11 Best Sights in Centro, São Paulo

Families traveling will find education and entertainment for their children in this interactive and immersive science museum located in the former city hall building. Upon arriving at the museum, the beautiful early 20th-century structure of the building catches the eye, with its inner courtyard alone justifying a visit. It's an incredible space with activities for all ages, where you can learn about science, technology, and history in a very light and enjoyable way.

The imposing Sé Cathedral, in neo-Gothic style with 14 towers, occupies São Paulo's official center---known here as the 0 km point. You can enjoy a brunch (costing R$390, a donation with a social approach that helps people in vulnerable situations) on Sundays and take a tour of the cathedral. It houses the tombs of 15 Portuguese and Brazilian bishops who served in the city of São Paulo.

The French-inspired architectural style associated with eclectic ornamentation is evident in the facade of the building and its interiors. There are five floors, plus a tower, constructed with reinforced concrete structure and brick masonry. The building offers spaces for exhibitions, theater, cinema, and music; an auditorium for lectures, debates, and educational workshops; and a cafeteria.

One of the city's best-preserved Portuguese colonial buildings, this baroque structure—two churches, one run by Catholic clergy and the other by lay brothers—was built between 1647 and 1790. The image inside of Saint Francis was rescued from a fire in 1870.

Originally, COPAN was designed to be a 30-story residential building and another that would house a hotel with 600 apartments, which would be interconnected and also have a cinema, theater, and commerce. However, only the residential project was built in 1950. There are 1,160 apartments with about 5,000 people living there, making it the largest residential complex in the country.

The over 500-feet tall skyscraper, Edifício Itália (Italy Building) has a panoramic view of the city. Built by German-Brazilian architect, Franz Heep, was once the tallest building in Sao Paulo. A pleasant but somewhat expensive way to enjoy it is to have lunch or dinner at the Terraço Itália restaurant, a classic and romantic environment, located on the 41st floor of the building. It is also possible to have drinks at the piano bar. If you just want to visit the Terrace, you need to pay a R$50 fee. 

The German architect Richard Berndl designed this Norman–Byzantine church that was completed in 1922. Ecclesiastical imagery abounds, and soaring archways extend skyward. The church's enormous organ has some 6,000 pipes, and its Russian image of the Kasperovo Virgin is covered with 6,000 pearls from the Black Sea. On the last Sunday of each month, Paulistanos compete for space at the church's popular brunch (that costs R$357), which also includes a tour and varying performances, from dance to choir; call early to reserve your seat. The don't-miss religious event at Mosterio de São Bento is Sunday Mass at 10 am, when the sound of monks' Gregorian chants echoes throughout the chamber.

If you can't get to Bahia or Minas Gerais during your stay in Brazil, you can get a taste of the fabulous baroque and rococo art found there at the Museum of Sacred Art. On display are 4,000 wooden and terra-cotta masks, jewelry, and liturgical objects from all over the country (but primarily Minas Gerais and Bahia), dating from the 17th century to the present. The on-site convent was founded in 1774.

São Paulo was founded by the Jesuits José de Anchieta and Manoel da Nóbrega in the College Courtyard in 1554. The church was constructed in 1896 in the same style as the chapel built by the Jesuits. In the small museum you can see a fascinating relief map of Centro in colonial times and an exhibition of early sacred art and relics.

The highlights of the State Art Gallery's permanent collection include paintings by the renowned Brazilian artists Tarsila do Amaral and Cândido Portinari. The museum occupies a 1905 structure that was renovated in the late 1990s. The exterior recalls a 1950s brick firehouse, while the view through the central courtyard's interior windows evokes the cliffs of Cuenca, Spain. It is now possible to visit the Pinacoteca de São Paulo and its three buildings with a single ticket. The ticket gives access to the exhibitions and installations at Pina Luz, Pina Estação, and Pina Contemporânea.

The area is sketchy so stay alert as you go, and don't walk at night.

This large plaza marks the city's geographical center—the 0 km point, as it's called here—and holds the city's main cathedral, the beautiful Catedral da Sé. It can't be missed when you're visiting the rest of the historic downtown, but know that the square has become a place where many of the city's homeless people stay at night and a meeting point for migrants and immigrants new to the area. During the day, just stay alert for pickpockets. The area is well-policed and maintained by the city government.

Avoid visiting after dark and be on the lookout for pickpockets.