Few people traveling to South America or specifically to Brazil know about the diversity of the population of the country’s largest city, Sao Paulo. Called “Sampa” by its residents, the city is home to more than eleven million people. Not all of its residents are Brazilian however, as the city is also home to the largest Japanese community outside of Japan, plays home to enormous communities of Italians and Arabs, as well as many other foreigners who all happily call themselves “paulistanos”.
What this means for visitors to Sao Paulo is a truly unique experience. The city did not see tremendous growth or population increase until the twentieth century, meaning that today many historic buildings and landmarks crowd shoulder to shoulder with new high-rise skyscrapers. Close to the city’s original center are the ethnic neighborhoods that offer their own specialty foods and merchandise as well as cultural events and museums.
Most Sao Paulo experts say that a visitor could easily spend weeks just getting to know a single neighborhood, but most agree that even a long weekend visit could allow an adventurous visitor to get acquainted with some of the remarkable things the city has to offer.
Beginning with the Centro
Historico, which is the tourist “hot spot”, a visitor will encounter every kind of citizen in the city – business professionals, students, everyday families and other tourists. From there the Expanded Center surrounds the original historic center and supports its daily needs. The official South Side of the city is home to its Zoo, major commercial areas – considered to be the new “downtown” for the city, and even middle class neighborhoods. The West Side is home to a much quieter pace and contains the State’s Palace, the city’s largest public soccer stadium, the University of Sao Paulo and many residential neighborhoods. Visitors to the North Side of the city will find themselves in tiny ethnic neighborhoods offering many parks and cultural events. The East Side contains the largest amount of residential properties and the most diverse number of immigrants.
Those looking for accommodations can find them in almost neighborhood throughout the city, and a great place to start a search is at HotelsCombined.com, where incredible savings on airfare and rooms is always available.
A final destination for most paulistanos as well as visitors of the city is the Ibirapuera Park which contains many trails and lakes, but also contains the city’s Modern Art Museum, vendors selling local specialties, and fantastic opportunities for “people watching” in Brazil’s most cosmopolitan city.
