São Paulo is the biggest, most congested city in Brazil and some say that it is the ugly sister of Rio de Janeiro, which is blessed with beaches, a famous carnival (and of course the iconic statue of Christ the Redeemer). However, if you watch our latest travel video, the São Paulo Travel Guide, you will see that there is also a beautiful, inspiring and dynamic side to this megacity. A side that shines through if you spend a little more time in its city centre and diverse neighborhoods…

As the largest city in Latin America, São Paulo is worth visiting for its staggering amount of museums, theaters, malls, cinemas, restaurants and cafés alone. You simply can’t get bored in “Sampa”.

Then there is the city’s fascinating architecture, which ranges from ornate historic cathedrals, banks, train stations, to linear and abstract designs by Oscar Niemeyer and other modern architects.

As Brazil’s economic powerhouse and a place of big business, you may not expect there to be a focus on the arts, but the opposite is true. In several major museums you can see the contrast between daring Brazilian Modernist paintings and the more traditional brushstrokes of European masters. Trendy neighborhoods, such as Vila Madalena, are brimming with funky street art, specialty shops and quirky botecos.

The city is also famous for its 24/7 nightlife, with chic nightclubs and a gay-friendly party scene.

Apart from acing it when it comes to culture, São Paulo’s cuisine is among the best in the country (and it’s not only the Paulistanos claiming that!) and the coffee is legendary.

Also worth considering is that São Paulo is not overrun with tourists (yet!) and with the 2016 Olympic Games coming up in Rio in August, you may want to go before everyone else does…

The São Paulo Travel Guide is a Tourism Media production for Expedia. Earlier Brazil productions include the Rio de Janeiro Travel Guide and the Foz do Iguaçu Travel Guide.

The Brazil film shoot was prepared by Jon Reid, Barbara Winters, Rohan Trundle and Sandra Wilkinson. The camerawork is by Jon Reid, the video script by Barbara Winters, the music by Jacquie Joy and the video editing by Sawyer.