of Brazil in this museum, see the large collection of objects, furniture, maps, and works of art with historical relevance and admire the beautiful stairway in the middle of the building. Outside is a garden with fountains and at the end of the garden is the independence statue. All areas of the building can be accessed by ramps or elevators.
Visit a rooftop bar or restaurant
São Paulo is literally a concrete jungle and you will see it if you go to a rooftop bar or restaurant. You have a lot of options but we went to the famous “Edificio Italia” building. The skyscraper is one of São Paulo’s largest buildings, with 46 stories. You can visit the viewing platform (check the site for more info on times and prices) or you can buy a drink at the restaurant. The name is Terraço Italia. We went during covid times and the deck was closed so we had a drink instead. It was very quiet during the day which was very nice. This restaurant is accessible for everyone so enjoy!
Having visited this huge city for a couple of days I discovered that there are some things I enjoyed more than I thought before I went there. The museum MASP was absolutely one of my favorites and the different Japanese experiences taught me so much stuff I never knew. Very cool experience for sure. The traffic and the feeling of being unsafe were more prevalent in this city than for instance Rio de Janeiro or Curitiba. So be aware of that. But don’t let this dissuade you from coming to São Paulo and enjoy this mega city and it’s fun things.
Did I forget something or do you have a question, please let me know and I will try to get back to you with a response as soon as I can. You can write it down in the comments down below.
Is São Paulo accessible for wheelchair users?
Museums*
Most bigger museums have ramps and elevators. But smaller museums don’t always have that. So of course you need to check before you go because it will be different museum to museum.
Café’s and restaurants
There are so many places where you can enter but a lot of place don’t have ramps. Bathrooms in smaller places usually are upstairs. You can always go to a shopping mall because they have food courts that are accessible.
Public transport
Not good. Some busses have a ramp but a lot of them have steps. The busstops are not alway even and you will need help for sure. The subway does have some elevators but not always. For a hassle free trip it’s easier to use Uber or taxi.
Toilets
If you go inside malls or other public places you will have a designated toilet for wheelchair users.
*And other attractions
Items I love while traveling
Door lock
My portable door lock goes everywhere with me. Especially as a solo traveler it makes me feel way more safe. It can be use in most doors (only a couple of times I wasn’t able to use it) and it’s super sturdy.
XD Design roll top bag pack
My roll top backpack is almost 3 years old but I still use it every day, not only when I travel. Because of the roll top and the add lock system it is anti-theft. It’s also cut proof and water resistant. There is a separate section for your laptop and water bottle.
Baseball cap for ponytail or bun
One of my biggest wins in terms of sun protection are hats and baseball caps. But I have a lot of hair and with this baseball cap I can finally wear my hair in a bun or high ponytail. Win-win!