SP vs. Rio?

[goingtorio]

Hi all,

 

I have already been to Rio a few times and love it. I am going to be able to go back to Brazil for 4-6 days either around Thanksgiving or New Years.

 

I am wondering whether I should try out SP this time around. I know the Rio scene in and out but am wondering if SP is really worth trying out -- is Lagoa that good compared to the places in Rio, etc?

 

Any thoughts appreciated.

[imrthr]

>Sao Paulo -- is Lagoa that good compared to the places

>in Rio, etc?

>

>

>

The comparison would be analogous to comparing a restaurant (Lagoa) to a hotdog stand (some of the saunas in Rio)

 

This, of course, is not to say that you should not enjoy the places in Rio. Rio has a charm and beauty that cannot be duplicated.

 

On the other hand, Sao Paulo is a large city with a wonderful place called Lagoa. Sao Paulo also has many things to see and do while you are not at Lagoa.

 

Sao Paulo is more of a commercial city and is also statistically safer (crime wise) than is Rio, according to certain travel guides.

 

My first ten trips to Brazil were limited to Rio. However, for the first time (in July of this year) I stopped at Sao Paulo merely to check it out. I was fascinated with the city and with Lagoa. During July and August I commuted from Rio to spend each weekend in Sao Paulo.

 

Next week I return to Brazil for one month and I will spend my first few days in Sao Paulo prior to going to Rio. I again plan to commute to Sao Paulo each weekend.

 

The air fare on Vasp is only about $100.00 round trip. Vasp airlines can be taken from both downtown airports of Rio and Sao Paulo which is more convenient then the international airports.

 

Take the plunge and try it.

 

 

Cheers

[trilingual]

There's more to the sauna scene in SP than Lagoa, although it's certainly a glittering attraction! There's also more to SP than the saunas, and you can have a very worthwhile stay there. Rio and SP couldn't be more different; it's like the difference between Miami or Honolulu and New York. Rio is a major city with resort amenities. SP is just a major city that's much larger (and Rio is a very large city). Compared to NY and Rio, SP sprawls more and the attractions and business centers are less centralized, but the subway system has made it easier to handle.

 

Because it's not a beach resort, the attractions of SP (outside the saunas) are more like NY's: museums and galleries, theater and music, dining out, shopping, etc. If you enjoy such activities, you'll enjoy a stay in SP.

[+ Billsboy4]

I concur with the previous poster. I prefer SP to Rio. I'm not really a beach person, SP fits the bill for me. I also feel that Lagoa is much better than the Rio saunas (just my personal taste). I also find SP to be a fun city....great restaurants, clubs, shopping, etc. I always find something to do. There are plenty of hotels to chose from in all price ranges. I prefer the hotels off of R. Oscar Friere (SP version of Rodeo Drive), but there are many off Av. Paulista, which is more commercial.

[Big Daddy]

I am returning to Rio on November 4th, and will not return until Dec 3rd. I am leaning toward staying at the Atlantico. I just like the staff and location. We are still considering an apartment. I have asked Carlo for help.

 

I am thinking about only staying for two weeks in Rio, and then head out and see some of the rest of Brazil and maybe even Buenos Aires. I was thinking about taking a First Class bus to Sao Paulo from Rio. It is reliatively short drive and I could see a bit more of the country than from the air. I would appreciate any comments from anyone who has used the Brazilian bus system. Also, are there any other short haul bus trips that might be fun. I would also appreciate any other ideas on must places to see. I know we have discussed this quite a bit, but would especially like to hear from the guys that know me or know of me.

 

Even Wan Hallen, who will be with me the entire month, tells me that Lagoa is the place to go. I would also like to take him to Iagacu Falls. I am going to see what an air pass would cost from the different airlines. That way we could get quite a bit in.

 

As a word of warning, be very careful with your credit cards. Bank of America has created a living nightmare for me due to the fraud committed to my account. Each time I speak with them, I get a different story. I am beginning to think they are part of the scheme, or else they are so incompetent as to make me wonder if they can walk and chew gum at the sametime. On Monday, I reporting B of A to the Arizona State Banking Commission. I have literally reached the end of the rope with them. I have switched banks. I am now with a much smaller bank that appears to listen to their customers needs.

[imrthr]

>I was thinking about taking a First Class

>bus to Sao Paulo from Rio. It is a relatively short drive and

>I could see a bit more of the country than from the air. I

>would appreciate any comments from anyone who has used the

>Brazilian bus system.

>

I would also like to take

>him to Iagacu Falls. I am going to see what an air pass would

>cost from the different airlines. That way we could get quite

>a bit in.

