Top 10 Budget-friendly Things to do in Sao Paulo, State of Sao Paulo (SP)

Frogs and spiders and snakes, oh my! The Instituto Butantan, a biomedical research and zoological center founded in 1901, has all these creepy crawlies and more. The institute was instrumental in controlling scores of tropical diseases and now focuses on developing vaccines and researching venomous animals. Brazil's largest serpentarium is on-site, as is a convenient anti-venom clinic, just in case things get out of hand. In any event, the kiddies will get a kick out of handling the cool-blooded things, or at least peering at them through reinforced glass. Once you've had your fill of scales and rattles, take a stroll in the lovely landscaped gardens.

The emerald heart of an oftentimes gray city, São Paulo's Parque do Ibirapuera offers respite from the urban madness among cool, shady trees and mentally-stimulating structures. Running trails, bike paths, and yoga and capoeira sessions let locals and visitors alike keep fit, while a clutch of museums and galleries — such as the museums of Modern and Contemporary Art, all designed by master Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer — gives the brain a good workout. The impressive Museu Afro Brasil and fiery Auditório Ibirapuera are two of the park's treasures.

Elevated over a concrete platform used for concerts and a weekly crafts fair, the Museu de Arte de São Paulo (São Paulo Art Museum, abbreviated MASP) is itself a work of art; the building is an imposing Modernist box suspended under two bright red concrete supports. Featuring classical European names such as Gauguin, Goya and Gainsborough, the museum also holds one of the largest collections of Brazilian and other Latin American artists on the continent.

Pinacoteca is a museum of visual arts, with emphasis on Brazilian production since the nineteenth century. It belongs to the São Paulo State Secretariat of Culture. It was founded in 1905 by the State Government of São Paulo and it is the oldest art museum in the city. It is installed in the old building of the Arts and Crafts College, designed in the late nineteenth century by the architect Ramos de Azevedo. In the 1990's it underwent an extensive renovation with the architect Paulo Mendes da Rocha's project. Pinacoteca hosts about thirty exhibitions and receives about 450,000 visitors yearly. The museum's main focus is to promote to general public a better experience with visual arts with its collection, building and historical relevance.

Housed in a stunning example of eclectic industrial architecture, the Mercado Municipal de São Paulo — nicknamed the Mercadão — has thousands of food items on offer, literally from soup to nuts. Lush tropical and temperate fruits from every season, choice cuts of meats and fish, and hearty prepared foods,such as the renowned and enormous mortadella (bologna) sandwich, complete the market's catalog of wares, all for sale in a boisterous, welcoming atmosphere. The surrounding area can be a bit sketchy, but the sights and flavors more than make up for the journey downtown.

taú Cultural is an institute dedicated to the research and production of content as well as mapping, fostering and dissemination of artistic and intellectual expressions. In this way, it contributes to the enhancement of the culture of a society as complex and diverse as Brazil. By considering culture a key tool to the construction of the country's identity and an effective means to promote citizenship, Itaú Cultural seeks to democratize and encourage social participation. A center of cultural reference, for 28 years the institute has been promoting and propagating the Brazilian output - both in and out of the country. Its programs - such as Rumos - as well as its mission and vision emphasize the institute's consistent distinctive features that place it among the most important cultural institutions in Brazil.

Temporarily closed - Topped by a purple-and-burgundy-striped conversation piece of a skyscraper at the north pole of Faria Lima, the cultural center named after a renowned Japanese-Brazilian artist (whose son designed the building) features a rotating schedule of visual art exhibitions, including award-winning photography, avant-garde sculptures, and even decorative cachaça bottle labels. The institute is, quite simply, one of the city's best art venues.

São Paulo's very own Empire State Building — the Edifício Altino Arantes, also known by the name of its previous owner, Banespa — opened in 1947 as a symbol of the fast-growing city's economic might. The striking views from the observation deck, accessed from the 33rd floor of the 161-meter-tall building, never fail to impress visitors. Views, while free, are daytime only; the building is only open during normal business hours.