Where to Stay in Sao Paulo, Brazil – 6 TOP Areas in 2024

The world-famous São Paulo, Brazil, is home to twenty million people and it’s the largest city in the entire Southern Hemisphere with 96 neighborhoods! You bet it can be challenging to choose where to stay in Sao Paulo!

Luckily, you are in the right place! I read all the forums, expert travel guides, and chatted to a São Paulo local for insider tips. I used all this precious info to craft this extensive guide with the best areas and hotels where to stay in São Paulo, including the neighborhoods to be avoided!

Stay in and around Paulista Avenue for the best, safest experience! But I’ll also recommend 5 more areas which I sorted according to interest, and included top-rated hotels (cherry-picked by me!) for every budget. So you can mix and match and find your perfect spot!

Just make sure you book your hotel as soon as you can (I would say at least 2 months in advance), as the places sell out incredibly fast here!

Quick Picks for Your Stay

These are the best hotels to stay in São Paulo:

This map will help you visualize all the areas of São Paulo I’ll talk about:

1. Paulista Avenue – where to stay in São Paulo for first-timers

Paulista Avenue is São Paulo’s most iconic street. It’s the cultural and financial center of the city. Avenida Paulista stands out for its tall buildings and vibrant atmosphere which flows into its surrounding areas.

I call it the best area to stay in for first-timers because it’s lively day and night, super safe, and has plenty of attractions for all types of travelers, including kids. Besides, it’s kind of like the main artery of town!

Whether you’re traveling for business or want to experience the urban (and not residential) side of São Paulo, you’ll have a great time on Paulista Avenue!

Here, you’ll find 2 famous city attractions, The Museum of Art of São Paulo Assis Chateaubriand (MASP) and Trianon Park (map). The museum hosts a world-renown collection of art in Latin America, while the park is one of the few big green spaces with a jungle feel (as opposed to the concrete jungle that is the rest of the area).

After soaking up all the culture, you’ll have plenty of opportunities for some quality leisure time. Paulista Avenue brims with amazing gourmet restaurants (perfect for foodies), coffee shops (note that São Paulo doesn’t have the typical coffee culture of Europe or East Asia, you’ll find very few coffee-only places), bistros, hotels, cinemas, and vibrant nightlife options.

You will love the area also for its safety and its great public transport connections (the area hosts several metro stations), quickly bringing you to any other part of the city!

PRO TIP: Travel across São Paulo using the Green metro line whenever you can. This is the safest and cleanest line of all. It runs through Paulista Avenue, Bela Vista, Vila Madalena, and other safe neighborhoods. In general, the metro is safe to use during the day, but not so much at night. Consider an Uber or Lyft for night rides.

Due to its popularity, this area has higher accommodation prices and noise pollution. Even if you stay here, I strongly recommend using only public transport (or your feet) to get around. I’d never rent a car in São Paulo – everyone says it’s the worst thing ever due to insane traffic!

If you’re coming to town for football, it’s best to stay on Paulista Avenue! This area has a quick connection to all major stadiums, tons of bars popular for watching football, so basically you’ll be staying in the heart of São Paulo’s football culture!

By the way, the iconic Football Museum located just North of Avenida Paulista is undergoing renovation work starting June 10, 2024. We don’t know when it’ll reopen, but we’ll try to update this post as soon as it happens!

SAFETY TIP: Be careful with your phone and don’t show any jewelry on the streets of São Paulo. Try to have your phone and all valuables hidden whenever possible.

Other accommodation options on Paulista Avenue

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NOTE: Intercontinental is another excellent luxury hotel just steps from Paulista Avenue, so make sure to check it out if the Renaissance one is fully booked for your dates!

Things to do in Paulista Avenue

• Visit the interesting Modern Art Museum of São Paulo
• Climb the Mirante (map) observatory deck for panoramic views of the city
• Be amazed by the nature of Trianon Park
• Attend the amazing exhibitions of the Itaú Cultural institution
• Do some luxury shopping
• Spend a lazy afternoon at Shopping Center 3 (map)
• Visit the museum and cultural center of Casa das Rosas

2. Itaim Bibi & Jardins – best areas to stay in São Paulo for luxury

To the West of Paulista Avenue, you will find the Jardins (including Jardim Paulista) and Itaim Bibi areas. They’re expensive neighborhoods and the city’s most well-known luxury districts.

