Brazil's most modern, cosmopolitan city has much to offer in addition to its outstanding cuisines. Its museums are among the finest in South America, its surrounding coastline is graced with many lovely beaches, and its entertainment and nightlife have for years attracted some of the best performers in the world. In recent years, the city has evolved into a center for Brazil's own martial art, capoeira, whose dance-like motions are performed to music. The art has its own traditional instruments: drums and the berimbau, a stringed rod used to keep time. Originally developed as the martial art of the slaves of the Bahia, capoeira was banned by the ruling classes. To keep their art alive, the slaves turned capoeira into a dance, and the berimbau, which had warned of an approaching master, began to accompany the dance itself. As late as the 1920s capoeira was still outlawed and practiced only underground; today, it is a well-known and much-loved spectacle.

São Paulo is the largest city in South America and the second more populous city in the world. It is the economical capital of Brazil and a very busy place. It is also rich in culture parks and museums.

São Paulo is centered around the Praça da Sé, where there is a stone mark symbolizing the "point zero" of the city. The subway system is clean and efficient but covers only a few areas of the city, although extensions are being made. Interesting neighbourhoods to visit include Jardins, Itaim and the Ibirapuera Park.

The main sights in the city include the different neighborhoods with their special Italian, Japanese or Arabic influences. They have their own characteric atmosphere and it is a lot of fun to just walk around, go to one of the many small restaurants or have a drink somewere.

Brazilians say that paulistas (Sao Paulo locals) live to work and to eat. Which is probably true. Food in Sao Paulo is the best in the country and rivals that of any major capital in the world. If you are there and like to eat meat, make sure you try the rodizios (barbecue) or feijoada (pork and beans - served only on wednesdays and saturdays). The pizzas are also extremely tasteful and a must-eat. You can find it from a wide range of restaurants from the simplest delivery place to fine expensive ones.

São Paulo is also very much a party town. You can get stuck in traffic in the middle of the night when party animals return from their hunt.

Automotive traffic in São Paulo is complicated, specially in main routes, all along the day during weeks and gets worse at rush hours (from 8 am to 10 am and from 6 pm to 8 pm). Laws to regulate traffic includes a rule forbidding cars to circulate at specific week days depending on the final number of their license. In the weekends the traffic is better with some complications in places where there are bars, shoppings or other public atractions.

São Paulo has the largest underground transportation system in Brazil; people refer to it as "metrô". It is not as comprehensive as the trains in Europe or North America, but it serves most of the important areas. It is the safest and cleanest way to get around São Paulo.