The world’s third most populated city, São Paulo, buzzes with relentless energy and cultural diversity. Innovative architecture, ground-breaking art spaces, and urban parks liven busy, skyscraper-dominated streets. Eat your way through famous, foodie-favoured open-air markets, bar hop across artsy, bohemian neighbourhoods, and get lost in the exciting mix stirred up by Brazil's biggest and brightest city.
Visit São Paulo: get started
Don't get overwhelmed by bustling São Paulo! Stroll down Avenida Paulista (pedestrian-only on Sundays!) and pop in to the amazing MASP (Museu de Arte de São Paulo). Don't miss the food-heaven that is the Municipal Market, the vast Ibirapuera Park, and the hip district of Vila Madalena. Soccer fans will want to catch a game at Morumbi or Pacaembu stadiums. Pick flight and hotel bundles to get started!
São Paulo travel guide
Destination facts
Language
Portuguese
What to bring back
A Brazil football jersey, a bottle of the sugar-cane spirit called cachaça, Japanese arts and crafts from the Liberdade neighbourhood (See our fun fact below!), mementos of Afro-Brazilian culture picked up at the Museu Afro Brasil or artistic souvenirs from the Museu de Arte de São Paulo.
What to eat
Coxinha (deep-fried balls of shredded chicken), virado a paulista (a mixed platter of meats, eggs, kale, rice, beans and more), pastéis (thin-crusted stuffed pastries), and the city’s surprisingly can’t-miss mortadella sandwiches, pizzas and Japanese dishes.
Fun fact
As you may have guessed from above, São Paulo is home to the most Japanese people outside of Japan. They started immigrating to Brazil in 1908—find out all about their history at the fascinating Museum of Japanese Immigration in Brazil! The city also highlights Japanese culture at the Japan House, a museum showcasing Japanese artists, at the Japanese Pavilion in Ibirapuera Park, a replica of a palace in Kyoto, and at the Mie Nishi complex, the only traditional sumo gymnasium outside of Japan.
Important info
For more information on all necessary travel documents and more, check Air Canada’s Travel Requirements page and the Government of Canada’s Travel and Tourism website.
