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Edifício Copan
Copan was designed by late modernist master Oscar Niemeyer. The building, with its serpentine facade and narrow brises soleil (permanent sunshades), is…
São Paulo State
Speaking of São Paulo state without using superlatives is difficult. The southern hemisphere’s largest city! Its finest museums! Its best restaurants! Its worst traffic! (Well, you can’t have everything.) São Paulo city – Sampa to locals – is Brazil's boomtown (commercially, financially, industrially and culturally), and an explosion of sophisticated travelers descending on the city’s numerous arts and epicurean offerings has ensured the sprawling city remains a must-stop for traveling urbanites.
Inland from the cityscape, the Serra da Mantiqueira's 1500ft (2500m) peaks play the novel Alpine-esque getaway role, while Iporanga sits tucked away in the pristine Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Out to sea, some of southeastern Brazil’s finest beaches cling both to the mountainous stretch of rainforest-backdropped coastline near Ubatuba, and to nearby Ilhabela, which relishes its position as São Paulo's cosmopolitan island escape.
Explore São Paulo State
- EEdifício Copan
Copan was designed by late modernist master Oscar Niemeyer. The building, with its serpentine facade and narrow brises soleil (permanent sunshades), is…
- MMercado Municipal
This covered market is a belle epoque confection of stained glass and a series of vast domes. Inside, a fabulous urban market specializes in all things…
- PParque Estadual do Alto do Ribeira
This 357-sq-km state park, with its 450 cataloged caves, is known as Brazil’s Capital das Grutas (Cave Capital). The park's Núcleos de Visitação (Visitor…
- MMuseu de Arte de São Paulo
Sampa’s pride, this museum possesses Latin America’s most comprehensive collection of Western art. Hovering above a concrete plaza that turns into an…
- MMosteiro São Bento
Among the city’s oldest and most important churches, São Bento dates to 1598, though its neo-Gothic facade dates only to the early 20th century. Step…
- IIlha das Couves
Ubatuba's most coveted beach destination is this tiny, 58-hectare island that is paradise in every sense of the word. Golden sands, lush rainforest and…
- FFarol Santander
For one of Sampa’s best panoramas, head to the top of this 161m-high skyscraper, Brazil’s version of the Empire State Building – completed in 1939 and…
- PPina_Luz
This elegant neoclassical museum, formerly known as Pinacoteca do Estado but modernly rebranded 'Pina_Luz' (with the underline!) in 2017, houses an…
- MMuseu Xingu
Relatively unknown and blissfully uncrowded, the unassuming Casa Amarela is part NGO handicraft shop, part two-table romantic cafe and part tiny Museu…
Top attractions
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout São Paulo State.
- See
Edifício Copan
Copan was designed by late modernist master Oscar Niemeyer. The building, with its serpentine facade and narrow brises soleil (permanent sunshades), is…
- See
Mercado Municipal
This covered market is a belle epoque confection of stained glass and a series of vast domes. Inside, a fabulous urban market specializes in all things…
- See
Parque Estadual do Alto do Ribeira
This 357-sq-km state park, with its 450 cataloged caves, is known as Brazil’s Capital das Grutas (Cave Capital). The park's Núcleos de Visitação (Visitor…
- See
Museu de Arte de São Paulo
Sampa’s pride, this museum possesses Latin America’s most comprehensive collection of Western art. Hovering above a concrete plaza that turns into an…
- See
Mosteiro São Bento
Among the city’s oldest and most important churches, São Bento dates to 1598, though its neo-Gothic facade dates only to the early 20th century. Step…
- See
Ilha das Couves
Ubatuba's most coveted beach destination is this tiny, 58-hectare island that is paradise in every sense of the word. Golden sands, lush rainforest and…
- See
Farol Santander
For one of Sampa’s best panoramas, head to the top of this 161m-high skyscraper, Brazil’s version of the Empire State Building – completed in 1939 and…
- See
Pina_Luz
This elegant neoclassical museum, formerly known as Pinacoteca do Estado but modernly rebranded 'Pina_Luz' (with the underline!) in 2017, houses an…
- See
Museu Xingu
Relatively unknown and blissfully uncrowded, the unassuming Casa Amarela is part NGO handicraft shop, part two-table romantic cafe and part tiny Museu…
