OrangeSmile Tours Best destinations around the world - Travel Guide
Sao Paulo

Culture of Sao Paulo. Places to visit - old town, temples, theaters, museums and palaces

Sampa The Brazil Avenue concentrates the most remarkable architectural landmarks of the city of Sao Paulo. The main symbol of the city and its main site is the Nossa Dama Brasil Church. The ancient catholic church features a rather unique style. An impressive building with two cupolas resembles a typical orthodox cathedral. Tourists should visit and estimate its inner decoration which is kept unaltered for many years. A perfect place for hiking is the Japan Town of Sao Paulo. First immigrants appeared in the city for more than a hundred years ago. Today the tourists will discover plenty of popular shops and restaurants in the area apart from a great variety of original buildings and constructions. The main symbol of the area is the Viaduto do Chá (the Tea Bridge).
Sao Paulo is the undercover capital of Brazil and its economic center. Originally the city was considered the territory and the home of the Indians, but after the depletion of land resources … Open
The bridge opening was held in 1892 and since that time the original construction of the bridge has been preserved in its initial look. A part of the construction, the bridge is made of, was purpose produced by the best engineers of Germany. The most popular and visited cultural establishment of the city of Sao Paulo is a famous pictorial art gallery named the Pinacoteca do Estado which was established as far back as in 1905. Spacious halls of the gallery host hundreds of priceless works of pictorial art by masters of 19th-20th centuries. An excursion through the halls of the Pinacoteca will turn to an amazing experience and visitors will have a chance not only to observe and estimate marvelous pictures but to get a deeper insight into the culture and history of art of the country.
To go on learning the artworks of prominent painters tourists should pay a visit to the Sao Paulo Museum of Art which is housed in a building of a university of Sao Paulo. Apart from antique pictures the museum keeps a rich collection of engravings and fine prints, photos, sketches and sculptures. The museum often holds exhibitions of works by modern artists of pictorial and statuary art. Another cultural establishment offering the same exciting collections of artworks is the Galeria Jacques Ardies. Apart from age-old masterpieces the gallery keeps a rich collection of artworks by contemporary masters. Copyright www.orangesmile.com
Sao Paulo invites its guests to explore popular restaurants visiting which will turn to the greatest experience full of new impressions during a vacation. Sea food fans should pay a visit to … Open
Another landmark known far beyond the boundaries of the city is the Ipiranga Imperial Museum which collection counts more than 125 thousands of showpieces. The exhibition of the Museum offers amazing collection of antique furniture of the imperial period, various objects of art and precious fineries. The museum is housed in a magnificent palace which is of great architectural significance as well. After the exploration of the collections of the museum tourists will have a chance to hike along scenic lanes of marvelous park which impresses by a diversity of amazing lawns, stunning floral compositions and charming fountains.
Sao Paulo Skyline Sao Paulo can offer its guests a wonderful tour of the religious sights – there are plenty of such places in the city. One of the most interesting places for tourists is Mosteiro De Sao Bento, built in the neo-roman style in 1922. The visitors will be amazed by the rich interior decoration of the church, as well as with the bakery located on the territory of the monastery - many locals like to spend their time here. Another famous monastery outside the city is the Santuario e Convento Sao Francisco de Assis, which was built in the year 1647. The reconstruction of the site was needed in the middle of the 18th century – this is precisely when it received its present Baroque appearance.
The most waited event of the cultural life in Sao Paulo is still a carnival which is thoroughly prepared through the whole year. By its scale and staginess the carnival equals the globally … Open