The Jardins centers around Oscar Freire Street (map), which is just a 10-minute subway ride away from Avenida Paulista. Here, you will find some of the top-name shops like Gucci, Chanel, Dior, and Diesel. This is one of the most sophisticated streets in the world, featuring the tranquil Ibirapuera Park (map) and some of the city’s major attractions!

Ibirapuera Park is South America’s most visited park, with over 18 million annual visitors! With 158 hectares of green and water spaces, it’s the perfect place to mingle with the locals!

Whether you’re into sushi bars, French bistros, or other international fine-dining places, you’ll love Oscar Freire Street!

Jardins is also home to one of the beautiful São Paulo churches, the Paróquia Nossa Senhora do Brasil (map), so you can visit it if you end up staying nearby. I’d definitely check these out on my trip.

By the way, a note on cathedrals: I’ve read multiple reviews where people either got run after or mugged by kids around cathedrals. This is most often the case with the central cathedral, Catedral da Sé de São Paulo (map). 

I generally don’t recommend staying in Sé, Républica, and the Centro area around it since many locals and reviews reported them having a much higher crime rate and being less safe for tourists overall. You can take a stroll through the iconic shopping street Rua Vinte e Cinco de Marco (map) with tons of affordable places to eat, but make sure you’re accompanied by a local as it can be super overwhelming without someone who knows what they’re doing!

Given that safety is the number 1 concern for all visitors to São Paulo, I’m happy to tell you that Jardins and Itaim Bibi are some of the safest areas in the city! Itaim Bibi actually has some of the lowest crime rates in São Paulo! But, of course, remain vigilant even if you end up staying here.

Staying here also gives you easy access to other affluent areas like Pinheiros.

FUN FACT: Did you know that Google has a corporate office in Itaim Bibi (map)? It’s a really nice place, just a 10-minute walk from Parque do Povo. Plus, it just demonstrates how safe the area is!

Itaim Bibi and Jardins have a more residential feel compared to Avenida Paulista and are much quieter at night. You’ll have a good night’s sleep while having easy access to the major attractions, plus you’ll stay in a safe area. If I were going to São Paulo, I’d definitely stay here!

Most of the luxury São Paulo hotels are in the Itaim Bibi area. Even the mid-range and budget options have a higher price range here, so if you’re looking for an affordable room, you better check Bela Vista or Vila Mariana.

Other accommodation options in Itaim Bibi & Jardins

Things to do in Itaim Bibi & Jardins

• Chill out at Rua Oscar Freire 
• Visit the Museum of Sound and Images
• Stroll in the scenic Parque do Povo (map)
• Enjoy a show at the Theatro B32 (map)
• Grab beers and food in the best boteco in town (map)
• Try Barbacoa, a Brazilian-style all-you-can-eat rodizio restaurant (map)
• Spend an afternoon in the Brascan Open Mall (map) or JK Iguatemi Mall (map)

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3. Pinheiros & Vila Madalena – most lively area in São Paulo

Who is going to São Paulo to experience its incredible vibe? Well, if you’re one of those, Pinheiros and Vila Madalena are the right places for your stay in São Paulo, being the liveliest and most bohemian area in the city!

With the best restaurants, bars, and crazy nightclubs, these two neighboring areas (located in the West zone of the Centro) offer guaranteed fun every day of the week, 24/7! But when I say fun, I mean all kinds of it: from nightlife to live music, to football matches, art, and shopping.

Vila Madalena is a bohemian neighborhood due to its affordable rents and the proximity to the University of São Paulo (map). The area has attracted artists and students since the late 1970s! 

In Vila Madalena, you’ll find vibrant street art, funky bars, charming cafés, and restaurants, as well as unique shops and cool art galleries! It’s also a great place to enjoy some Brazilian music.

Pinheiros is as artistry as Vila Madalena, but it offers more shopping options, so you can visit one afternoon for unique souvenir ideas!

Other accommodation in Pinheiros & Vila Madalena

Things to do in Pinheiros & Vila Madalena

• Try at least one of the 40 Brazilian beers at São Paulo Tap House (map)
• Check out São Paulo’s main attractions on a 5-hour tour 
• See the best Brazilian street art in São Paulo at Batman Alley (map)
• Check out Tomie Ohtake Institute for international art and design
• Walk around the immense Villa-Lobos Park (map)
• Try the best Brazilian tapas at São Conrado Bar (map)

4. Rua Augusta (Consolacao) – best area to stay in São Paulo, Brazil, for nightlife

To the East of Paulista Avenue, you will find Baxio Augusta or Downtown Augusta, an area centered around a stretch of Rua Augusta, another famous street in São Paulo.

