Practical Information About São Paulo/ Brazil

Pay and draw out cash

The currency in Brazil is the Brazilian Real ("hey-ao"), in plural Reais ("hey-eyes"). It is abbreviated by R$ or BRL. The paulistanos frequently pay by credit card. Hotels and restaurants generally accept credit cards, however technical difficulties might occurr when paying with international credit cards. Smaller amounts are often paid in cash. Therefor, I carry between 150 and 300 R$ in cash - already required for safety reasons, to give away in the event of assaults.

In São Paulo, it is not always easy to draw out cash using foreign credit cards. During the night hours (until 6 a.m.), the cash machines - even inside the airports - are blocked for safety reasons. During the day, typically only a few banks accept foreign credit cards. My German Visa card is best accepted by the renowned bank Bradesco. We recommend you to draw out some cash right at the airport.

Your driver from myDriver São Paulo is to be paid only after we have performed our service. And only for the rides performed to your full satisfaction. In Euros, US-Dollars or Swiss Francs – or in Brazilian Real. Safe and easy by credit card, or in cash to the driver, during the last ride of your stay.

 

Telephone calls & electricity

EMERGENCY NUMBERS: Police 190, ambulance 192, fire brigade 193.

 

Electricity

 

110 V, 60 Hz. The smaller European plugs (suach as for smartphones) can often be used easily, whereas you need an adapter for the thicker plugs (such as for notebooks). Hotel rooms frequently contain one 220 V plug.

Electricity is repeatedly down, in some streets or entire quarters, mostly with thunderstorms and partially during hours. Skyscrapers and hotels mostly dispose of generators for the lifts.

 

Travel period & visa for Brazil

Vacation & holidays in São Paulo

The main vacation season is during the Brazilian summer between mid-December and end of February, and during the Brazilian winter in July. As company vacation is mostly taken en bloc, many business partners will not be in the office during a part of this season.

Brazil has numerous holidays. They can be national, state-wide or for single cities, such as for São Paulo. The paulistanos love to enlarge these holidays to form longer week-ends on which companies may be closed even for all the week. If you can, avoid these weeks for business travel, particularly during Carnaval and Eastern.

 

 

Entry and visa for Brazil

  

Please consult the travel and safety hints of your government. Most travellers from central Europe do not need a visa for entering Brazil.

 

Communication

Most people in São Paulo only speak Portuguese, no English or Spanish. The easiest way to succeed the practical communication outside of business appointments are online translation tools, such as the Google Translator. You can use it to directly translate your spoken or written language into Portuguese and back.

myDriver São Paulo uses your language as the primary language: via the online translation on your smartphone, you communicate in your language to the driver, and in English or German to our hot-line. This is a difference to the local taxi drivers: they almost exclusively only speak Portuguese. Or simply reserve an English-speaking driver with myDriver São Paulo.

Portuguese Essentials

Good morning - Bom Dia [bo ‘dia]

Good afternoon - Boa Tarde [‘boa ‘tardә ]

Thanks - Obrigada [obri‘gada] (f) / Obrigado [obri‘gadu] (m)

Excuse me - Desculpe [dәz‘kulpә ]

Please - Por favor [‘por fa‘vor]

Yes - Sim [sĩ]

No - Não [nau]

Good bye - Adeus [adeusch] (formell) / Até logo [a‘tε logu] (informell)

Opening hours

Shops: typically Monday through Friday 9 a.m. - 6 p.m., on Saturdays 9 a.m. - 1 p.m., numerous shops only close during the evening hours.

Shopping centers: Monday through Saturday 8 a.m. - 10 p.m., on Sundays 1 p.m. - 6 p.m.

Banks: Monday through Friday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Water

The drinking water quality in São Paulo varies. Rather drink mineral water.

In the restrooms, a Brazilian specialty applies: due to the often small tube diameters, the danger of intubations is always present. The Brazilians avoid this risk throwing all toilet paper in the near-by waste bins.

 

Restaurants

São Paulo offers an incredible culinary diversity. More than 30,000 restaurants, bars and dance clubs invite to relax, savour and communicate. The cost of living is about as high as in central Europe.

 

Breakfast

Most hotels in São Paulo serve delicious breakfast buffets. For me, they should contain fresh fruits, fresh fruit juices (suco natural) and guava jam, combining very well with toasted bread and white cheese.

Dinner with colleagues

São Paulo's curlural diversity reflects in the city's restaurants. Visit a typical Brazilian barbecue ("Churrasco"), or a Libanese restaurant in the district of Jardins. Or savour authentic Japanese food in Liberdade.

My personal favourite is the Restaurant Cassilda, Rua Tito 237 - Vila Romana, São Paulo - SP, 05051-000: finest Argentine beef, good drinks, and always crowded with paulistanos (reservation recommended). Ambience ***; cuisine *****; service ****; price category medium.

A Brazilian barbecue Churrascaria is the place to savour finest typical Brazilian food. Different meat types are served directly from spears onto your plate. We recommend you to not eat excessively from the accompanying buffet, allowing to have more of the overwhelmingly tender Picanha beef. An experience you will never forget.