Templo de Salomão is an interesting religious building, which is also the most visited place throughout Brazil if we talk about sacred monuments (the shrine receives only four hundred thousand guests in a month). The church was built in 2014, by the architect Rogerio Silva de Araujo. Already from its name you can understand that the temple focuses on sacred objects of early Judaism – and it is true, it repeats the building of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, which was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar II in 586 BC, and respectively did not survive to our days. The reference and description of it in the Old Testament served as a “project”.
Voo Panoramico - Sao Paulo The largest city of Brazil can boast of having several masterpieces of modern architecture within its territory. One of such landmarks is the Hotel Unique, built according to the project of Joao Armentano and Rui Ohtake. They received several architectural awards for their creation. The curved shape gives the building originality, and its porthole windows it reminds you of an ocean liner – it was this building that inspired the architects. The Edifício Martinelli building is a notable one. It is the first skyscraper built in Brazil and this happened in 1934 (the construction began in 1922). The building has twelve floors. This high-rise is named in honor of the architect Giuseppe Martinelli, who designed it.
Sao Paulo is a perfect destination for nightlife enthusiasts. A good place for a family visit is the Instituto Butantan zoological park which main inhabitants are reptiles and insects. All … Open
Another modern building is the Edificio Italia skyscraper with its wonderful architecture, which is 165 meters high. The high-rise building was erected in 1965 by architect Franz Heep. Today it comes second in the list of the tallest buildings in São Paulo (the first one is Mirante do Vale, which is just 5 meters taller than Edificio Italia). Office spaces are located inside the building, and on the 41st floor is the restaurant famous even outside Brazil, the Terraço Itália with gorgeous views of the city. There is the Sala São Paulo on the same floor; cultural events often take place here. The monumental auto trek, Autódromo José Carlos Pace, is interesting for tourists – this is the venue for the large-scale sporting event, Grande Prêmio do Brasil de Fórmula 1.
Paulista Museum, Sao Paulo city The Ibirapuera Park deserves to be mentioned not only because of its picturesque views, thanks to which you should definitely walk through the green zone: here is situated two buildings, on the architecture of which worked the world-famous Oscar Niemeyer. We are talking about Oca do Ibirapuera and Auditório Ibirapuera. Both buildings were constructed by the architect in the 1950s, in honor of the 400th anniversary of the founding of the city. Today, various thematic events are held here: holidays, exhibitions, fairs, concerts. In addition, wonderful museums can be found within the territory of the park, and the architecture of buildings is no less striking: the already mentioned Museu de Arte Moderna, as well as the Museu Afro Brasil, the cultural center Pavilhão Japonês, and the Planetário do Ibirapuera Aristóteles Orsini.
1. The city of Sao Paulo feature fine and favorable weather all the year round with an average temperature hardly ever going below 25C. The hottest months of the year are considered to be … Open
Even governmental buildings are attractions in Sao Paulo. For example, there is the Palácio dos Bandeirantes construction completed in an eclectic style. It was designed in 1938 and houses the state government. You can also find here a collection related to Brazilian history and art. Among the presented works are paintings by Candido Portinari, Ernesto di Fiori, and Aleijadinho. The visitors can also evaluate the exposition of interior and furniture items of the colonial era. It is worth mentioning the Palacio da Justica building, which was built in 1933 in a beautiful neoclassical style with some elements of baroque. The Universidade de Sao Paulo educational institution is deserving of mention. Its wonderful campuses can be found throughout the city.
The “hidden pearl” of the financial center of Brazil is the wonderful building called Casa de Vidro Lina Bo Bardi. It is located away from the tourist routes, and travelers often bypass it. And in vain – its modernist architecture is capable of capturing the imagination of any visitor. The building was designed by architect Lina Bo Bardi in 1951 to stay there with her family. After the death of the owners, the “Glass House” passed to the Institute of marrieds, Lina Bo Bardi and Pietro Maria Bardi. You can find here the collection of their works, and interesting cultural events are also held here. However, in the area of ​​Morumbi, you can meet other notable buildings as well, so you should definitely take a walk through the district.
