Brazil
Sao Paulo
São Paulo: Brazil’s Largest City, Reached from Santos
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How Cruise Passengers Reach São Paulo
Cruises listed as sailing from or calling at São Paulo use the port of Santos, because the city is not on the sea. Santos is about 80 km away at the foot of the Serra do Mar, and the trip between them is by road.
- Two highways, the Anchieta and the Imigrantes, climb from Santos up the Serra do Mar to the city.
- From São Paulo's airports, Santos can be reached by taxi, and buses also run from Guarulhos airport.
- Buses run between Santos and the Jabaquara bus terminal in São Paulo, which is beside a Metro station on the Blue Line.
- The currency is the Brazilian real.
São Paulo on Your Own
An independent day in São Paulo means a road trip each way from Santos, so the city fits best before or after your cruise rather than on a port day. Keep to one or two areas, and travel by Metro where you can.
- Getting there: Buses between Santos and the Jabaquara terminal have taken about 1 hour 20 minutes, running frequently. Check the timetable before you go.
- Avenida Paulista: The city's best-known avenue is a good place to start, with the São Paulo Museum of Art on it. Green Line Metro stations run along it.
- The historic center: The Pátio do Colégio marks the spot where the city was founded in 1554. The cathedral (Sé) and the Municipal Market are also in the historic center.
- Sundays: Avenida Paulista closes to cars on Sundays and public holidays, and walkers and street stalls take it over. Mornings are less crowded.
- Safety: Phone thefts are common, especially between 4 and 9 p.m. Avoid using your phone in the street, and leave your passport and valuables in a safe place.
- Back to the ship: If you visit São Paulo on the day you sail, leave plenty of time for the drive down to Santos.
- Getting back on time: All-aboard is usually about 30 minutes before sailing, and your ship posts the exact time. A ship will not wait for passengers touring on their own.
Getting Around
The Metro and suburban trains are the easiest way to get around São Paulo, with taxis for shorter trips. Traffic can be heavy, so allow extra time for any road journey.
- Line 2 (Green) runs east to west along Avenida Paulista.
- Line 4 (Yellow) links the historic center with the west of the city.
- The Metro closes around midnight.
Tipping in Brazil
Restaurants in Brazil add a 10 percent service charge, and this is generally the only tip people pay. It is not mandatory.
- Taxis: Tips are not usually expected, though rounding up the fare sometimes happens.
- Porters and parking attendants: A small tip is usual.
Culture and Local Life
São Paulo has been shaped by the immigrants who arrived from Italy, the Arab world and Japan. It is a city of museums, architecture and football.
- MASP: The São Paulo Museum of Art on Avenida Paulista is known for its concrete and glass building of 1968 by Lina Bo Bardi, with a suspended structure.
- The Mercadão: The Municipal Market, opened in 1933, has food stalls on its ground floor and restaurants on a mezzanine, under 72 stained-glass windows.
- Liberdade: The district began as an Italian neighborhood, became Japanese, and is now home to many Chinese and Korean Brazilians as well.
- Ibirapuera Park: Opened in 1954 for the city's 400th anniversary, the park covers 158 hectares and includes buildings by Oscar Niemeyer.
- Football: Corinthians, Palmeiras and São Paulo are the city's big clubs. Matches between rivals have seen violence outside the stadiums, so take local advice before going.
A Brief History
São Paulo began as a small Jesuit mission and grew, on coffee and immigration, into the largest city in Brazil. Much of that growth came up the road and railway from Santos.
- January 25, 1554: Jesuit priests, among them Manuel da Nóbrega and José de Anchieta, celebrated the first mass of their school, the date taken as the city's founding.
- Colonial era: São Paulo was the starting point for the bandeirantes, settlers whose expeditions pushed into the interior.
- 1822: Brazil's independence is said to have been proclaimed on the banks of the Ipiranga brook.
- Mid-19th century: The coffee boom made the city rich, with coffee shipped abroad through Santos.
- 1860s: The first railway between the port of Santos and the city opened, carrying migrant workers inland to the coffee farms.
- Late 19th and early 20th centuries: Millions of immigrants reached Brazil through the port of Santos.
- 1933: The Municipal Market opened in the historic center.
- 1954: Ibirapuera Park opened for the city's 400th anniversary.
- To learn more ashore: The Museu Paulista, known as the Museu do Ipiranga, stands near the Ipiranga brook in the southeast of the city, where independence is said to have been proclaimed.
São Paulo with Children
With children, São Paulo is easiest in its parks and on its car-free Sunday avenue. Plan short Metro hops rather than long drives across the city.
- Younger children: Ibirapuera Park has wide open spaces, and bicycles can be borrowed or rented at the park.
- School age: Ride the Green Line to Avenida Paulista and visit the São Paulo Museum of Art.
- Teenagers: Explore Liberdade, the city's historic Japanese district.
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