Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
CARNAVAL IN SÃO PAULO
Although São Paulo's
Carnaval
is not as spectacular or glamorous as its
carioca
sister, neither
is it low-key. São Paulo has its own enthusiastically supported samba schools that spend all
year preparing for the festival and collectively form the union of
paulistano
samba schools,
UESP (
T
11 3171 3713,
W
www.uesp.com.br). As in Rio, the samba competition takes the form
of a massive parade, held in the Oscar Niemeyer-designed
sambódromo
, a 530m-long stadium
that can accommodate around 26,000 and is part of the huge Parque Anhembi leisure
complex, near the Tietê bus terminal north of the city centre.
Ticket prices
are cheaper than in Rio, starting at around R$30 for a bench seat up in the
gods - where you'll get a flavour of the event but won't see very much - and rising to over
R$1000 for a seat in a VIP box. In general, the closer you are to the ground, the better the view
and the more you pay. Tickets are sold online by
W
ingressosligasp.com.br, but you usually
need a Brazilian ID number to buy them (your hotel may help). Otherwise try Ticketmaster
(
W
ticketmaster.com.br) or the tourist o
ce (see p.504).
In the weeks leading up to Carnaval, you can attend
rehearsals
at the city's samba
schools - one of the best to visit is Rosas de Ouro at Rua Euclides Machado 1066 in Barra
Funda (
T
11 3931 4555).
there's an on-site restaurant.
Thurs 7.30pm-2am, Fri &
Sat 9pm-4am, Sun 5pm-midnight.
Villa Country
Av Francisco Matarazzo 774, Agua
Branca
M
Palmeiras-Barra Funda; map pp.486-487.
This
1800-capacity venue plays
serteneja
(Brazilian country
music) to a crowd complete with cowboy hats and cowgirl
hotpants.
Fri & Sat 11pm-late
.
T
11 3868 5858,
W
villacountry.com.br;
8
ENTERTAINMENT
THEATRES
Teatro Brasileiro de Comédia (TBC)
Rua Major Diogo
315, Bixiga
T
11 3104 5523;
M
Liberdade.
The country's
foremost comedy theatre. Originally founded in 1948, it
closed down in 1964, but was reborn at the end of the
1990s, and reopened yet again, following refurbishment at
the end of 2013.
Teatro Sérgio Cardoso
Rua Rui Barbosa 153, Bixiga
T
11 3288 0136;
M
Liberdade.
Two auditoriums allow
this theatre to put on a variety of productions, with a
reputation for high-quality performances.
OPERA AND CLASSICAL MUSIC VENUES
Sala São Paulo
Praça Júlio Prestes 16, Centro
T
11 3223
3966,
W
osesp.art.br;
M
Luz.
This 1500-seat concert hall
inside the beautifully renovated Estação Júlio Prestes is home
to the world-class Orquestra Sinfônica do Estado de São Paulo.
Teatro Municipal
Praça Ramos de Azevado, Centro
T
11
3397 0300,
W
prefeitura.sp.gov.br/cidade/secretarias
/cultura/teatromunicipal;
M
Anhangabaú.
The traditional
focal point for São Paulo's opera and classical music season
(in the 1920s, Villa-Lobos himself performed here), with a
full programme of classical music, opera, theatre and dance.
SHOPPING
For visitors, there are no obvious
souvenirs
of São Paulo as such, but the city is a good place to find the things Brazil
generally does well - from
cachaça
and samba records to bikinis and flip-flops. The main
shopping streets
in the centre
of the city are near Praça da República, especially the roads running off Avenida Ipiranga: Rua Barão de Itapetinga, Rua 24
de Maio and Rua do Arouche. South of the Mercado Municipal, Rua 25 de Março is another busy street, lined with hawkers
selling everything from pirated CDs to Carnaval costumes.
M
Oscar Freire; map p.499.
A mix of tacky souvenirs and
well-chosen artisan products from throughout Brazil,
especially the Amazon and the Northeast, are on sale here.
Mon-Fri 9am-6.30pm, Sat 9am-1.30pm.
Galeria Brasiliana
Rua Artur de Azevedo 520, Jardim
America
T
11 3086 4273,
W
galeriabrasiliana.com.br;
M
Oscar Freire; map p.499.
Popular Brazilian paintings
and other artwork - not cheap, but of excellent quality,
with the pieces made by top craftspeople.
Mon-Fri
10am-6pm, Sat 10am-5pm.
ARTS AND CRAFTS
Espaço Brasil
Alameda Franca 1173, Jardim Paulista
T
11 3063 0965,
W
lojaespacobrasil.com.br;
M
Consolação or Oscar Freire; map p.499.
Three floors
showcase various handicrafts, including much from Bahia,
such as naive ornaments and
berimbaus
, as well as items
from elsewhere in Brazil that are, on the whole, reasonably
priced.
Mon-Fri 10am-7pm, Sat 10am-3pm.
Galeria Arte Brasileira
Alameda Lorena 2163, Jardim
Paulista
T
11 3062 9452,
W
galeriaartebrasileira.com.br;