Discovering the architecture of Sao Paulo from bird's eye view! Sao Paulo Cathedral, Luz Station, Museum of Art, Municipal Market, all those monuments are defining the image of Sao Paulo … Open
An interesting place for lovers of mysterious things is the building Castelinho da Rua Apa. The residential building was constructed in 1912 and belonged to the Dos Reios family, to whom a misfortune happened: the mother and her two children were found dead, and the circumstances of their death were never clarified. However, there are legends that their spirits still appear in the building, wanting to tell the truth about their demise. Today, in the former family residence is held interesting cultural events. The cemeteries of São Paulo also deserve a promenade, especially for the reason that the tombstones and sculptures located here are real works of art. The most popular places to take walk are places of rest such as the Cemitério da Consolação and the Cemiterio Do Araca.
Monumento Bandeiras Brazil’s financial center is also famous for its beautiful painted graffiti walls. The most famous place of this kind is Beco do Batman, which is located along the R. Gonçalo Afonso Street. You can find on the walls of buildings brightly colored works of local artists, with comic book characters depicted on some of them, which gave the name to the district. Nearby (in the garden Jardim das Bandeiras) you can find the impressive Escadaria do Patapio staircase – another work of art painted with bright colors, depicting scenes from life, staircase. Another staircase that will attract the connoisseurs of street art is called Escadaria Das Bailarinas. It is also located nearby (on R. Alves Guimarães street).
Museu Paulista, Altino Arantes, as well as many others, they all become the world's cultural heritage objects and remain as iconic monuments for Sao Paulo … Open
An interesting place to go for walks will be the Vila dos Ingleses block – all buildings here are built in the colonial style. Numerous parks and gardens of the city (for example, Jardim Botânico de São Paulo and Jardim Europa) also deserve a promenade. For those who wish to watch any of the theatrical performances, it is recommended to follow the repertoire in the theaters Teatro Renault and Theatro Municipal De São Paulo. As for music concerts, they are usually held in the concert hall of Auditorio Simon Bolivar or Auditório Ibirapuera. It is also worth mentioning the most grandiose arena of Sao Paulo – the Corinthians Arena known far beyond its borders. The stadium can accommodate 48 thousand visitors and was built in 2013, though the place for it was chosen earlier in 1978. It was precisely here that six football matches of the 2014 World Cup were held.
Vale do Anhangaba The most “Brazilian” museum can be considered to be a museum dedicated to football (Museu Do Futebol), which will be found interesting not only by sports fans. You can find here many interesting installations with broadcasts of matches, attractions, personal belongings of famous football players – including their real T-shirts. Lovers of excursions through underground labyrinths should be advised to make a wonderful tour along the Túnel da Rota. An exciting exhibition that will amaze lovers of archeology and history can be seen in the cultural center Museu de Arqueologia e Etnologia. The collection collected in the Museu de Anatomia Humana Alfonso Bovero which is dedicated to anatomy will be found interesting by tourists.
Sao Paulo is the undercover capital of Brazil and its economic center. Originally the city was considered the territory and the home of the Indians, but after the depletion of land resources … Open
Art lovers will be fascinated in visiting museums such as Museu do Som e Imagem (or simply MIS), and Museu Brasileiro de Escultura e Ecologia (short name – MuBE). At the Museu da Imigração do Estado de São Paulo, you can get acquainted with the people who inhabit Sao Paulo, and with the so-called Second rebellion of lieutenants (or rebellion of 1924 in São Paulo) at the Memorial da Resistência de São Paulo cultural center. Animal lovers should be recommended to visit the Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo. The Museu da Diversidade Sexual is a unique cultural center which is also worth a visit.
In the section below, you can get one of our excursion, activities or city discovery tours over Sao Paulo and surroundings. Our website offers 10-30% lower ticket prices, when compared to the offline purchase on the spot.

