By Filipe Pacheco

WHEN MOST NON-BRAZILIANS THINK OF BRAZIL, the first things that probably come to mind are beaches, sun, bright colors, Carnival, exuberant people …

Most of that you can easily find in Rio de Janeiro, which you might call the stereotype of Brazil. But São Paulo, the largest city and the financial and commercial heart of the country, reflects a Brazil that is developing economically and technologically at a fast speed, and appears to be full of opportunities for the future

If you’re sourcing IT services from Brazil, there’s a good chance you will visit São Paulo; meet partners there; or at the very least, some of the people you deal with remotely will be from SP. Here are some facts and features that will help you better understand, appreciate, and enjoy the city:

> It is a huge place. The largest city in the Western and the Southern hemispheres. The population is around 11 million people, and nearly 19 million live in the greater metropolitan area, which consists of 38 municipalities.

> SP is basically a business city. Different from Rio, it does not rely on tourists or provide a touristic infrastructure. You won’t see signs in English. However, locals are usually helpful when it comes to communication difficulties.

> If you fly to São Paulo, you will probably arrive at Guarulhos International Airport. Do not worry, you are at the right place. Guarulhos is one of the cities in the metropolitan area, located about 40 minutes away from downtown SP (if you happen to travel during one of the miraculous times where there is no heavy traffic). The airport is also known as Cumbica, and a taxi ride downtown can easily cost more than R$100 – or around US$62.

> Note: Traffic is notoriously a part of São Paulo life. There are 7 million cars registered just within SP’s city limits (without considering those in the greater metropolitan cities). During weekdays, it is common to have an average of 130 km of jammed-up traffic in town. So, try to avoid being in a car during “hora de pico,” or rush hour, between approximately 7 AM to 10 AM and 5 PM to 8 PM. At least you can get real-time traffic updates online.

> Taxis can be found everywhere in the city, but your hotel’s front desk will probably have phone numbers for the closest cab companies, of which there are many, serving different metro areas.

> São Paulo aggregates a little bit of everything that makes up Brazil. People from all over the world have contributed in one way or another to the city’s culture.

> You can have one of the best pizzas in your life here. Good Italian cantinas and pizzarias can be found all over the city. Italian immigrants had a strong influence in SP’s population composition in the early 1900s. That is one of the reasons why true paulistanos, people born here, speak Portuguese with a strong Italian flavor.

> In Liberdade district, the Japanese neighborhood, you can feel like you’re walking through little tiny streets of Japan. Outside of Japan, SP has the world’s largest concentration of people of Japanese descent. Stores here sell all kinds of goods from that Asian country, and the karaokes are well known as a good entertainment option with friends.

> Wednesdays and Saturdays are feijoada days in most restaurants. It is a typical Brazilian dish cooked with black beans and different parts of pork. It is definitely worth trying. In fact, you should consider it required eating while here.

> Since it is the richest city in the country, São Paulo prices adjust accordingly. One regular meal in a business district, like Vila Olímpia or Faria Lima, can easily cost around US$40 with beverage, dessert, and coffee. Do not let the prices scare you.

 

> Check out our 6 Good Bets while in SP.