What To Do In Paulista? Your Complete Guide About Paulista Avenue in São Paulo

After telling a bit about Paulista Avenue's history and its curiosities, and including it in our ultimate best free things to do in São Paulo guide, now it is time to go deeper and dive into it. Here you will get to know the best of Paulista and how to enjoy the biggest deals on the most famous avenue in São Paulo. 

 

Paulista Avenue - View from SESC at Night

As mentioned in our posts about São Paulo, Paulista Avenue (or Avenida Paulista in Portuguese) is not only an avenue, but the symbol of the metropolitan side of the state and also a cultural center. That means that you will be able to visit many exhibitions being most of them for free, check it out: 

 

Exhibitions

- Meet the Most Relevant Museum in South America - MASP

The modernist building is the symbol of Paulista Avenue and displays pieces by Monet, van Gogh, Picasso, Rembramdt, Renoir and much more important artistics from all over the world and from Brazil. 

It's open from Tuesday to Sunday (10 am - 6 pm).

And free to visit (with booked tickets only) on Tuesdays.
Give it a check on the website: https://masp.org.br/

How to get there: It stands 5 min. walk away from Trianon - Masp Station in the Green Line.

Address: Av. Paulista, 1578 - Bela Vista, São Paulo - SP, 01310-200
 

MASP - Art Museum of São Paulo

- Be Surprised With a Slice of Japan in São Paulo at JAPAN HOUSE

Japan House is a worldwide campaign launched by the Japanese government to highlight many facets of Japanese innovation, technology, design and culture overseas. 

The goal of JAPAN HOUSE is to make people aware of how little they know about Japan and then encourage them to learn more about it. And as a result to strengthen understanding between Japan and other nations showing exhibitions and talking more about Japan itself.

Currently, Japan House is only hosted by three cities: São Paulo, London and Los Angeles.

Another curiosity is that São Paulo has the biggest Japanese community (who have also their own suburb called Liberdade - which we talk more about in our guide), considering that, the culture hub is even more relevant for the city and for the niponic society in general. 

The Japan House cultural center is free to visit, no book required and is open from Tue to Fri (10 am - 6 pm), Saturdays and Sundays (10 am - 7 pm).

How to get there: 5 min walk from Brigadeiro Station in the Green Line.

Address: Av. Paulista, 52 - Bela Vista, São Paulo - SP, 01310-900

Mini Japan - Exhibition at Japan House São Paulo

- Visit the Highest Look Out from Paulista and Enjoy an Exhibition at SESC

SESC Paulista is a industrial cultural center where you will find a look out on the rooftop from where you can see the whole avenue. It is for free and the food from the café is delicious and super cheap. You don't need an appointment in order to enjoy the café, but you need to book an appointment to access the look out. So download the app Credencial Sesc for Android or Iphone and book it to go to the rooftop within 1 hour on before hand.

Even without visiting the rooftop, SESC is worth a visit due to the fact that it displays many exhibitions and artistic performances in the building. You only need to ask at the information desk and they will direct you towards it with no booking required. 

It's open from Tuesday to Sunday (10 am - 9 pm).

How to get there: 4 min walk from Brigadeiro Station in the Green Line.

Address: Av. Paulista, 119 - Bela Vista, São Paulo - SP, 01311-903

- Go Back in Time Inside an 20th Century Mansion at CASA DAS ROSAS

Casa das Rosas is a free to visit and no booking required mansion that was finished in 1935. The heirs of Ramos de Azevedo - an relevant architect - resided there up to the middle of the 1980s. Avenida Paulista was changed by then sharing an area with banks, shops, contemporary structures, and the usual flow of people and cars (as it was explained in our post about Paulista Avenue's History). Despite being threatened with demolition, the home was saved and the State of São Paulo renovated and converted the house into a free to visit cultural venue, which opened in 1991, the year that Avenida Paulista celebrated its centennial.

It's open from Tuesday to Sunday (10 am - 5:30 pm).

How to get there: 5 min walk from Brigadeiro Station in the Green Line.

Address: Av. Paulista, 37 - Bela Vista, São Paulo - SP, 01311-000

Casa das Rosas's Facade

Roses from The Villa 'Casa das Rosas' - House of Roses in English

- Learn a Bit More About the Brazilian History at ITAU CULTURAL

Itaú Unibanco is the owner of the Brazilian not-for-profit free to visit and no booking required cultural institution Instituto Itaú Cultural. Olavo Egydio Setúbal founded the institute, which was established in 1986.

Nowadays, it displays a beautiful collection about the Brazilian colonial period and from time to time also displays temporary exhibitions. It will definitely a fun experience.  

It's open from Tuesday to Sunday (11 am - 8 pm).

How to get there: 4 min walk from Brigadeiro Station in the Green Line.