City tours, excursions and tickets in Sao Paulo and surroundings

Plan your own excursion through Sao Paulo: churches, museums and castles

Sao Paulo Cathedral, Sao Paulo

» The Sao Paulo Cathedral is the Catholic cathedral of Sao Paulo, one of the largest neo-Gothic churches in the world.
» The history of the cathedral dates back to 1589, when it was decided to build the main church of the colony in the small village of Sao Paulo. Construction of the present cathedral began in 1913 and lasted for almost half a century; the cathedral was consecrated in 1954. Towers were finished only in 1967.
» That’s the largest religious building in Sao Paulo, as it has a height of 111 m and a width of 46 m.
» The building of the cathedral was constructed in Gothic Revival style with Renaissance-style dome. About 800 tons of marble were used for interior design. Small capitals are decorated with coffee beans, pineapples and animal figures.
» The crypt of the cathedral located under the main altar houses the underground church decorated with marble sculptures. There are the tombs of bishops and archbishops of Sao Paulo.

Museu Paulista, Sao Paulo

» The Museu Paulista in Sao Paulo was created to preserve the memory of the proclaiming of Brazilian independence.
» Today, the museum's collection of Paulista consists of approximately one hundred thousand historical objects of various kinds. The museum has antique furniture and clothing accessories, famous historical figures, as well as works of art.
» The library that has a huge book collection of 100 thousand volumes and 40,000 manuscripts is situated in the same building. Its room contains all sorts of historical documents.
» The most popular work of art in the museum is Independence or Death by Pedro America.
» The Museu Paulista is one of the main attractions that you must visit. The museum has entrance fee.

Luz Station, Sao Paulo

» The Luz Station is the railway station in the district of Luz in Sao Paulo. It was built in the late 19th century. The station is a terminal for commuter trains and subways of Sao Paulo, bringing together many of the lines of both systems.
» For decades, the station has dominated above the urban landscape, and its clock served to check all watches in the city.
» The Luz Station is an architectural monument showing the influence of traditional architecture. In many ways it defined the face of the city.
» The Luz Station is also known for its interactive museum of Portuguese Language that was open on the third floor in its building in 2006.
» The aim of the museum is to create a living representation of the Portuguese language and to educate visitors through its unusual aspects.

Museum of Art, Sao Paulo

» The Museum of Art is one of the most famous and important museums in Latin America; furthermore, it's one of the most visited venues in the world.
» The museum area of 10,000m2 contains 8,000 works of art.
» The Museum of Art was founded by journalists Assis Chateaubriand and Pietro Maria Barda. Its modern building opened in 1968 was designed by the architect Lina Bo Bardi.
» Two colonnades support 9,200-ton building shaped in form of 74-meter cube.
» The museum has one of the best Western art collections in Latin America.

Museum of Football, Sao Paulo

Location on the map:   Facts: » The Museum of Football is the venue dedicated to the football theme. The museum is set in front of the municipal stadium, the area between the monumental facade and rear rack is of 5,600m2.
» The Museum of Football is dedicated to the national sport; it's not associated with any particular club or fan group.
» The Museum of Football includes multimedia space, a memorial gallery of the best Brazilian players, a room dedicated to the fans and journalists, the studio audience for discussions about sports, clubs and shops, a multimedia room, a restaurant and a cafe.
» The museum features permanent exhibits, which are monitored and updated by researchers such as radio holdings or offices providing statistics on Brazilian players abroad.
» Every year the museum attracts many visitors not only from Sao Paulo, but also from across the country and around the world.
Sao Paulo - guide chapters 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

