São Paulo is Brazil’s restless giant—an engine of art, gastronomy, and ideas. Founded by Jesuits in 1554, it blossomed on coffee fortunes, waves of immigration, and a relentless belief in the next big thing. Today it’s a megacity of neighborhoods: Japanese Liberdade, bohemian Vila Madalena, fashion-forward Jardins, and an elegant historic center dotted with Belle Époque gems.

Expect museum powerhouses like MASP, the Pinacoteca, and parks so verdant you’ll forget the skyline. Food is an obsession here, from pastel and mortadella at the Mercado Municipal to tasting menus at global darlings—and a coffee culture that honors the beans that once built the city. Street art blooms down alleys, and music thumps late into the night.

Practicalities: Fly into GRU or CGH, rely on the efficient Metro and ride-hailing, and keep valuables close in busy areas. São Paulo’s cuisine mirrors its diversity—Japanese, Italian, Lebanese, Northeastern Brazilian—and its calendar brims with football, fashion, and art events. Pack for warm days, occasional rain, and crisp evenings from May–September.

São Paulo

São Paulo rewards curiosity. Wander Avenida Paulista for culture on every block, then duck into side streets for specialty coffee, bookshops, and contemporary galleries. In Ibirapuera Park, Oscar Niemeyer’s dreamy pavilions make art feel playful. In Centro, century-old facades meet cutting-edge bars tucked beneath theaters and old bank vaults.

• Don’t-miss sights: MASP’s floating galleries, Pinacoteca and Jardim da Luz, Ibirapuera Park (MAM, MAC-USP, Museu Afro Brasil), Catedral da Sé, Theatro Municipal, Farol Santander’s views, Beco do Batman murals.
• Flavor highlights: Mortadella sandwich at the Mercadão, feijoada (try Bolinha on Saturdays), contemporary Brazilian at Maní, pork-driven creativity at A Casa do Porco, seafood moquecas, and third-wave coffee at Coffee Lab and KOF.
• Fun facts: Liberdade is home to the largest Japanese community outside Japan; São Paulo’s street art scene helped put Brazilian graffiti on the global map; the city fields three football giants—Corinthians, Palmeiras, São Paulo FC.

Where to stay (book with our partners):

• Search vacation rentals: VRBO São Paulo
• Search hotels: Hotels.com São Paulo
• Design icon with rooftop pool and skyline views: Hotel Unique (Jardins)
• Stylish classic with standout service and a prime dining scene: Hotel Fasano São Paulo (Jardins)
• Great-value business-friendly base near the river and Morumbi area: Novotel São Paulo Morumbi
• Budget-friendly and central by Avenida Paulista: Ibis Budget São Paulo Paulista

Getting there & around: Book international and domestic flights via Trip.com Flights or Kiwi.com. Most visitors arrive at GRU (international) or CGH (domestic). Typical nonstop flight times: Miami ~8.5–9.5h; NYC ~9.5–10.5h; Buenos Aires ~3h. In the city, the Metro is clean and frequent (single fare around R$5), and Uber/taxis are plentiful. Allow 60–90 minutes between GRU and central neighborhoods depending on traffic.

Day 1: Arrival, Avenida Paulista, and Jardins Flavors

Afternoon: Arrive and settle in. Stretch your legs on Avenida Paulista: stop by MASP’s striking plaza for photos and the small forested pocket of Trianon Park across the street. Pop into Japan House or the IMS (Instituto Moreira Salles) for rotating photo and design exhibits if time allows.

Evening: Dinner in Jardins. Try Figueira Rubaiyat for aged steaks under a century-old fig tree, or Santo Grão (Oscar Freire) for lighter contemporary plates and excellent coffee. For cocktails, head to Guilhotina Bar in Pinheiros—award-winning, energetic, and serious about technique—or SubAstor in Vila Madalena for classics done right.

Day 2: Historic Centro, Mercadão, and a Downtown Bike Tour

Morning: See downtown from the saddle with the Secrets of Downtown São Paulo Bike Tour (small-group). Glide past Theatro Municipal, Viaduto do Chá, Catedral da Sé, and more while learning context that brings the city’s layers to life.

Afternoon: Walk Centro’s landmarks: Pátio do Colégio (city birthplace), Catedral da Sé, and CCBB’s art deco grandeur. For lunch, dive into the Mercado Municipal (Mercadão): grab the towering mortadella sandwich at Bar do Mané or a codfish pastel at Hocca Bar, then sweets at Casa Mathilde (Portuguese classics).

Evening: Book A Casa do Porco for a pork-driven tasting menu that lands on global “best of” lists (ask for the chef’s counter). Cap the night with negronis beneath vaulted brick arches at Bar dos Arcos (under Theatro Municipal) or city views at Terraço Itália.

