Sao Paulo vs Rio de Janeiro - 2 days.

[Fantic125]

I'm heading back to Petropolis (60km north of Rio, in the mountains) again in November for 1 week of work.
Last year I stayed in Rio for 2 days beforehand, and even though it's an iconic site (and I explored as much of it as I could), I don't really want to spend another weekend there.

So, Sao Paulo? I would arrive there an hour or so earlier than Rio, but what is there that would entice me for a weekend?

All advice appreciated! Please!

 

[iqis145]

What about BA? It's cheaper, safer, more fun (especially if you like to dance) and the girls are better looking (although I understand this is subjective).

 

[HardieBoys]

Sao Paulo has great museums and some really good food, if you're into that kind of thing. The main art museum in Jardims has a great collection of European art, and the museum of Afro-Brazilian culture is fantastic (we had no conception of what it would be like, but it was great).

In terms of food, Sao Paulo has the biggest Japanese community outside of Japan, so Japanese food is great. It also has a huge Lebanese community, so Lebanese food is also good. There's a classic steak restaurant called La Figuera (The Fig) in Jardims which is expensive, but will cook possibly the best steak you'll ever have (I'm comparing it to La Cabaña Las Lilas in Buenos Aires here, not any steakhouse in Australia or the US).

It's a huge city compared to Rio, and is quite distinct from Rio. It felt like arriving in another country. It is dangerous, however - the usual precautions that you took in Rio should apply.