what is the best area to stay in sao paulo, brasil?

What is the best place to stay in Sao Paulo?

By Margarete Caetano Martindale. Nov 05, 2022

Sao Paulo is a metropolitan city known for being the culture and economic hub of South America. It breathes creativity and expression which can be observed from the high volume of street art around town, but it isn’t just graffiti that has a big space in this town, as the city is also known for having the biggest amount of museums per capita than any other city in the country. If you are looking to relax, there’s also many parks and spas where you can get away from the fast-paced concrete jungle - as locals call it - besides many award-winning restaurants worth exploring. It also has a booming nightlife, known for being the longest lasting one in the country, with many clubs staying open until 7am, when most Padarias (very traditional Brazilian bakeries) are already open, so you can enjoy a hearty breakfast to get your day started in the best way possible.

The best place in town to stay during your visit to the city is the Pinheiros neighborhood, a thriving and trendy area known to attract many visitors from all over the globe and so many attractions and activities it’s hard to narrow it down to just a few options. One of the most pedestrian-friendly districts in São Paulo, it has a lively and young feel with easy access to many attractions such as the Paulista Avenue and the Ibirapuera Park. You are also sure to have convenience and drug stores near your hotel to attend quickly to all of your needs, no matter how early or late it might be. The area also has many subway and train lines crossing along all of its extensions, which makes it easy to transit efficiently in the city within a timely mannerOn the map, which shows the most convenient area to stay in Sao Paulo, you can see a selection of some of the best located hotels.

If you are interested in where to stay in Sao Paulo, you may also be interested in where to stay in Rio de Janeiro and where to stay in Salvador de Bahía.

Pinheiros, the best area to stay in São Paulo

Best for -

Trendy / Drinking & Dining / Traditional

At the Pinheiros neighborhood it shouldn’t take you more than 10 minutes to get to a nearby subway station, and as it is an affluent area it shouldn’t be as crowded as other stations around town, being also just a few stops from all the main attractions. Most of the streets are full of trendy restaurants where you can experience the best of the city’s gastronomy, the perfect first step in getting to know more of the cosmopolitan culture that makes the city its own diverse ecosystem.

The Rua dos Pinheiros (Pinheiros’ Street) is the main and most lively street, where you can find most bars and restaurants. This is also where you will find the biggest concentration of trendy size-inclusive stores with eco-friendly values. On Saturdays, make sure to head to the Benedito Calixto Square fair, a flea market where you can buy antiques, art and rare vinyls as well as enjoy traditional Brazilian live music. This is also the most popular location to enjoy the carnaval, celebrations, as most streets are closed for cars passage during many weekends days in the month leading up to it.

Hotels in Pinheiros

Other recommended areas to stay in Sao Paulo

Jardins

Best for -

Luxury / Drinking & Dining / Safest Area

The upscale neighborhood of Jardins is the place to stay if you are looking for a luxurious experience in the city. One of the most iconic ones being the Oscar Freire Street, home of flagship stores of the most prestigious designers in the world like Diesel and Calvin Klein, as well as luxury brazilian brands such as Bo.Bô and Le Lis Blanc. The area is also known for its award-winning restaurants like D.O.M. restaurant, one of the few restaurants in the country to be awarded two Michelin stars for excellency.

It is also home of the Museu da Imagem e do Som (Museum of Image and Sound, nicknamed by locals as MIS) known for hosting immersive exhibitions from the important artists around the world. It is also minutes away from Ibirapuera Park and other main attractions in the city.

Hotels in Jardins

Itaim Bibi

Best for -

Luxury / Drinking & Dining / With a Car

One of the most luxurious neighborhoods in the city with many iconic places to discover and minutes away from the iconic Ibirapuera Park. Located a bit far from the city center, you might not even feel the need to explore outside of the area as it has excellent and numerous options, but just in case you do, it is best to rent a car or take a cab. A must-visit restaurant in the district is the Modern Mamma Osteria, one of local’s favorite Italian restaurants run by chefs Paulo Barros and Salvatori Loi.

If you are looking for a place to shop, the Shopping JK Iguatemi has great luxurious stores like national designer brands Alexandre Birman and Animale and international favorites like Burberry, Bvlgari and Bottega Veneta. It is also a great area to explore local coffee shops like the famous Santo Grão, a great place to lounge between shopping sprees.

Hotels in Itaim Bibi

Consolação

Best for -

Nightlife / Young Crowd / Museums

The Consolação neighborhood is known for being the favorite of the younger crowd. With many universities and colleges in the area, it just makes sense that’s where the age group tends to meet. That’s true for most of the bars and clubs in the region, especially the ones in the famous Augusta Street like Beco 203 and Casarão Augusta. They have great burger joints such as the Hamburgueria do Sujinho and the Guarita Burger, as well as a concentration of fast-food restaurants such as McDonald’s, Subway and Burger King.

There are also many museums in the area, like the classic Museu da Cidade de São Paulo (São Paulo City Museum, nicknamed MASP by locals) and the Institute Moreira Salles (nicknamed IMS by locals). The area is also home of the Paulista Avenue, a main avenue closed for cars passage every Sunday to allow locals and tourists to walk around and enjoy the hub of culture and art the area has become in a more relaxed manner.

Hotels in Consolação

Bela Vista

Best for -

Museums / Drinking & Dining / Bars

The Bela Vista neighborhood is known for being a hub of the alternative crowd that can often meet up at the many botecos (brazilian bars) of the district. The area represents well the miscegenation the country is so famous for, as it is a place filled with business and culture brought to the city by immigrants from all around the globe, like the Bixiga area that is known for its heavy italian influence and home of many traditional cantinas and trattorias, and the Japan House, a museum created by the Japanese government in the city to share more of their traditions and culture in the country.

It is also home of the headquarters of one of the longest theatres companies still in operation in the country, the famous Teatro Oficina Uzyna Uzona, and well as the ‘Feira do Bixiga’ (Bixiga’s fair) - an antiques fair hosted at the Praça Dom Orione every Sunday from 8am to 6pm since 1982.

Hotels in Bela Vista

República

Best For -

Nightlife / Drinking & Dining / Architecture

The República neighborhood is known for its old-world architecture that has been enchanting tourists and locals for decades. The beautiful old buildings date back from the 30s and 40s, and in most places, the art deco exterior continues intact to this day. Home of the traditional Municipal Theater as well as other more contemporary attractions like the Galeria do Rock (Gallery of Rock, a building where you can find rock music merch, CDs and other memorabilia).

Here is also where the second highest building in town, Edifício Itália, is located with its iconic rooftop restaurant, Terraço Itália, a perfect place to enjoy the skyline while enjoying a fine meal. The neighborhood has easy access to the Liberdade neighborhood - home of the biggest Japanese colony outside of Japan - and other central neighborhoods with many historic sites like Centro Histórico and Sé.

Hotels in Republica

Vila Madalena

Best for -

Street Art / Samba / Drinking and Dining

This is the Bohemian neighborhood of the city, frequented heavily by the indie crowd and known for its bar culture and for being home of the Batman Alley - an alley filled with graffiti and street art across all of its extensions - one of the city’s postcards and the perfect place to get a picture. The bars from this area are known for their in-house live bands blasting samba music, the place locals like to go drink cold beers and chill on Sundays during the summer.

The area is hilly and not as walk-friendly, on Sundays it can be chaotic to find a place to park as it is so popular, so it’s best to take an uber. They also have plenty of trendy contemporary art galleries such as the Kobby Photo Gallery and the A7ma Gallery, both worth a visit.

Hotels in Vila Madalena