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!
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Spiritual creativity at Museu de Arte Sacra
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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.
āļāļĩāđāļāļąāđāļ: Av. Tiradentes, 676 - Luz, SÃĢo Paulo - SP, 01101-010, Brazil
āđāļāļāļāļĩāđāļ āļēāļāđāļāļĒ The Photographer (CC BY-SA 3.0) āđāļ§āļāļĢāđāļāļąāđāļāđāļāđāđāļ
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Orchestral magic in a reborn train station
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The cityâs much-lauded symphonic orchestra plays to standing ovations at the Sala SÃĢo Paulo â 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.
āļāļĩāđāļāļąāđāļ: Praça JÚlio Prestes, 16 - Campos ElÃseos, SÃĢo Paulo - SP, 01218-020, Brazil
āđāļāļāļāļĩāđāļ āļēāļāđāļāļĒ Celykzk (CC BY-SA 4.0) āđāļ§āļāļĢāđāļāļąāđāļāđāļāđāđāļ
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Life-affirming painting at MASP
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Contemplate the cityâs 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.
āļāļĩāđāļāļąāđāļ: Av. Paulista, 1578 - Bela Vista, SÃĢo Paulo - SP, 01310-200, Brazil
āđāļāļāļāļĩāđāļ āļēāļāđāļāļĒ The Photographer (CC0 1.0) āđāļ§āļāļĢāđāļāļąāđāļāđāļāđāđāļ
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Samba maestros in the historic centre
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Bar Brahma, a long-time haunt of Brazilâs 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.
āļāļĩāđāļāļąāđāļ: Av. SÃĢo JoÃĢo, 677 - Centro, SÃĢo Paulo - SP, 01036-000, Brazil
āđāļāļāļāļĩāđāļ āļēāļāđāļāļĒ Carlos Varela (CC BY 2.0) āđāļ§āļāļĢāđāļāļąāđāļāđāļāđāđāļ
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Tracing Brazilâs bloody history in Museu do Ipiranga
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Traverse manicured French gardens to the steps of the resplendent Renaissance-style Ipiranga museum. Sumptuous rooms, filled with brass weaponry and other remnants of Brazilâs violent past, sketch the history of this proud nation. Panoramic views over the city cap the experience.
āļāļĩāđāļāļąāđāļ: R. Brg. JordÃĢo, 149 - Ipiranga, SÃĢo Paulo - SP, 04210-000, Brazil
āđāļāļāļāļĩāđāļ āļēāļāđāļāļĒ Paolo Massimo Ferretti (CC BY-SA 4.0) āđāļ§āļāļĢāđāļāļąāđāļāđāļāđāđāļ
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Origami classes and Japanese crafts in Liberdade
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Book a SÃĢo Paulo hotel and celebrate the cityâs 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.
āļāļĩāđāļāļąāđāļ: R. SÃĢo Joaquim, 381 - Liberdade, SÃĢo Paulo - SP, 01508-900, Brazil
āđāļāļāļāļĩāđāļ āļēāļāđāļāļĒ Francisco Anzola (CC BY 2.0) āđāļ§āļāļĢāđāļāļąāđāļāđāļāđāđāļ
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Luzâs modernist art extravaganza
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The stars of Brazilian modernist portraiture are on display at SÃĢo Pauloâs neoclassical masterpiece, the Pinacoteca do Estado museum. Weave between the palaceâs giant pillars and marvel at the exposed brickwork of this architectural gem.
āļāļĩāđāļāļąāđāļ: Praça da Luz, 2 - Luz, SÃĢo Paulo - SP, 01120-010, Brazil
āđāļāļāļāļĩāđāļ āļēāļāđāļāļĒ The Photographer (CC BY-SA 4.0) āđāļ§āļāļĢāđāļāļąāđāļāđāļāđāđāļ
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Africa meets Brazil in Ibirapuera park
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Brazilâs 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.
āļāļĩāđāļāļąāđāļ: Avenida Pedro Ãlvares Cabral, PortÃĢo 10, s/n - Vila Mariana, SÃĢo Paulo - SP, 04094-050, Brazil
āđāļāļāļāļĩāđāļ āļēāļāđāļāļĒ Eugenio Hansen, OFS (CC BY-SA 4.0) āđāļ§āļāļĢāđāļāļąāđāļāđāļāđāđāļ
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Spellbinding opera at the Teatro Municipal
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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.
āļāļĩāđāļāļąāđāļ: Praça Ramos De Azevedo, s/n - RepÚblica, SÃĢo Paulo - SP, 01037-010, Brazil
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Pinheirosâ underground art haven
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Bohemians flock to Pinheirosâ centre for urban art at the Choque Cultural. Take in tattoo art, skateboard design and graffiti creations at this hip townhouse turned contemporary gallery.
āļāļĩāđāļāļąāđāļ: R. Medeiros de Albuquerque, 250 - Vila Madalena, SÃĢo Paulo - SP, 05436-060, Brazil
āđāļāļāļāļĩāđāļ āļēāļāđāļāļĒ percursodacultura (CC BY-SA 2.0) āđāļ§āļāļĢāđāļāļąāđāļāđāļāđāđāļ