Souvenirs from São Paulo - Where to find

São Paulo is not a touristy city, so you will not come across a souvenir shop on every corner. Actually you may want to buy a souvenir after all, no matter how kitsch it might be, and not find anything. So I’ll give you some suggestions in case you want to make the effort to take something back home.

Two arts and crafts markets that are usually recommended to tourists are the ones that are held on Praça da República (held during the day on Fridays and Saturdays), which is easy to reach with the subway (Red and Yellow Lines, República station), or the one held in front of Parque Trianon, just across MASP on Avenida Paulista (just off the Trianon subway station), which is held on Sundays. Both have several stalls selling mainly things crafted in wood; though not extremely creative, they are bound to please tourists.

I would suggest a more ‘sophisticated’ arts and crafts market, whose exhibitors are young artists or designers. This is the fair called “Como Assim?”; it is held every Sunday from 10am to 10pm in the corridors of the Shopping Center 3, also located on Avenida Paulista (close to the Consolação station). Though you have a bit of everything, custom jewellery and clothes occupy a large part of the market, so most probably it will please girls, or boys wishing to purchase creative gifts to their loved ones. Specifically on the lower floor there is a stall with souvenirs (t-shirts, mugs, etc) using São Paulo as their theme.

For some reason, foreigners are usually drawn to objects made of Brazilian gemstones. You can find a wealth of these (from kitsch to really delicate items) on some shops near Praça da Liberdade. Though Liberdade is São Paulo’s ‘Chinatown’ so to speak, these shops are easy bets – and you can take the chance to taste a legitimate Japanese Brazilian dish. Try the shop Ho Kim Do, on Praça da Liberdade, 276, right on the corner with the main street in the area, Rua Galvão Bueno. Easy access with the subway – take the blue line to the Liberdade station.

 

 

 

Finally, if you have some energy left, walk down Rua Augusta to #2795 (just after it crosses Rua Oscar Freire) and visit the shop called Arte Tribal. Brazilian souvenirs, popular art, crafts from Brazilian indigenous tribes are available at the shop. To have an idea, access their website www.artetribal.com.br (available in English).



Shopping Streets in São Paulo

As I have mentioned before, I don't really appreciate malls... I think shopping outdoors is much more interesting. To help you out if you believe the same, I'm listing below some of the main shopping streets in São Paulo:

• Rua 25 de março - the main shopping street in Brazil. In November and December, no cars are allowed, as the streets are literally taken by the sheer number of avid shoppers. Estimates say that in this period of the year, more than 1 million people visit is shops every day. However, going at other times of the year, of an early morning, can be quite a fun experience, as you will find shops selling practically everything, but especially custom jewellery, costumes, decoration, fabrics, and household appliances. It is the right place if you are organizing a party.

• Rua Augusta - see a more detailed post about Rua Augusta here. From Av. Paulista towards the region called Jardins, there are mainly clothes stores, the occasional shoe store and snack bars; towards the city center, movie theaters, bars, shops selling vinyls and other vintage stuff. Great to hang around just browsing and sitting down for the occasional beer.

• Rua Teodoro Sampaio - three very clear sections: going up from Av. Faria Lima, up to the corner with R. Fradique Coutinho, there are shops selling popular clothes, but mainly shoes. From this point on, there are dozens of shops selling home furniture, and a good number selling mattresses. Going further up, beyond Praça Benedito Calixto, the street is the site for musicians! Several shops selling musical instruments sit side by side along both sidewalks. See map here: http://goo.gl/maps/OME1z

• Rua Santa Ifigênia - Electronics! In the heart of a dilapidated area in the city center, Rua Santa Ifigênia and its neighbors are home to virtually hundreds of shops selling everything from lighting, CD/DVD players, HD TV monitors, videogames, audio and sound equipment, computer and any IT accessories, AC adaptors, you name it. Prices are usually very good, but you must also check if products are legal, as some shops may sell smuggled goods. Always ask for a receipt. Also beware of pickpockets. This area is quite close to an area in town where crack users gather, so you are very likely to spot some heavy users around.

• Rua dos Pinheiros - Even though the neighborhood in itself is already served by a good number of restaurants, Rua dos Pinheiros gathers so many of them you would probably take about a week to taste them all... not to mention the cafés and sweet shops. There are Italian, Brazilian, Mexican, Japanese, Portuguese restaurants... Just walk around and feel the smell.

This map can give you an idea...

 

RUA AUGUSTA - Walking Along

RUA AUGUSTA – Downtown

Right next to the Consolação subway station, Avenida Paulista is crossed by Rua Augusta. Going all the way from the city center to the sophisticated (and snobbish) area of São Paulo called Jardins (“Gardens”), Rua Augusta has nothing in itself that could attract much attention; it is not wide nor beautiful. However, it offers several interesting options.

