On this post I will highlight the places we visited and the best things to see and best things to do in São Paulo, Day 3.
VISITING SÃO PAULO
We started our third day in São Paulo by checking out of the lovely flat we stayed for the last 2 nights (see my previous post São Paulo Day 1) and went for breakfast at the bakery close by.
After breakfast, we drove to “Liberdade”, a neighbourhood where some of the large Japanese community of São Paulo live.
The equivalent of a “China Town”, this area of São Paulo resembles Japan a little, in both architecture and decorations. “Liberdade is also home for many Chinese, Taiwanese, and Koreans.
“Liberdade” is not a very big neighbourhood, including just a few roads and a square. There are many shops selling Japanese articles and food, lots of restaurants, and the area has a very nice vibe.
On “Praça da Liberdade” (Liberty Square) you will find the “Igreja Santa Cruz das Almas dos Enforcados”. It is a 100-year-old church with a beautiful interior which is worth visiting.
The square itself is very lively and on weekends there are many stalls selling crafts and art.
On the day we were there, there was a musician playing a famous Brazilian song on the violin. You can watch the video on The Travelling Surveyor Instagram below:
We walked through the streets and square, looked at the shops and we would happily have had lunch in one of their restaurants, but it was not quite lunch time yet. Besides we already had a reservation for lunch at a restaurant somewhere else, and it was time to head to our next stop.
If you have time in São Paulo do visit “Liberdade”, it can easily be visited in a morning like we did or in an afternoon. It’s worth a visit!
From there we drove to “Parque Ibirapuera” (Ibirapuera Park), more precisely to Portão 5 (Gate 5), the access to the “Selvagem Restaurant”.
You leave your car at the gate, and they will park it for you. You can then take a little electric car that takes you to the restaurant, or you can walk through the park, about 10 minutes’ walk.
The restaurant is in an area full of trees and was built in a way open to the nature with many open terraces that can be closed in case of rain. The decoration is beautiful, and the food is first class, with the menu based in traditional Brazilian cuisine with a difference.
Above various photos of “Selvagem Restaurant”
We had the most delicious lunch there and the drinks served were sensational. We liked this restaurant so much that we went there twice while in Brazil.
Above our dishes and drinks at “Sevagem Restaurant”
After lunch, we walked through the park to Portão 4, where we took the ”Ibiratour”, a little electric car for a full tour of the “Parque Ibirapuera”.
The tour passes through buildings such as the “Oca”, “The Marquise” and “The Auditorium”, “Museum of Modern Art” and other buildings.
The park is gigantic, and you can spend a full day going around it, and still will not be able to see everything.
The tour lasts about 45 minutes and passes on all the architectural buildings within, which tell the story of the 65 years of the park. If you don’t have much time, it is a very good option.
Parque Ibirapuera is big, about 390 acres of green space with some buildings scattered around it.
It was inaugurated in 1954 and various important architects, among them “Oscar Niemeyer” contributed with the design of these buildings. These buildings accommodate museums, a music hall, and event halls.
The park is a host for leisure, jogging and walking activities, and it is considered a green oasis in the middle of the concrete jungle.
Above various photos of “Ibirapuera Park”
After the tour was finished, we walked through the park admiring the unusual trees and plants and enjoying the rest of the afternoon.
In the end of the day, we picked up the car and drove back to São Vicente, in the coast, where we were staying. See my post on São Vicente HERE.
Some of the interesting trees at “Ibirapuera Park”
There were still many nice places to visit in São Paulo that we didn’t cover on this trip, but we will certainly go back next time we are in Brazil and report again in future.
If you want to get a tour that will include Liberdade and Parque Ibirapuera, as well as other places mentioned on my other São Paulo posts (Day 1 and Day 2), you can book it HERE.
HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR TRIP
Below you will find a list of what to visit, where to stay and where to eat in São Paulo, Day 3. I classified each place as follows:
BOLD – Visited, tried and recommended
NOT BOLD – Not visited or tried, but planning to visit or try and heard very good reviews
RED – Visited and tried but do not recommend, avoid or be cautious
*** – Excellent
** – Good
* – OK
£££ – Expensive
££ – Fair and affordable
£ – Cheap
WHAT TO SEE IN SÃO PAULO DAY 3
1 – Liberdade Neighbourhood – ***
2 – Praça da Liberdade – ***
3 – Igreja Santa Cruz das Almas dos Enforcados
4 – Parque Ibirapuera – ***
5 – Ibiratour – ***
6 – Explore the park – ***
WHERE TO STAY IN SÃO PAULO
1 – George V Casa Branca – 5* – £££
2 – Cozzy Suites Paraíso Hotel – 4* – ££
3 – Residencial Bela Vista – 3* – £
4 – Flat Opera 113 – £
WHERE TO EAT IN SÃO PAULO
1 – D.O.M. – £££
2 – Selvagem – £££
3 – Consulado da Bahia – ££
4 – Tordesilhas – ££
If you tried any of my recommendations above, please send me a message and tell me about your experience good or bad, so I can update the list accordingly. Thanks!
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