One of the best churrascarias in town - Fogo de Chão - exists on three spots in different districts: Vila Olímpia, Moema und Santo Amaro. And right in the city's heart, close to the Avenida Paulista: Rua Augusta 2077, Jardim Paulista- São Paulo, Tel: +55 11 3062-2223. Ambience ****; cuisine *****; service *****; price category higher.

A culinary trip all over Brazil, the food in Brasil a gosto is as diverse as the city, with a relaxed ambience. Also vegetarians will find well-prepared dishes. If you like fish,  taste the Pirarucu with ginger and coconut, delicious! Rua Prof. Azevedo Amaral 70, Jardim Paulista- São Paulo. Ambience ***; cuisine ****; service****; price category higher.

Charming and rather informal: the Spot Restaurant, Alameda Ministro Rocha Azevedo 72, +55 11 3283-0946. Ambience *****; cuisine ***; service ****; price category medium.

São Paulo accomodates about 2 million inhabitants with Japanese back-ground, many in the quarter of Liberdade. Good and, compared to Europe, cheap Japanese restaurants can be found anywhere. With friends, I like to go to the Sushi Yassu in Rua Thomas Cooke, 98 - Jardim Danfer, São Paulo - SP, 03729-250: an authentic ambience, mostly Asian guests, a good Japanese cuisine. Ambience *****; cuisine ****; service *****; price category medium.

Good, low priced and always fresh Japanese food can be found in the food court of any shopping center.

A practical hint: Brazilians hold the knive with the left hand and the fork with thw right hand. As a visitor, you may apply the European standard easily.

 

Dinner with business partners

Savour gourmet cuisine with the best panorama view in town. The crown of São Paulo's highest building (Edifício Italia, 168m) is the Restaurant Terraco Italia. Fine cuisine with a high-class service, an excellent wine selection. The ambience is decadent. Luxury combined with a fantastic panorama view all over the city. Av. Ipiranga 344, Republica- São Paulo. Ambience *****; cuisine ****; service *****; price category high.

Best nouvelle cuisine with regional aspects can be found in the D.O.M. Restaurant, Rua Barao de Capanema 549. It has won several awards for being the world's best restaurant. Ambience *****; cuisine *****; service *****; price category high.

For socializing, go to the Rodeio, Rua Haddock Lobo 1498. Brazilian cuisine at it's best. Ambience ****; cuisine *****; service *****; price category high.

Parigi Restaurant, Rua Amauri 275. Not too formal. Good French cuisine. Ambience ****; cuisine *****; service ****; price category higher.

 

Bars

Many bars are located in the districts of Jardins and Vila Madalena.

 

The Skye bar in the Hotel Unique with it's amazing modern architecture offers a spectacular panorama view over São Paulo. The illuminated pool on the panorama veranda is integrated in the bar, fitting well into the noble quarter of Jardins in which the bar is located. Ambience ****; cuisine  ****; service ***; price category higher.

The Emporio Sagarana is a charming location with an excellent Cachaca selection. The guests are well mixed, and socializing is easy. If you arrive hungry, you will be suprised by the Brazilian „finger food“. Ideal for a relaxed happy hour. So let's go! Ambience ***; cuisine ****; service ****; price category medium.

A typical bar with few tourists is the Espirito Santo Bar, Avenida Horacio Lafer 634. Ambience ****; cuisine ***; service ***; price category medium.

 

Shopping & souvenirs

Shopping centers

The paulistanos love to go sopping, particularly with colder wheather. More than 50 shopping centers are located only in the city. The chiquest one is probably the Shopping Morumbi. To me, the Shopping Bourbon in the district of Pompeia respresents a balanced mix of authentic and chic.

Street markets

In the different street markets, you find a variety of creative gifts, arts, antiquity, and also fruits, hand-made souvenirs and other delicious food. Art enthusiasts go to the market underneith the Museu de Artes de São Paulo in the Avenida Paulista.

My personal favourite is the street market on the Praça Benedito Calixto, on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Praça Benedito Calixto - Jardim Paulista, São Paulo - SP, 05406-040.

Feira da Praça da República, on Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Praça da República - República, São Paulo - SP, 01045-001.
Feira do Vão Livre do Masp (Museu de Artes de São Paulo), on Sundays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Avenida Paulista 1578, Bela Vista- São Paulo.

 

Souvenirs to bring home

 

Flip-flops like the "Havaianas" brand can be bought in any shopping center and can be transported easily. A variety of design are available, including the Brazilian national colors green and yellow. Please not: the size of shoes is by two numbers smaller than in Europe. Price 50 - 80 R$.

Football shirts are always a good souvenir. Beside the mostly yellow shirt of the national team Selecão, you can also buy the shirts of the leading regional football clubs, such as Corinthians und FC Sao Paulo, in any shopping center or in the streets. Prices around 250 R$.



When going to a major street market or the historic city of Embu das Artes outside the urban area, you may get my favourite souvenir: an original hammock. In excellent quality and various, colourful designs. Best buy together with the hooks, they require good Brazilian quality. Prices for the hammock 200 R$, two hooks 50 R$.

Fresh food (such as shrink-wrapped pineapple) would certainly find many friends in Europe, but their entry is forbidden.

Also inside the Guarulhos airport, you can find Brazilian souvenirs before and after the passport control.