São Paulo in addition to being the third largest metropolitan area in the world is the wealthiest and most important commercial center in the southern hemisphere. It is in the forefront of medical technology on the continent and its universities are the most respected ones as well.

São Paulo has the largest and busiest hotels, convention centers, and airports not to mention the second largest fleet of helicopters in the world. It's well known for its cultural diversity. It houses the biggest Italian population outside of Italy and has more Japanese people than anywhere other than Japan.

Like the rest of Brazil it is a racially mixed culture with less distinct color lines than the ones existing in the States. People work hard during the week and on the weekends, much like in any big city, they like to getaway from the hustle and bustle. For this reason the [nightlife] is usually more interesting on the weekdays.

This city doesn't shut down at night, very much the contrary, for those of you stuck in meetings all day long don't despair the night is near. Soon you'll be able to take advantage of the best São Paulo has to offer, lots of options for great food and many places to unwind from the stress of the business day. Being the unrivalled center for gastronomy in Brazil, it is hard to not talk about São Paulo's fine [restaurants]. You can expect great service and tasty dishes in this city, which truly takes pride in its international cuisine.

Ok, so you've finally got a free day to go out on the town and thought you might go browsing for some new threads. You're in the right place. Along with Rio de Janeiro Sao Paulo is an ever-present influence in clothing styles.

Its sophisticated [shops] impress with their cutting edge designs and its fashion events are accompanied around the world especially in January and July as fashion connoisseurs watch to see what the exotic and sensual Brazilian women will be wearing to the beach as well as the revealing of the year's seasonal lines. If shopping really isn't your thing and you're more into the arts you won't be disappointed. A host of all major cultural events touring the world, if an exhibition comes to South America you can be sure that it'll be making a stop in Sao Paulo. Here you'll find the greatest number of options for the [theater], [cinema], and [museums].

Maybe you're like me and just like to walk through the city watching the people and looking at the buildings, taking in the city, really getting a feel for its energy. Sao Paulo is so vast and diverse that there are numerous neighbourhoods to [tour on foot].

Although [avenida Paulista], the "Fifth Avenue" of Sao Paulo, has seen better days as you walk down it among the big banks and multinational companies from the U.S., Europe and Japan, you'll witness the sophistication of the city.

In the middle of it all, right on Avenida Paulista across from the MASP museum, there's Trianon Park, a piece of the Mata-Atlantica Forest, which has remained since the founding of the city. Sao Paulo's [parks] are a good way to take a break from one of the busiest cities in the world.

Hopefully this information will make your trip a more pleasant one. Hotel listings with descriptions for Sao Paulo are available at Brazilspecial.net. Please feel free to call and talk to any one of our Brazil specialists for other unanswered questions you might have or for information on current packages available. Boa Viagem! Have a great trip!