5 Must-Sees in São Paulo

São Paulo is a mess, but a beautiful one if you learn to look for the right places. If you are in the city for just a layover or a business trip, you can start at these five paulista points. São Paulo weather is kind of tricky and it can change quickly so get your Upgrade Soft Shell Jacket or Getaway Cropped Sweatshirt and let's go! Maybe you'll fall in love and come back to spend more time. 

Once known as the business center of the city, it still has its charms. Closed on Sundays so people can use it to walk and play sports, Paulista has also a great number of cultural centers to visit. MASP (Museu de Arte de São Paulo) is a must go. Projected by  architect Lina Bo Bardi, the MASP building floats on Avenida Paulista with its red legs. The museum is known for its Brazilian and French impressionism collections. Get ready to spend an afternoon exploring. 

Another must go is IMS - Instituto Moreira Salles, where you can see the only Richard Serra sculpture on South America. You can also enjoy the amazing Balaio restaurant! 

The amazing, historic part ofdowntown São Paulo is always chaotic and crowded. Full of a type of energy that I love. Farol Santander used to be the highest building in town. It was renovated and converted into an art gallery. You can still go to the top and see how big this city is. Safety tip: if you are going to walk the downtown area, be aware of your belongings!

Parque Ibirapuera is one of the biggest parks in town and an amazing oasis of nature. You can walk, eat, sit on the grass and people watch if you want. Enjoy the modern architecture of Oscar Niemeyer, the famous architect who designed the park in the 1950s.

In the park there are two amazing museums: Museu Afro and MAM - Museu de Arte Moderna. The Bienal Foundation building is in there too. Every two years you can visit the São Paulo's Bienal of Art, the next will be on 2023. 

Near the old train station - Estação da Luz - Pinacoteca is the greatest museum to visit if you just want to see Brazilian art. With a collection that mixes old and new, it is a great way to learn more about the city and the country. Pinacoteca is in the  Bom Retiro neighborhood, a migrant neighborhood. It was first know as the Jewish neighborhood, now it is called the Korean neighborhood. You can really feel the culture in the stores and restaurants in the area. Go and grab a bottle of soju in some korean barbecue or just a coffee and sweet bread in the many coffee shops. 

Some terrible politicians making some bad decisions created this viaduct in the middle of residential buildings. Minhocão, a nickname of this High Line like place, is still being used as a highway during the week, on weekends it is closed to cars and opened to whatever you want to do there. The buildings around offer some great street art for you to enjoy. Go there to see all the diversity the city has to offer. Saturdays are chill, but on Sundays prepare for crowds.