What to visit during two-day excursion in Sao Paulo

Parque do Ibirapuera
Where: Av. Pedro Alvares Cabral, Jardins, Sao Paulo; Telephone: +55 011 5740 884;
Memorial da America Latina
Where: Av. Auro Soares de Moura Andrade 664, Sao Bento, Sao Paulo; Telephone: +55 011 3823 4600;
Museu Afro-Brasileiro
Where: Parque do Ibierapuera, Gate 10, Jardins, Sao Paulo; Telephone: +55 011 5579 0593;
Museu Arte Brasileira / FAAP
Where: Rua Alagoas 903, Higienópolis, Sao Paulo; Telephone: +55 011 3662 7198;
Museu de Arte Moderna (MAM)
Where: Parque do Ibirapuera, Gate 3, Jardins, Sao Paulo; Telephone: +55 011 5549 9688;
Pinacoteca do Estado
Where: Praça da Luz 2, Luz, Sao Paulo; Telephone: +55 011 2299 844;
Catedral da Sé
Where: Praça da Sé, Centro, Sao Paulo;
Casa das Rosas
Where: Av. Paulista 37, Paraíso, Sao Paulo; Telephone: +55 011 3251 5271;
Mosteiro de São Bento
Where: Largo de São Bento, Centro, Sao Paulo; Telephone: +55 011 3328 8799;
OCA
Where: Parque Ibirapuera Gate 3, Jardins, Sao Paulo; Telephone: +55 011 5574 5505;
Pátio do Colégio / Museu Padre Anchieta
Where: Pátio do Colégio 2, Centro, Sao Paulo; Telephone: +55 011 3105 6899;
Parque Zoológico de São Paulo
Where: Av. Miguel Stéfano 4241, Água Funda, Parque do Estado, Sao Paulo; Telephone: +55 011 5073 0811;
Planetário
Where: Av. Pedro Álvares Cabral, Gate 10, Parque Ibirapuera, Sao Paulo; Telephone: +55 011 5575 5206;
Reference information
Map of all palaces
Public palaces near Sao Paulo
♥   Palace 'Palácio dos Bandeirantes' , 9.6 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Palace 'Palácio Monroe' , 15.6 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Palace 'Palácio do Anhangabaú' , 47.8 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Palace 'Palácio da Conceição' , 83.7 km from the center. On the map   Photo
Map of all art museums
Art galleries in Sao Paulo and around
♥   Art museum 'São Paulo Museum of Art' São Paulo, 2.4 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Art museum 'São Paulo Museum of Modern Art (MAM)' São Paulo, 4.7 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Art museum 'University of São Paulo' São Paulo, 9.6 km from the center. On the map   Photo
Map of all churches
Cathedrals and basilicas near Sao Paulo
♥   Basílica de Nossa Senhora do Carmo, São Paulo, 1.3 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Catedral Nossa Senhora do Líbano, São Paulo, 1.6 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Catedral Armênia São Gregório Iluminador, São Paulo, 2.2 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Catedral Melquita Nossa Senhora do Paraíso, São Paulo, 2.7 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Basílica Nossa Senhora da Penha, São Paulo, 9.4 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Catedral Santo Amaro, Abade, São Paulo, 13.6 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Catedral Nossa Senhora da Conceiçao, Guarulhos, 13.9 km from the center. On the map   Photo
Car rental on OrangeSmile.com Rentals in Sao Paulo

Expo 2020 in Dubai Was Visited by More Than 7 Million Visitors

If you haven’t visited this event yet, there is still time to book a hotel in Dubai because Expo 2020 Dubai runs until 31 March 2022. People who are unable to visit the emirate can make a virtual tour on the Expo 2020 website. By the way, the virtual visitation has already reached 31.6 million by the end of December. Read this

19.04.2024

Photogallery of cultural heritage of Sao Paulo

Landmarks of culture on Sao Paulo map: art-galleries, monuments, palaces, etc

Address/Sight name City/Region Country Within radius, km
 Types of touristic objects to search for
Hotels & Car rental
Carhire locations
0 star
1 star
2 stars
3 stars
4 stars
5 stars
Touristic places
Art galleries
Churches/Temples
Museums
Castles/Palaces
Monuments
Touristic areas
Sightseeings
Attractions
Attraction parks
Casino
Theaters/Cinema
Disco/Clubs
Parks
Zoo
Aqua parks
Transport
Airports
Train stations
Bus stations
Metro
Parkings
Fuel stations
Ports/Ferries
Open the list of object types
Health/Sport
Open the list of object types
Food/Money
Open the list of object types
Shopping
Open the list of object types
Beauty/Medicine
Open the list of object types
City services
Open the list of object types
Useful services

Excursions over cultural sights of neighbours of Sao Paulo

Culture guide to Sao Paulo. Which fascinating sights to visit once you are in Sao Paulo: temples, churches, museums, theaters and castles. Recommendations (with addresses, phone numbers and links) on the places 'must visit' in Sao Paulo. Plan your own city excursion by using this page info!
OrangeSmile.com - online travel reservation expert providing reliable car rental and hotel booking services. We feature more than 25.000 destinations with 12.000 rental offices and 200.000 hotels worldwide.
Secure Server
Head office
Weegschaalstraat 3, Eindhoven
5632 CW, The Netherlands
+31 40 40 150 44


Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | About us
Copyright © 2002 - OrangeSmile Tours B.V. | OrangeSmile.com | Under the direction and management of IVRA Holding B.V. - Registered at Kamer van Koophandel (KvK), The Netherlands No. 17237018