The 10 best cultural things to do in Sao Paulo include groundbreaking art, sensational museums and timeless music venues. Book a Sao Paulo hotel and be inspired by this guide!

  • 1

    Spiritual creativity at Museu de Arte Sacra

    Spiritual creativity at Museu de Arte Sacra
    • āļ›āļĢāļ°āļŦāļĒāļąāļ”
    • āļ„āļđāđˆāļĢāļąāļ
    • āļ„āļĢāļ­āļšāļ„āļĢāļąāļ§
    • āļ›āļĢāļ°āļ§āļąāļ•āļīāļĻāļēāļŠāļ•āļĢāđŒ
    • āļ„āļ™āđ‚āļŠāļ”

    Step inside the hallowed confines of an 18th-century monastery at the Museu de Arte Sacra. Centuries-old religious art, clay sculptures and colonial artefacts adorn the vast halls of this ornate museum dedicated to all things sacred. 

    āļ—āļĩāđˆāļ•āļąāđ‰āļ‡: Av. Tiradentes, 676 - Luz, SÃĢo Paulo - SP, 01101-010, Brazil

    āđāļœāļ™āļ—āļĩāđˆ

    āļ āļēāļžāđ‚āļ”āļĒ The Photographer (CC BY-SA 3.0) āđ€āļ§āļ­āļĢāđŒāļŠāļąāđˆāļ™āđāļāđ‰āđ„āļ‚

  • 2

    Orchestral magic in a reborn train station

    Orchestral magic in a reborn train station
    • āļ„āļđāđˆāļĢāļąāļ
    • āļ„āļĢāļ­āļšāļ„āļĢāļąāļ§
    • āļ›āļĢāļ°āļ§āļąāļ•āļīāļĻāļēāļŠāļ•āļĢāđŒ

    The city’s much-lauded symphonic orchestra plays to standing ovations at the Sala SÃĢo Paulo – a highlight of the best cultural things to do in SÃĢo Paulo. State-of-the-art acoustics in a renovated 1930s railway hall ensure a pitch-perfect experience. 

    āļ—āļĩāđˆāļ•āļąāđ‰āļ‡: Praça JÚlio Prestes, 16 - Campos Elíseos, SÃĢo Paulo - SP, 01218-020, Brazil

    āđāļœāļ™āļ—āļĩāđˆ

    āļ āļēāļžāđ‚āļ”āļĒ Celykzk (CC BY-SA 4.0) āđ€āļ§āļ­āļĢāđŒāļŠāļąāđˆāļ™āđāļāđ‰āđ„āļ‚

  • 3

    Life-affirming painting at MASP

    Life-affirming painting at MASP
    • āļ„āļđāđˆāļĢāļąāļ
    • āļ„āļĢāļ­āļšāļ„āļĢāļąāļ§
    • āļāļĨāļļāđˆāļĄ
    • āļ›āļĢāļ°āļ§āļąāļ•āļīāļĻāļēāļŠāļ•āļĢāđŒ
    • āļ–āđˆāļēāļĒāļĢāļđāļ›
    • āļ„āļ™āđ‚āļŠāļ”

    Contemplate the city’s most impressive art collection at the Museu de Arte de SÃĢo Paulo (MASP), a colossal glass box suspended over the frenetic action of Avenida Paulista. Art-lovers can admire the works of old Spanish masters, French Impressionists and Brazilian Surrealists.

    āļ—āļĩāđˆāļ•āļąāđ‰āļ‡: Av. Paulista, 1578 - Bela Vista, SÃĢo Paulo - SP, 01310-200, Brazil

    āđāļœāļ™āļ—āļĩāđˆ

    āļ āļēāļžāđ‚āļ”āļĒ The Photographer (CC0 1.0) āđ€āļ§āļ­āļĢāđŒāļŠāļąāđˆāļ™āđāļāđ‰āđ„āļ‚

  • 4

    Samba maestros in the historic centre

    Samba maestros in the historic centre
    • āļ„āļđāđˆāļĢāļąāļ
    • āļ›āļĢāļ°āļ§āļąāļ•āļīāļĻāļēāļŠāļ•āļĢāđŒ
    • āđ„āļ™āļ—āđŒāđ„āļĨāļŸāđŒ
    • āļ„āļ™āđ‚āļŠāļ”

    Bar Brahma, a long-time haunt of Brazil’s best samba artists, brings together lovers of music for nights of sweet guitar playing. Black and white photos of old SÃĢo Paulo line the wood-panelled walls while yellow-coated waiters keep the drinks flowing.