Day 3: Liberdade’s Japanese Roots, Street Food, and Paulista Culture

Morning: Breakfast at Padoca do Maní (buttery pão na chapa, cakes) before browsing Liberdade’s lantern-lined Rua Galvão Bueno for ceramics, snacks, and stationery. If it’s Sunday, the open-air market buzzes with takoyaki stands and crafts.

Midday (Featured tour): Taste your way through the neighborhood on the Liberdade “Street Food” Tour (2 hours, in English)—perfect for on-the-go gyoza, karaage, and mochi while hearing how São Paulo became a Japanese culinary capital.

Afternoon: Head back to Paulista: Japan House’s design exhibitions, Sesc Paulista’s free rooftop viewpoint, and Casa das Rosas for a quick literary-and-garden pause.

Evening: Dinner at Tan Tan (Japanese-inspired plates, best-in-class cocktails) or Jun Sakamoto for refined sushi. Nightcap at Frank Bar (classic hotel bar craft) or a gelato stroll along Oscar Freire’s chic windows.

Day 4: Ibirapuera Park, Museums, and Vila Madalena Street Art

Morning: Coffee at KOF – King of the Fork (cyclist-friendly) or Sofá Café, then enter Ibirapuera Park. Visit MAM for modern art, cross to MAC-USP’s top floors for skyline views, and explore Museu Afro Brasil for powerful narratives of Afro-Brazilian culture.

Afternoon: Light lunch at Prêt MAM (salads, quiches), then Uber to Vila Madalena. Wander Beco do Batman’s technicolor murals and pop into galleries and design shops along Rua Harmonia and Girassol.

Evening: Book Maní (Chef Helena Rizzo) for inventive Brazilian terroir plates—ask about the milho flavors and pirarucu. Afterwards, craft beer at Empório Alto dos Pinheiros or samba at Bar Samba if you want a rhythmic end to the night.

Day 5: Day Trip to the Coast — Santos, São Vicente, and Guarujá

Trade skyscrapers for sea breezes on the Beaches Tour: Santos, São Vicente and Guarujá from São Paulo. It’s about 70 km one-way (1.5–2 hours by road, depending on traffic), with time for Santos’ historic core and beachfront gardens, the Coffee Museum neighborhood, and Guarujá’s Praia da Enseada.

Bring sunscreen, a swimsuit, and cash for seaside snacks. If you have free time, consider seafood at Dalmo Bárbaro (Guarujá) or a quick espresso near Santos’ historic trams. Return to SP by early evening; keep dinner easy with pizza at Bráz (thin-crust, classic paulistana style).

Day 6: Atlantic Rainforest Hike and Birdwatching

Swap urban buzz for green silence on the Birdwatching, Atlantic Rainforest Hike, São Paulo Ecotourism. Expect an early pickup, about a 2-hour drive to the Serra do Mar/Tapiraí area, and an immersive day of trails, waterfalls, and vibrant Atlantic Forest birdlife.

Wear trail shoes, bring a light rain jacket, insect repellent, and a refillable bottle. Back in town, reward yourself with Northeastern Brazilian comfort food at Mocotó (if you’re up for the trek north) or head to Chou (Pinheiros) for wood-fired simplicity and great vegetables.

Day 7: Football, Markets, and a Skyline Farewell

Morning: Coffee tasting flight at Coffee Lab (Pinheiros) or Octavio Café (Faria Lima). Then visit the Museu do Futebol at Pacaembu—stellar, interactive exhibits on Brazil’s greatest passion.

Afternoon: Browse Mercado Municipal de Pinheiros for modern food stalls (hunt for Amazonian ingredients and Brazilian cheeses) or hit JK Iguatemi for design shopping. Lunch under the fig tree at Galeto Di Paolo (rotisserie galeto and polenta) or a light bowl at Futuro Refeitório.

Evening: End with golden-hour drinks and poolside views at Skye Bar (on the rooftop of Hotel Unique—reserve if possible). For a last dinner, try Fasano’s refined Italian classics or Bairro do Avillez for contemporary Portuguese—then a final caipirinha toast to a week well spent.

Optional add-ons and swap ideas

• Prefer architecture? Replace Day 5 with an architecture-focused private tour day (modernism to contemporary façades).
• Coffee geek? Swap Day 6 for a countryside coffee farm immersion: Coffee Farm Tour: Explore the Flavors of São Paulo’s Countryside.

Getting in and out: For flights in and out of São Paulo, compare fares on Trip.com and Kiwi.com. Plan at least 3 hours total to reach GRU, clear security, and board during rush periods.

In one week you’ll taste São Paulo’s full palette—art temples, Japanese-Liberdade flavors, street art corridors, rainforest hush, and the salt of the nearby sea. It’s a city that rewards repeat visits, with each neighborhood a new chapter. Keep this itinerary handy; it’s your map to the city’s best stories.