Address: Av. Paulista, 149 - Bela Vista, São Paulo - SP, 01311-000

- Let Yourself be Impressed with Technology at CENTRO CULTURAL FIESP

Usually full of technological resources, Centro Cultural FIESP is another cultural center with plenty of temporary exhibitions and free to visit without necessity of booking. So if you still have got some energy and love something more modern or contemporary, you can not miss it. 

How to get there: Just in front of Trianon-MASP Station in the Green Line.

It's open from Tuesday to Sunday (10 am - 8 pm).

Address: Avenida Paulista, 1313- Bela Vista, São Paulo - SP, 01311-200

Imperial Brazilian Flag - From Time Brazil Was Not Yet a Republic

- If You Are Not Done Yet, visit IMS PAULISTA

The Moreira Salles Institute or IMS Paulista is a free to visit and no booking required exhibition center more focused on photography. The building has a really beautiful structure based on concrete and glass constructed to be sustainable. Apart from the exhibition spaces spanning over 1200 square meters, the IMS Paulista also features the Praça IMS (a space dedicated to socializing), a movie theater that organizes film screenings, musical performances, seminars, and debates, a Photography Library that can accommodate up to 30,000 volumes, classrooms for workshops and classes, the IMS store/bookstore by Travessa, a café, and the really notorius and highly regarded Balaio restaurant.  

How to get there: 5 min walk from Consolação Station in the Green Line. 

Address: Av. Paulista, 2424 - Bela Vista, São Paulo - SP, 01310-300

 

Food & Restaurants

Brazil is the biggest coffee exporter and the Brazilian history is somehow directly connected with it and São Paulo is a great place to get lost and find multiple coffee shops. If you are a coffee lover, stop by any café and try the local coffee, you won't regret it. And it is not only the largest, it is also the city with more immigrants what resulted in a really diverse cuisine and infinite options in Paulista and around the city.

- Have a Delightful Meal at Heights in SESC

Besides its cultural content and the rooftop amazing view, SESC is also know for the easy access to the general public for offering really high quality meals in a excelent and fair price. The café on the 16th floor is great and no booking required but the little restaurant on the rooftop is just amazing with multiple choices from the incredible Brazilian cuisine with some gastronomic twists that are worth it to taste. The Pão de Queijo - a typical Brazilian cheesy bread - with buffalo caramelized milk and slices of the best local cheese called Mandala - is just mind-blowing.

It's open from Tuesday to Sunday (10 am - 9 pm).

How to get there: 4 min walk from Brigadeiro Station in the Green Line.

Address: Av. Paulista, 119 - Bela Vista, São Paulo - SP, 01311-903

Meal at SESC

- Have a Full Gastronomic Experience at CALÇADÃO URBANOIDE

This one is not actually located in Paulista Avenue, but I thought it would be a shame if you went to Paulista and did not visit this place. Calçadão Urbanoide is a outdoor food court that offers multiple choices from international food to typical Brazilian food. São Paulo is the city with the biggest number of immigrants of the country and this place is a fusion of all that. That also explains why São Paulo is considered as the city with the best gastronomy in the country (when we talk about fusion of course). There you can try some real Amazon food from that region. Arabic, mexican and craft beer are just few examples of what you can taste there. 

Open Hours:

Wednesday	4 -10 PM
Thursday	4 - 10:30 PM
Friday	4 PM - 1 AM
Saturday	12 PM -1 AM
Sunday	12 - 11 PM

How to get there: 7 min. walk from Consolação Station in the Green Line 

Address: R. Frei Caneca, 1024 - Consolação, São Paulo - SP, 01307-002

- Meet One of the Most Different McDonalds in the World 

McDonalds? I know, I know how it sounds. "What is special about eating at McDonalds?" Well, this one is connected directly with Paulista Avenue history. The Mequi 1000 (how McDonald's is pronounced with the Brazilian accent) is the 1000th unit of McDonalds in Brazil. The place actually used to be an old mansion owned by merchants who immigrated to Brazil in the 1800s. Their descendants, after leaving the house, are more than happy that now everybody is able to visit it.

And if you, just like me, is curious to see some differences between the McDonald's menus over the world, that would actually be a great excuse to visit it. 

How to get there: It stands 6 min. walk away from Trianon - Masp Station.

Address: Av. Paulista, 1811 - Bela Vista, São Paulo - SP, 01311-200

McDonalds Number 1000 - Old Villa

- Bite a Crunchy Caramelized Coconut in the Streets of São Paulo 

Caramelized nuts are not so different, but in the streets of São Paulo is quite a traditional thing to see street sellers with their little trucks selling fresh caramelized coconut. It is hot, super fresh, crunchy and delicious. I know someone who hates coconut and loved it when they tried it. Thank me, later. You can find those little trucks everywhere, but more specifically around MASP in Paulista.

