Compare Cheap Hotels in Sao Paulo

Sao Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, and the third largest city in the world. It is home to a large international community, including one of the largest Italian populations outside of Italy. Only an hour's drive from the famous beaches of Praia Grande--which means 'Big Beach' in Portuguese--the city is perfectly located for vacationers. It also has plenty to enjoy within the city limits, including the Museu de Arte de Sao Paulo or the Sao Paulo Cathedral.

Key facts

As one of the business hubs of South America, Sao Paulo has much to be proud of. Multiple universities are located in the city, including the Universidade de Sao Paulo, ranked 1st in Latin America and 77th in the world by US News and World Report. It also is home to São Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport (GRU), Brazil's busiest airport, which is located about a half hour's drive from the city.

Hints and tips

While Sao Paulo does cool down during its winter months and residents will sometimes see hail, snow is a very rare occurrence. Even in the depth of winter, visitors can usually get away with a sweater or light jacket. Like the rest of Brazil, Sao Paulo prides itself on its fine barbecue restaurants, called churrascarias, where unlimited amounts of varied cuts of meat are served to guests. Another national delicacy is pao de queijo, a gluten-free cheese bread which is served throughout the day, functioning equally well as a breakfast roll or an accompaniment to dinner.