2 days eating in São Paulo

Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.

1. 1
   MorningWorth the time

   Mercado Municipal de Sao Paulo

   A grand old market hall with tall stained glass windows and stalls piled high with fruit, cheese, spices and dried fish. Come hungry: it is the home of two of the city's favorite foods, the thick mortadella sandwich and the crisp pastel.

   Go when Morning, before the lunch crowd fills the hall.

   Local tip Walk the whole hall once before you eat, then share a mortadella sandwich and a pastel between two. Keep your phone and wallet put away while you move through the crowd.

   

   About 12 min by car or transit3.5 km
2. 2
   MorningWorth the time

   MASP

   A famous art museum raised on two red concrete columns, so the open square beneath it stays free for the street. Inside, the paintings hang on glass stands in one wide room. Check ahead for the days it is open and for its free day.

   Go when Morning, when the rooms are quiet.

   Local tip Walk under the red frame and look at the glass stands that hold the paintings. Check ahead for the opening days, and for the free day, which draws a long queue.

   

3. Lunch

   Sushi and noodles in Liberdade

   In Liberdade you can choose from sushi counters, ramen shops and small places that serve one dish well. A good place to eat lightly and to try something new.

   Local tip Look for a place full of regulars, and order a small plate to start.

   

   About 12 min by car or transit3.8 km
4. 3
   MorningWorth the time

   Pinacoteca do Estado de Sao Paulo

   A museum of Brazilian art in a nineteenth century brick building with skylights and a calm sculpture garden. A good place to see the country's painters. Check ahead for days and hours.

   Go when Morning, when the rooms are calm.

   Local tip Start in the sculpture garden, then pick a few rooms rather than the whole museum. Check ahead for days and hours. The Luz area is for daytime, so plan the ride back before dark.

   

   About 10 min by car or transit2.6 km
5. 4
   AfternoonA food neighborhood

   Liberdade

   The neighborhood with the largest Japanese community outside Japan, with red paper lanterns on the lampposts, shops full of tea, sweets and tableware, and counters for ramen and sushi. Check ahead for the Sunday street fair.

   Go when Afternoon, with an appetite for something small.

   Local tip Look for the lanterns along the main street, then try a few small things rather than one big meal. If you are here on a Sunday, check ahead for the street fair. Keep a hand on your bag in the crowd.

   

6. Dinner

   A pizza evening

   Sao Paulo has a long pizza tradition, brought by Italian families and now part of the city's habit. Thin, wide pizzas come with a lot of cheese and a small number of toppings, and the evening is slow and shared.

   Local tip Share two pizzas, and ask your table what the locals order.

   

Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.

1. Travel from LiberdadeAbout 13 min by car or transit4.1 km

   Where Day 1 ended.
2. 1
   MorningWorth the time

   Ibirapuera Park

   The great city park, with wide lawns, a lake, shaded paths and a group of modern buildings by Oscar Niemeyer, some of them museums. Check ahead for which museums are open. Rent a bike or just walk.

   Go when Morning, when the paths are quiet and cool.

   Local tip Choose one museum at most and spend the rest of the time on the paths and the lawns. Check ahead for which buildings are open before you go.

   

   About 10 min by car or transit2.8 km
3. 2
   MorningWorth the time

   Avenida Paulista

   The long avenue of tall towers, cafes and bookshops that runs along the ridge of the city. Walk a stretch and look at the mix of old mansions among the glass. Check ahead for the days when it is closed to cars.

   Go when Morning, when the avenue is calm.

   Local tip Walk along the museum side first. On the days when the avenue is closed to cars, it fills with walkers, bikes and street performers, so check ahead.

   

   About 11 min by car or transit3.1 km
4. 3
   AfternoonWorth a short walk

   Beco do Batman

   A lane in Vila Madalena covered with murals that change over the years, with new work painted over old. Walk it slowly and look at the details. It is a public street, so keep your phone close and your bag in front of you.

   Go when Afternoon, in the daylight.

   Local tip The murals change over the years, so look at what is there rather than what you saw in a picture. Keep your phone close, your bag in front of you and your visit to daylight hours.

   

   About 6 min walk0.5 km
5. 4
   EveningAn evening out

   Vila Madalena

   A hillside neighborhood of small galleries, craft shops and bars on narrow, sloping streets. It fills with people in the evening. Take a ride app home after dark.

   Go when Early evening, as the galleries close and the bars open.

   Local tip Walk the lanes on foot first, then settle in one place. Ask your hotel which streets to avoid late at night, and order a ride app home rather than walking.

   

6. Dinner

   Bar snacks and a cold drink

   In Vila Madalena the evening is long and the snacks keep coming: fried cassava, cheese, small sausages, and bolinhos of cod. Share a plate and a cold drink.

   Local tip Eat before you drink, and arrange your ride home early.