Sao Paulo Travel Guide: Sao Paulo Districts

The Historical Center of the city is an intriguing place to start exploring Sao Paulo. Although not much remains of the colonial past, the historical center is still well worth a visit, where the industrial and commercial development of the last century is most visible.

For those looking to delve into the cultural and artistic heart of São Paulo, a trip to Vila Madalena is indispensable. It is here that artists, actors, musicians, and designers converge into the numerous galleries and studios of modern and contemporary art. The artistic flair of Vila Madalena be discovered in other mediums as well – winding streets and alleyways are adorned with fabulous graffiti created by the most famous of Brazilian artists. Amongst the most visited sites are a record store with 80,000 vinyl albums and a “green building” which is designed using entirely sustainable concepts – a life form in the midst of a metropolis.

Another compelling district of São Paulo is the Bairro Liberdade (Japanese Quarter) which reveals the strong influence that Japanese people have had on the city. São Paulo has the largest Japanese community outside of Japan.

The Liberdade quarter gained its name the abolition of slavery in 1888, before which it had been the main center for punishing slaves who had attempted escape from coffee plantations. Nowadays, it is often most adequately referred to as “Japan in Brazil” as almost all aspects of the East Asian island’s culture are replicated here in some form. This can firstly be seen in the elaborate red porticos, streetlamps, and pagoda buildings that are crafted in a fashion characteristic of Japanese design and architecture. Beyond the décor, the district has Japanese films, manga, galleries, restaurants, tea shops, theaters, and shops full of Japanese imports, halls brimming from the streets in all directions. On Sundays there is an Asian market with handicrafts and delicious imported foodstuffs.

Southwest of Liberdade is Bela Vista, the Italian Quarter of São Paulo where some excellent Italian restaurants can be found. There is a handicraft fair on the weekend that has a great variety of antiques for sale.

Perhaps the most pleasant and affluent district of inner city São Paulo is Jardins. Portuguese for “gardens,” Jardins is an upscale district of residential houses, so named for the greenery maintained by residents which distinguished the area from the industrial districts of the city. This is a great place for visitors to relax, and the less adventurous can even choose not to leave the area during their São Paulo vacation; there are countless shops, restaurants, bars, clubs, parks, and attractions to keep travelers occupied and a delectable range of hotels to boot.