Also known as Baixa Augusta, this is one of the best neighborhoods if you want to enjoy São Paulo’s exciting and dynamic nightlife (similar to the one you can find in Vila Madalena, but a little farther from the City Center)!

Here, you’ll find everything for a fun night out: from nightclubs where you can dance until late hours, to cool bars for amazing cocktails and eclectic venues attracting the most varied public, from funk to rock.

São Paulo is home to the world’s largest 24-hour festival celebrating São Paulo’s culture with over 2,000 performances around town. It’s called Virada Cultural and it takes place in May every year.

Baixo Augusta is particularly vibrant and eclectic also because it is home to São Paulo’s LGBT community, and its presence is very big! Just to give you an idea, there are even plans to turn the street Rua Frei Caneca into an official ‘Gay Street’!

WEATHER TIP: December to March is rainy season in São Paulo with an increased risk of localized flooding. Avoid visiting at this time. The best time for visits is from April to May and September to October.

Other accommodation options in Rua Augusta

Things to do in Rua Augusta

• Check out the countless bars and restaurants of Rua Augusta
• Drink the best coffee and desserts in São Paulo at Bella Paulista (map)
• Try the best street food at Calçadão Urbanoide, an outdoor food court (map)
• Go to Beco 203 (map) for rock music and drinks
• Attend some cool movies at Espaço Itaú theater

5. Bela Vista – a bohemian place to stay in São Paulo

Bela Vista is the neighboring area to Rua Augusta, located just across Nove de Julho Avenue. It’s a lively, bohemian place with affordable food and accommodation, largely located in São Paolo’s Little Italy district!

This is a generally safe area with great public transport connections to the rest of the city, where you’ll find plenty of good Italian restaurants. As you can guess, a good amount of São Paulo’s Italian population actually resides in this area!

The area is also known as Bixiga, and it has a bohemian vibe with charming, colorful homes, large trees, and some of the most beautiful examples of street art in town. 

Bixiga is one of the best places for street parties that take place during Carnival of São Paulo, the city’s largest event! The Carnival takes place in late February/early March every year.

What I love most about Bela Vista is its location. It’s about a 15-minute walk from Avenida Paulista, so it’s within a short distance, but it has a cozy vibe that is different from the hectic Avenida. 

FOODIE TIP: Mercado Municipal is the place to be to try all of Brazil’s special dishes, including the legendary mortadella sandwich and cod fritters! You can take a quick 20-minute bus ride from Bela Vista to the market. 

As for street art, you’ll see it in the weirdest of places across Bela Vista and wonder how it got there! Local artists are super creative and will paint on multi-story buildings, something similar to what you can find in Vila Madalena. 

One of the most picturesque churches of São Paulo, Paróquia Nossa Senhora Achiropita (map), is located here. It’s totally worth the trip. 

Even if you don’t end up staying in Bela Vista, you can explore the area in one afternoon from any other neighborhood.

Other accommodation options Bela Vista

Things to do in Bela Vista

• Explore the street art in the neighborhood
• Visit the area’s Little Italy district and enjoy its cuisine and shops
• Catch a show at the local theater (map)
• Take cool photos at Japan House nearby (map)
• Eat Italian with style and live music in Cantina C…Que Sabe (map)

6. Vila Mariana – best area to stay in São Paulo on a budget

Vila Mariana is an area located to the South of Avenida Paulista, bordering the iconic Parque Ibirapuera. It’s a safe area well-connected with the rest of the city with a subway, and it’s the perfect place to stay in São Paulo on a budget!

Overall, this is a nice residential area with plenty of parks, museums, and recreational spaces. You’ll be just a short ride from São Paulo’s largest cultural institutions like the Museum of Zoology and attractions like the São Paulo Aquarium!

Fans of the Middle Ages like me will want to eat in Taverna Medieval (map); they serve drinks in little poison bottles and specialize in hamburgers!

Some other perks of staying here include the quiet atmosphere you won’t find in Avenue Paulista, as well as a family-friendly vibe. However, this area also has issues with traffic congestion on larger roads, so I still don’t recommend renting a car here.

I couldn’t recommend this area more for families and art enthusiasts or anyone who appreciates culture, museums, and green spaces within walking distance!