    āļ—āļĩāđˆāļ•āļąāđ‰āļ‡: Av. SÃĢo JoÃĢo, 677 - Centro, SÃĢo Paulo - SP, 01036-000, Brazil

    āđāļœāļ™āļ—āļĩāđˆ

    āļ āļēāļžāđ‚āļ”āļĒ Carlos Varela (CC BY 2.0) āđ€āļ§āļ­āļĢāđŒāļŠāļąāđˆāļ™āđāļāđ‰āđ„āļ‚

  • 5

    Tracing Brazil’s bloody history in Museu do Ipiranga

    Tracing Brazil’s bloody history in Museu do Ipiranga
    • āļ„āļđāđˆāļĢāļąāļ
    • āļ„āļĢāļ­āļšāļ„āļĢāļąāļ§
    • āļ›āļĢāļ°āļ§āļąāļ•āļīāļĻāļēāļŠāļ•āļĢāđŒ
    • āļ–āđˆāļēāļĒāļĢāļđāļ›

    Traverse manicured French gardens to the steps of the resplendent Renaissance-style Ipiranga museum. Sumptuous rooms, filled with brass weaponry and other remnants of Brazil’s violent past, sketch the history of this proud nation. Panoramic views over the city cap the experience.

    āļ—āļĩāđˆāļ•āļąāđ‰āļ‡: R. Brg. JordÃĢo, 149 - Ipiranga, SÃĢo Paulo - SP, 04210-000, Brazil

    āđāļœāļ™āļ—āļĩāđˆ

    āļ āļēāļžāđ‚āļ”āļĒ Paolo Massimo Ferretti (CC BY-SA 4.0) āđ€āļ§āļ­āļĢāđŒāļŠāļąāđˆāļ™āđāļāđ‰āđ„āļ‚

  • 6

    Origami classes and Japanese crafts in Liberdade

    Origami classes and Japanese crafts in Liberdade
    • āļ›āļĢāļ°āļŦāļĒāļąāļ”
    • āļ„āļđāđˆāļĢāļąāļ
    • āļ„āļĢāļ­āļšāļ„āļĢāļąāļ§
    • āļ›āļĢāļ°āļ§āļąāļ•āļīāļĻāļēāļŠāļ•āļĢāđŒ
    • āļ–āđˆāļēāļĒāļĢāļđāļ›

    Book a SÃĢo Paulo hotel and celebrate the city’s 100 years of Japanese immigration at the monumental Bunkyo cultural centre. Curious onlookers watch the intricate tea ceremonies and traditional flower arranging classes at this authentic corner of Japanese arts and crafts.

    āļ—āļĩāđˆāļ•āļąāđ‰āļ‡: R. SÃĢo Joaquim, 381 - Liberdade, SÃĢo Paulo - SP, 01508-900, Brazil

    āđāļœāļ™āļ—āļĩāđˆ

    āļ āļēāļžāđ‚āļ”āļĒ Francisco Anzola (CC BY 2.0) āđ€āļ§āļ­āļĢāđŒāļŠāļąāđˆāļ™āđāļāđ‰āđ„āļ‚

  • 7

    Luz’s modernist art extravaganza

    Luz’s modernist art extravaganza
    • āļ„āļđāđˆāļĢāļąāļ
    • āļ„āļĢāļ­āļšāļ„āļĢāļąāļ§
    • āļāļĨāļļāđˆāļĄ
    • āļ›āļĢāļ°āļ§āļąāļ•āļīāļĻāļēāļŠāļ•āļĢāđŒ
    • āļ–āđˆāļēāļĒāļĢāļđāļ›
    • āļ„āļ™āđ‚āļŠāļ”

    The stars of Brazilian modernist portraiture are on display at SÃĢo Paulo’s neoclassical masterpiece, the Pinacoteca do Estado museum. Weave between the palace’s giant pillars and marvel at the exposed brickwork of this architectural gem.

