First Impressions of São Paulo: My Arrival
After visiting Rio and São Luiz do Paraitinga, I headed to São Paulo. I booked a two-hour bus ride through Busbud with the company Pássaro Marron (great service!). I arrived at São Paulo’s Tietê Terminal around 8:30 PM, one of the city’s biggest bus terminals, conveniently connected to the metro.
However, my first impression wasn’t great. There were a lot of beggars, and I was a bit lost trying to navigate the metro. In no time, three people approached me asking for money. It was overwhelming, especially since I was carrying all my bags. I kept thinking, “I hope nothing gets stolen.”
Once I found my way to the metro, the vibe wasn’t very welcoming. I accidentally bumped into someone, and the look they gave me made me feel like I had committed a serious offense. Not the best start to my São Paulo adventure.
I had pre-booked a hostel for just 7.8 USD—Hostel Casa Azul. I departed from Jabaquara the station that connects terminal Tietê to Sao Paulo metro and took the blue line to Praça da Árvore metro station (The closest station to the hostel) and took an Uber from there because I was strongly advised not to walk around São Paulo at night, especially with all my belongings. (The Uber was around 2 USD)
The hostel was actually quite nice! It had good Wi-Fi, which allowed me to work comfortably, and it was only 600 meters from the metro station. You can check out the hostel here: Hostel Casa Azul.
One Day in São Paulo: Balancing Work and Exploring
First Stop: Mercado Municipal
I spent the morning working at the hostel, then took an Uber to Mercado Municipal, a famous spot known for its vibrant food stalls and fresh local produce. I was excited to try some local delicacies.
I had the most delicious empanada de camarón (shrimp empanada) and a Coke for around 60 reais at Hocca Bar in the second Floor of the market.(Go to the second floor, loads of places to eat) It was amazing! However, I didn’t stay long—I have to admit, I felt overwhelmed by the crowds and the constant offers from vendors. I just wanted to take it all in calmly, but with only an hour to explore, I had to rush.
I think I was a bit stressed because I knew I had to be in a calm spot on time for work and I was in very noisiy spaces.
After the market, I took an Uber to Avenida Paulista, a famous street known for its skyscrapers, museums, and bustling atmosphere.— I took an uber because I needed to get fast to a quiet place to work and there was a hell of traffic.. no time to figure out the metro at that time.
Second Stop: Avenida Paulista
I still had some work to do, so my plan was to stroll around Avenida Paulista a bit before finding a café to sit down and get back to work. I ended up at Starbucks, as I knew they had reliable internet.
Final Thoughts on São Paulo
Leaving São Paulo by bus was a moment I won’t forget. While I was sitting, enjoying an açaí bowl, a cockroach crawled toward me. I was horrified. São Paulo is a massive city, and while I do enjoy big cities, this one felt too chaotic for my taste. From the traffic to the crowds, it just didn’t leave me with the best impression.
But still if you are in Brazil you have to see it, although I wouldn’t spend more than 2 or 3 days TOP here.