I am born and raised in Sao Paulo, Brazil. This is a monumental city, a bubble in Brazil. Why is that:
a city founded in 1554 by portuguese, but achieved prosperity only in 1850, when coffee was sky rocketing. In 1850, Sao Paulo received lots and lots of european migrants (italiens, spanish) and japanese migrants. They were to work as semi-slave into the coffee fields. A few years later, many of them brought their families to star new businesses and industrial endeavours. That’s when Sao Paulo really started as a prosperous state, with a different view from the rest of Brazil. It was not only about agriculture.
So, when in Sao Paulo, you will find tall buildings, traffic jams, different faces and hair colour. Food from all over the world. Don’t expect the same nature as you will find in Rio, or at the north east beaches. There are no beaches in Sao Paulo. You will find a big city, full of cultural variety, interesting art museums, stressed people (running up escalators in subway stations).
Near Paulista Avenue, you will find a bit from coffee period houses/mansions.
Around historical center, tall buildings from the 1930’s and up comming restaurants.
At Jardim Paulista, great restaurants, beautifuul stores, beautifull people.
about accessibility, there is a law that every stablishment must be accessible to a wheel chair. Including all of our curbes.
There is also a non-smoking law, under any roof. Smokers have to go outside . Thank Goodness it’s a tropical country, with good weather year-round.
Surprise yourself!