What to do and see in Sao Paulo, Brazil: The Best Places and Tips

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.

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.

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.

The Corinthians Arena was inaugurated in May 2014. Built for the World Cup, the Sport Club Corinthians Paulista stadium hosted the opening ceremony and 6 games of the main soccer competition on the planet. In 2016, it returned to be host of international games, receiving 10 matches of the soccer tournament of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. The Corinthians home hosts the official club games, social and corporate events. The tour to know the stadium, called "Casa do Povo", runs from Wednesday to Sunday, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:20 p.m., and costs R $ 40 in weekdays and R $ 60 at weekends, with a 20% discount for fans. Students, the elderly and children from 3 to 12 years old will be entitled to half-entry, and children under 3 years old will not pay admission. Come and visit one of the most modern stadiums in the world, the House of the People!

Located in a Victorian-era structure reminiscent of Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, Catavento Cultural is chock-full of interactive, hands-on exhibits and educational activities for children. Subjects covered include space, wildlife, geography, the human body and society. They are presented in action-filled, engaging fashion for the little ones. The surrounding neighborhood can be a bit sketchy, so taking a cab is recommended.

Occupying the historic headquarters of Brazil's largest bank, the CCBB features an ever-changing program of art Exhibitions, photography, theater, documentaries and feature films, and other engaging cultural manifestations. The building itself is a Baroque jewel, situated in the old financial district of São Paulo, and avant-garde events, such as a recent blaxploitation film retrospective, keep the CCBB on every hip Paulistano's cultural agenda.