Little Coconut Truck

Caramelized Coconut

- Burger King or a Museum? 

They also take a bit too seriously when they decorated this Burger King. From time to time, this Burger King has its decoration changed. Last time I saw it, it had this thematic inspired by Squid Game with lots of references and some interactive games around the place. It is just astonishing how many details they always put in it and to see how they change it every time.

How to get there:  It stands 10 min. walk away from Trianon - Masp Station.

Address: on the corner with Avenida Paulista and Avenida Brigadeiro Luís Antônio.

 

- Try a Real Burger at JOTA HAMBURGUERS

Considered as one of the best Burgers in Paulista, if not the best, Jota Hamburgers is an outdoor seating burger shop that surprises with its simplicity but plot twists with its quality. Making traditional smash burger and great crispy fries, this place has everything to kill your hunger with a juicy and tasteful meal in every bite. 

It's open daily from 11:30 am to 10 pm.

How to get there: 2 min walk from Trianon-Masp Station in the Green Line. 

Address: it is located just on the side of the Shopping Cidade São Paulo Mall. Av. Paulista, 1230 - Bela Vista, São Paulo - SP, 01310-100

- Experience the Japanese-Brazilian Fusion trying YAKISOBA

There are many influences of Japan in the Brazilian culture, sushi, for example, is in second place as the most ordered food in São Paulo. But another interesting dish that got a Brazilian twist is the Yakisoba stir fried noodles and it is super popular around there. One place where you will easily get it is in front of the Market Paulista. It's tasteful, it's savory and a great street food. 

It is closed only on Thurdays and open from 11:30 am to 7 pm.

How to get there: 8 min walk from Trianon-Masp Station in the Green Line. 

Address: Av. Paulista, 1941 - Jardim Paulista, São Paulo - SP, 01311-300

- Find the Arabic Side of São Paulo at SABAH BUFFET

Brazil is known for having more Lebanese people than Lebanon itself. And inside the Syrian-Lebanese Association Club there is a little diamond which is a typical Arabic Buffet. It is open only for lunch but will offer you mouth-watering varieties of Lebanese and Syrian food such as: Esfihas, Kibes, Arabic dippings, breads and more.

It is open during weekdays from 11:30 am to 3:30 pm and weekends from 12 pm to 4 pm.

How to get there: exactly inbetween (10 min walk from) the Brigadeiro Station and Trianon-MASP Station in the Green Line.

 Address: Avenida Paulista, 735 Dentro do Club Homs - Bela Vista, São Paulo - SP, 01311-100

Book and Comics Shops

If you are a book or a comic reader, there will a kingdom of options for you in Paulista. MARTINS FONTES (Address: Av. Paulista, 509 - Bela Vista, São Paulo - SP, 01311-910) is the biggest book shop of the country and has a beautiful collection of books with great discounts, even thought the majority is in Portuguese, you can actually find many option of books in their original language and in English.

Martins Fontes Book Shop

In addition, inside the Conjunto Nacional Building, there is also a great bookshop which is really charming and spacious. It is called LIVRARIA CULTURA (Address: Av. Paulista, 2073 - Bela Vista, São Paulo - SP, 01311-940). What is different about it is that they encourage you to have a seat anywhere around the shop and you will actually find lots of people doing that while they enjoy the books they borrowed from the shelves. 

And finally, COMIX BOOK SHOP (7 min. walk from Paulista and Consolação Station - at the Address: R. da Consolação, 2685 - Cerqueira César, São Paulo - SP, 01416-001) is the biggest comic shop in São Paulo where you can "mine" some old comics on hope to find a rare edition of your favourite comic character. It is a classic shop with few options in English, but has all that nerdy energy that every comic collector will love. A tip: it's a great opportunity to buy some originals from Maurício de Sousa, a beloved Brazilian cartoonist.  

Have an Incomparable Afternoon in Paulista on Sundays

The best day of the week to go to Paulista Avenue is during Sundays because from 10 am to 6 pm the avenue is closed, so people can enjoy its most. On Sundays you will find Djs, live bands and people dancing everywhere. It is just so much fun! 

Once São Paulo has no beach like its "cousin" Rio de Janeiro, locals have found out a fun way to bring some light into the cosmopolitan city. Musicians, artists and human monuments enhance the metropolitan landscape with their creative flare they add to the vibrant atmosphere. That turns it characteristic and creates the juxtaposition of art and business, commerce and culture.

 

	More than just a street, Avenida Paulista is a living mosaic that ties together the history, culture and the diversity of São Paulo. Its growth has paralleled the city's, transforming it into a dynamic emblem of resilience and growth that embodies the essence of Brazil's biggest city. Enjoy it, taste it and feel it.