    āļ—āļĩāđˆāļ•āļąāđ‰āļ‡: Praça da Luz, 2 - Luz, SÃĢo Paulo - SP, 01120-010, Brazil

    āđāļœāļ™āļ—āļĩāđˆ

    āļ āļēāļžāđ‚āļ”āļĒ The Photographer (CC BY-SA 4.0) āđ€āļ§āļ­āļĢāđŒāļŠāļąāđˆāļ™āđāļāđ‰āđ„āļ‚

  • 8

    Africa meets Brazil in Ibirapuera park

    Africa meets Brazil in Ibirapuera park
    • āļ›āļĢāļ°āļŦāļĒāļąāļ”
    • āļ„āļđāđˆāļĢāļąāļ
    • āļ„āļĢāļ­āļšāļ„āļĢāļąāļ§
    • āļ›āļĢāļ°āļ§āļąāļ•āļīāļĻāļēāļŠāļ•āļĢāđŒ
    • āļ–āđˆāļēāļĒāļĢāļđāļ›

    Brazil’s rich African heritage explodes into life in a riot of colour at the Museu Afro Brasil. Rejoice in Afro-Brazilian culture and be enlightened by finely carved mahogany masks, vibrant landscape paintings and handsome photographic prints.

    āļ—āļĩāđˆāļ•āļąāđ‰āļ‡: Avenida Pedro Álvares Cabral, PortÃĢo 10, s/n - Vila Mariana, SÃĢo Paulo - SP, 04094-050, Brazil

    āđāļœāļ™āļ—āļĩāđˆ

    āļ āļēāļžāđ‚āļ”āļĒ Eugenio Hansen, OFS (CC BY-SA 4.0) āđ€āļ§āļ­āļĢāđŒāļŠāļąāđˆāļ™āđāļāđ‰āđ„āļ‚

  • 9

    Spellbinding opera at the Teatro Municipal

    Spellbinding opera at the Teatro Municipal
    • āļ„āļđāđˆāļĢāļąāļ
    • āļ„āļĢāļ­āļšāļ„āļĢāļąāļ§
    • āļ›āļĢāļ°āļ§āļąāļ•āļīāļĻāļēāļŠāļ•āļĢāđŒ
    • āđ„āļ™āļ—āđŒāđ„āļĨāļŸāđŒ

    Flanked by towering palm trees on a colonial plaza, the grandiose Teatro Municipal houses the best musical performers from SÃĢo Paulo and around the world. Marble staircases, gold chandeliers and classical statues add to the charm of this European-style opera house.

    āļ—āļĩāđˆāļ•āļąāđ‰āļ‡: Praça Ramos De Azevedo, s/n - RepÚblica, SÃĢo Paulo - SP, 01037-010, Brazil

    āđāļœāļ™āļ—āļĩāđˆ
  • 10

    Pinheiros’ underground art haven

    Pinheiros’ underground art haven
    • āļ„āļđāđˆāļĢāļąāļ
    • āļ–āđˆāļēāļĒāļĢāļđāļ›

    Bohemians flock to Pinheiros’ centre for urban art at the Choque Cultural. Take in tattoo art, skateboard design and graffiti creations at this hip townhouse turned contemporary gallery.

    āļ—āļĩāđˆāļ•āļąāđ‰āļ‡: R. Medeiros de Albuquerque, 250 - Vila Madalena, SÃĢo Paulo - SP, 05436-060, Brazil

    āđāļœāļ™āļ—āļĩāđˆ

    āļ āļēāļžāđ‚āļ”āļĒ percursodacultura (CC BY-SA 2.0) āđ€āļ§āļ­āļĢāđŒāļŠāļąāđˆāļ™āđāļāđ‰āđ„āļ‚