Travel in Latin America
The city of Sao Paulo has been compared to the city of New York, and has just as many interesting places to go and unique things to see as New York does! Sao Paulo is South America’s largest city, and is the third largest city in the entire world. It is home to an astounding 17 million people, and has many neighborhoods made up of a diverse collection of people with nationalities such as Japanese, Arab, Italian and Lebanese.
If you ever wish to make a trip to Sao Paulo, try to avoid the months of January, February and March, as this is the rainy season and floods are inevitable. These floods disrupt the normal flow of things, and make seeing the sites nearly impossible. The best time to visit is April through December. This is the period of time when you will be able to see art and fashion shows, cultural events, as well as music festivals.
A visit to Sao Paulo will have one bewildered by the assortment of activities and attractions that are available. One unique place to experience is the Butanta Institute, one of the world’s most well known centers for the study of poisonous snakes. While it is foremost a research center, it does house thousands and thousands of poisonous snakes that can be observed by visitors to the Institute.
Art lovers will not want to pass up the opportunity to visit the Museo de Arte Sacra & Jardin de la Luz. This lovely museum is situated inside an 18th century baroque monastery, and houses what is thought to be the best collection of colonial artifacts, as well as art in South America. There are also numerous other museums and galleries scattered throughout the city, some housing major collections, with others hosting shows for local artists.
Sao Paulo, being a cosmopolitan city, is home to many of Brazil’s richest residents. It is also a shopping mecca, and top of the line goods such as cameras, clothes, perfume, jewelry, leather goods, shoes, art, antiques, as well as hand made goods and crafts are widely available.
Sao Paulo is also known for its vibrant nightlife and plethora of dance clubs and bars. One of Sao Paulo’s best-known bars is Bar Brahma, which has been around since 1949. It used to be a meeting place for artsy types as well as local politicians, but today is the favored location to hear live samba music.
Like any metropolitan city, Sao Paulo is easy to get around in by using taxis, buses and trains. It is wise not to rent a car and attempt to navigate the city yourself, as during rush hour the traffic can be at a standstill for hours, and when it rains, traffic doesn’t move at all.
Sao Paulo is a city rich in history; it has a diverse population, beautiful museums and galleries, and is full of attractions and beautiful architecture. It is a city that has much to offer to visitors and residents alike.