There are no luxury hotels in the Vila Mariana area, as this is mainly a residential area. For luxury options, check out the first 3 areas above. 

Other accommodation options in Vila Mariana

Things to do in Vila Mariana

• Check out the attractions inside Parque Ibirapuera (map)
• Dine in the most popular medieval restaurant around, Taverna Medieval (map)
• Snap a selfie with São Paulo’s Obelisk (map)
• See all the cool exhibitions at the Museu Lasar Segall

BONUS: Where NOT to say in São Paulo – areas to avoid

Since Brazil is often seen as one of the less safe countries in the world, I can imagine that you might have some concerns about your safety in São Paulo and may want to know which areas in the city are better to be avoided.

I am not gonna lie, even if it is still safer than other Brazilian cities like Rio, São Paulo is not an entirely safe city for tourists. But if you stay in one of the areas described in my blog post and avoid some other ones, you’ll be fine and able to visit this magnificent city without fear!

So, here are the neighborhoods to avoid in São Paulo, most of them located in the South and East:

• Parelheiros
• Capão Redondo
• Garden of Imbuias
• Jaragua
• Green house
• Itaim Paulista
• Santo Park
• Clean camp

Other areas that you should avoid in São Paulo are the favelas, especially at night. Here is a list of them:

• Paraisópolis
• Ocupação Boa Esperanca
• Taipas Park
• Heliopolis
• Vila Nova Jaguare
• Favela Do Radar
• Vietnam
• Alba favela
• Buraco Quente

Refrain from going to these places at all times, and remain cautious in the other, safe areas of São Paulo. I strongly advise not walking at night (regardless of where you’re staying) unless you’ll be accompanied by locals. Also, never ever leave your staff unattended. 

As long as you are conscious of your surroundings and don’t show off any valuables (including your phone), you’ll be good to go!

FAQs about where to stay in São Paulo

📍Which is the best area where to stay in São Paulo, South America?

The best area to stay in São Paulo is Paulista Avenue. It’s the city’s main artery where you can experience an urban (and relatively safer) side of São Paulo. For a luxury experience with green spaces, consider Itaim Bibi and Jardins.

🟢 What are the safest neighborhoods in São Paulo?

The safest places to stay in São Paulo include Avenida Paulista, the Pinheiros/Vila Madalena ares, the Itam Bibi and Jardins neighborhoods. 

🚫 Which are the areas to avoid in São Paulo?

The areas to avoid in São Paulo for lack of safety, especially for tourists, are mostly in the East of the city. Also Parelheiros, Jaraguá, Green House, Santo Park or the favelas like Paraisópolis & Ocupação Boa. Check out my full list above for more info. 

👪 Where to stay in São Paulo for families?

The best neighborhoods to stay in São Paulo for families are Avenida Paulista & Jardins, with the latter being one of the most upscale neighborhoods in the city. You’ll find great accommodation nearby like the Hotel Unique and family-friendly attractions like the Ibirapuera Park.

3️⃣ How long to stay in São Paulo to fully explore the city?

I recommend staying in São Paulo for 3-5 days to fully experience all that the city has to offer.

🚶‍♀️ Can you walk around São Paulo?

Only during the day and in well-lit, touristy areas. Don’t walk in secluded areas or those off the beaten path. You’ll be more free to walk in the areas I mention in the article as they are safer, but still you need to be extra cautious of your surroundings. 

✈️ What are the best hotels in São Paulo, Brazil, near the airport?

Sao Paulo has 2 airports, so be careful when booking a hotel! The main international airport is São Paulo-Guarulhos and the best hotels near it are Pullman for luxury, Hampton by Hilton for mid-range, and Hostel My House for budget.

Final thoughts on the best places to stay in São Paulo

Here we are at the end of our guide on where to stay in São Paulo, the largest city in Brazil, South America.

We covered everything from the best neighborhoods in São Paulo for tourists and hotels to the areas to avoid in the city so you can have a worry-free holiday!

After all the options we’ve been through, I am sure you found the best place for your interest and budget! But if you still can’t decide, here are my 2 absolute favorites with central location and reviews:

Just a reminder: book your hotel as soon as you can if you don’t wanna miss the best hotel deals! The best (and safest) hotels always go fast!

I hope you found this guide helpful and that I was able to bring you to São Paulo, Brazil, for a few minutes! If you have any doubts or questions about the areas or hotels, please leave them in the comments. I’ll be super happy to answer you!

Have a great holiday!

Elena

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