Expect stylish sandals, sneakers, and kitten heels by Vivienne Westwood, Karim Rashid, and Jason Wu at this mecca for plastic and rubber footwear.
Barra’s flagship store displays colorful, boho-chic dresses and tunics on luggage trolleys. Don’t miss her vivid prints for the home-furnishings collection on the second floor.
This 1968 Modernist building houses one of the most comprehensive Western art collections (ranging from Botticelli to Diego Rivera) in the Southern Hemisphere.
Contemporary art gallery representing more than 20 Brazilian artists, including sculptor Frida Baranek.
Vermelho showcases experimental works by international talent such as provocative Danish art collective Superflex.
São Paulo is a hotbed for contemporary art galleries; this one, located in Vila Madalena, is one of the city’s largest spaces.
Leave time to see Oscar Niemeyer’s indoor-outdoor music auditorium in Ibirapuera Park.
The long, graffiti-lined alley in the Vila Madalena district continually evolves as street artists add new works.
The 57 white-on-white rooms here have furniture by the Compana Brothers and Eames. They’re best for stylish travelers seeking easy access to the city’s top boutiques.
A good fit for sophisticates and fashion gurus, this sexy retreat has clubby leather armchairs and Brazilian modern art. The Italian restaurant is a see-and-be-seen spot for the creative set.
All 466 spacious rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows that look out onto the pastel-colored rooftops. The 2,000-plus bottle library lounge has one of the top wine lists in town.
A design junkie’s dream: the 95-room property by architect Ruy Ohtake has curved hallways, sloped walls, and oversize round windows. Best for architecture geeks.
A required stop for foodies (and big-name chefs from Ducasse to Adrià). Try the shrimp infused with cashew juice and tamarind and the banana-lime dessert.
Alberto Landgraf’s menu plays with textures: a deceptively simple entrée presents squash entrée three ways—raw, as a cream, and in gnocchi.
Classic dishes such as feijoada, a hearty bean, beef, and pork stew, get a modern spin here; the chef and her husband both worked at El Celler de Can Roca, one of Spain’s molecular gastronomy temples.
Chef Mara Salles still uses the recipes she learned from her mother. Order the tender duck braised in spicy cassava broth, followed by house-made tapioca ice cream.
Stop in for brigadeiros, cocoa-filled bonbons made in dozens of flavors (pistachio and cachaça are two).
The artisanal coffee here is brewed using roasted beans from small Brazilian farms. Order a steaming cup of Bourbon Vermelho.
Haddock Lobo’s fresh batches of pão de queijo—irresistibly chewy, buttery bread made with cassava flou—are baked daily at this pocket-size shop.
Where to go for stylish furnishings, including a great collection of sleek glass tables.
Don’t miss the Beirute sandwich—pita bread filled with roast beef, mozzarella, and tomatoes.
A great place to start your night out: Come here around 10 p.m. and order a refreshing glass of cachaça.
Hit the dance floor at this exclusive club (though there’s no velvet rope), which feels like a private home.
The owners work with Minas Gerais-based craftsmen who produce rough-hewn trunks, whitewashed-framed mirrors, and brightly hued wooden sculptures.
The woven baskets, wooden bracelets, and carved objets d’art here are all made by regional artisans using sustainable materials.
Paulistas drive 45 minutes from the city center to sample Rodrigo Oliverira’s northern Brazilian specialties: mouthwatering torresmos (fried pig skin) and rich mocofava (cow-hoof soup with sausage).
Thanks to its sizable Italian community, São Paulo is famous for outstanding pizza; don’t miss the classic Neapolitan margherita here.