The half of Augusta that leads to the city center (signaled by the Banco Safra building on the corner) is called “Baixo Augusta” on its first blocks. This is probably the area where you will meet all the interesting, alternative and exotic types of São Paulo. A clearly gay-friendly area (the parallel Rua Frei Caneca and the shopping mall of the same name are commonly referred to as ‘Gay Caneca’), it is also full of intellectual types, tattooed girls, not to mention prostitutes and transvestites that can be seen at night.  If you have no money to spend on a club but want to have a night out, this is the place to go. Going down from Avenida Paulista, the first blocks are full of laid back bars in which people sit on plastic tables on almost every corner; going further down, you reach the area called Baixo Augusta, full of clubs. But actually most of the party takes place on the street… on Saturday night cars can barely move. At 4am the street has probably more people circulating than at 4pm…

These are some of the highlights:

·    At number 1611 is the side entrance to Shopping Center 3, a small mall which offers several fast food options, but more interestingly, an arts and crafts market on its corridors every Sunday. But these are not traditional/boring crafts, but quite modern and creative stuff.

·    A Mexican fast food called Tollocos is located at # 1524

·    A cool movie complex, Espaço Itau de Cinema, at Rua Augusta, 1475 is famous not only for the modern audience, but also for opening its doors for not-so-commercial flicks, such as European or arts movies.

·    After the film, why not go for a slice of pizza? The first place to sell pizza by the slice in São Paulo is nearby, at 1463; it is called “O Pedaço da Pizza”.

·    Cross the street and walk down some steps for a different option: an Indian fast food. Nice, varied and cheap food – approved by my Indian friend. Madhu, Rua Augusta, 1420.

·     At #1372 is a cool store housing several ‘boxes’ (literally) where designers may sell their objects, among which are glasses, costume jewellery, and clothes.

·     If you are into music and movies, and looking for something old or sold out, this might be a place to spend one or two hours… all kinds of Brazilian and imported CDs and DVDs on sale.

·     The modern, healthy-looking and attractive fast food at 1360 reminds me of “Pret a Manger”, where I used to eat in London… here it is called “Pic Nic”.

This should be enough to have you walking down some blocks further, and you will come across hair salons, bars, clubs, as well as one of the major comedy clubs in São Paulo… If you enjoy people watching, you will have tons of fun.

RUA AUGUSTA - Walking Along

RUA AUGUSTA – Southward

Right next to the Consolação subway station, Avenida Paulista is crossed by Rua Augusta. Going all the way from the city center to the sophisticated (and snobbish) area of São Paulo called Jardins (“Gardens”), Rua Augusta has nothing in itself that could attract much attention; it is not wide nor beautiful. However, it offers several interesting options.

The southbound half of Augusta (signaled by the Banco do Brasil building on the corner) is also called “lado Jardins”. Amid several clothes and shoes shops, and the kilo restaurants, the highlights on this stretch of the street are:

·  On the block between Avenida Paulista and Alameda Santos lies a group of buildings and shopping arcade collectively known as Conjunto Nacional.  On the ground floor, among some clothes shops, drugstores, candy stores and the like, lies the most beloved bookstore in São Paulo: Livraria Cultura. It has branches in other shopping malls, but it was born here and it has expanded its empire. Cultura has now five separate shops in the area, including one for geeks (with videogames and other geek paraphernalia), one for art books and a deliciously cozy megastore, with a nice café inside. It also holds a theater (Teatro Eva Herz) and a movie theather (Cine Cultura).

Apparently a regular street

·   Going down for one more block you will find a McDonald’s, a Habibs (local fast food restaurant which offers a good cost/benefit relation – and probably the cheapest ice cream in town, a scone for R$ 2,50), a Subway (near #1954) and a Starbucks (at # 1967, on the corner with Alameda Jau).

·  Just opposite, at number 2014 lies a shop selling funny and alternative T-shirts.

·  Rua Augusta, 2075 is home to Cinesesc, a movie theather holding unusual film festivals, providing a space for alternative, independent or classical movies, as well as flicks in languages other than English. The venue also boasts one of the finest and cheapest cafés in this area. You can drop by just to have a cup of coffee and you will not regret it.

·  Two branches of Escola São Paulo, at 2074 and 2113. Bearing the slogan “Creative Economy”, the school offers free courses of design, photography, fashion, cinema and the like.

·  From this point on, Rua Augusta becomes a reference point for the sophisticated area called Jardins. Most of the perpendicular streets bring top-notch shops, restaurants and bars, especially Alameda Lorena and Oscar Freire, which is home to several luxury brands, Brazilian or international, which hold here snobbish shops and concept stores.

·  Galeria Ouro Fino, a shopping arcade at number 2690, is famous for the alternative shops, catering for those interested in alternative fashion, and those looking for cool and creative gifts.