>

 

In August I took the "first-class" bus from Rio to Sao Paulo with your friend Allan. I liked the bus ride but it was a bit long - about six hours. It was cheap (about $20.00) and it was comfortable. You may want to call Allan and ask his opinion of his experience on the bus. Other times that I went to Sao Paulo I took Vasp Airlines which is also cheap (about $100.00 round trip).

 

You can buy a Brazilian airpass. However, if you plan to purchase one for your friend, his pass would not be honored because the pass is only valid for non-Brazilian citizens even if you buy the pass in the United States.

 

There are many alternatives to travel in Brazil and many of those alternative are inexpensive.

 

Cheers

[buckguy]

I've been through Sao paulo and it certainly has lots of restaurants, hotels, etc. But what is there to see? The guidebooks really don't make it sound all that interesting. In fact between what I've seen and read it sounds like a generic sunbelt city like Dallas or Atlanta (but with better sex venues).

[trilingual]

There are a number of threads here describing what there is to see and do in SP. It's the world's third largest city, and Brazil's financial and industrial capital. Although founded 450 years ago, it was just a wide spot in the road until the end of the 19th Century, when (like Buenos Aires) it boomed from the growth of industry and immigration. B.A. was built on refrigerated beef; SP was built on coffee.

 

Because its biggest growth spurt came late in its history, SP doesn't have a lot of old historical structures. There's a lot of interesting art deco architecture, though. Brazil's independence was declared in SP, and the Ipiranga historical museum is located on the site (where the first emperor, Dom Pedro I proclaimed Brazil's separation from Portugal and where he and his family are buried). There is a good museum of sacred art with examples of colonial religious paintings, sculptures, etc. The art museum (MASP) has what is probably the best collection in South America, and interesting special exhibits. The Pinacoteca do Estado has a fine comprehensive collection of Brazilian painting. The art Biennale every two years is always worth seeing. SP has at least two fine orchestras and a spectacular new concert hall in a recycled train station. There is also a beautiful beaux arts Theatro Municipal downtown, one of the few remnants of the coffee baron era. For those not intimidated by the language, there is a very big theatre scene, and in recent years big-budget productions in Portuguese of Broadway musicals. (The current one is "Chicago," and is well worth seeing.) SP is also the gastronomic capital of Brazil. There are zillions of restaurants serving almost every conceivable cuisine, many of them very fine indeed. In other words, it's a city that offers everything you'd expect in a major urban area.

 

SP isn't unique in its offerings (except perhaps in its sheer size, which is worth seeing and experiencing at least once) and I don't know that I'd encourage someone to travel a very long way just to spend time there. There are destinations in Brazil with more charm and history than SP. However, if you're already in Brazil and are feeling the need for a dose of big city life and excitement, a few days in SP will more than fill the bill.

[trilingual]

RE: Brazilian Bus Trips

 

The ride from Rio to SP, as stated, takes about six hours. Buses leave approximately every fifteen minutes, and part of the route is quite scenic. Rio to Belo Horizonte (a good base for seeing the old colonial mining cities like Ouro Preto) takes about 7 hours, and is also very scenic. Ditto for Belo Horizonte to SP, a bit longer but mostly in and near mountain scenery that makes you feel like you're traveling through a tropical Vermont.

 

Another possible itinerary would be a trip from Rio to Parati (4 very scenic hours along the coast road) and then from Parati to SP (7 hours, also scenic). It's an attractive option in either direction. This makes an interesting alternative when you're flying into Brazil in one of the two major cities and returning home from the other on an open-jaw ticket.

 

The buses are modern, comfortable and air-conditioned, with toilets. They also make rest stop every 3 hours or so for refreshments or meals and a chance to stretch your legs. The bus system is surprisingly well organized and civilized!

[Big Daddy]

RE: Brazilian Bus Trips

 

Tri:

 

Muito obrigado pra informacoes.

 

Big Daddy

[marko]

I think that you will find Sao Paulo to be a wonderful place. Like one of the other posters here, I prefer Sampa to Rio (although I love Rio, too). I feel safer in Sampa than in Rio. And also not being a beach person (or sauna person--I vastly prefer the streets), Sao Paulo has been paradise for me. There are great places to visit like museums and parks, and the zoo is really worthwhile; a walk up and down Avenida Paulista is an absolute must. The best shopping centers and best restaurants in South America (besides Buenos Aires) are located here, and you're close enough to the beaches in Santos if you must have beaches (not much more than an hour away). Sao Paulo is especially wonderful if you can manage some Portuguese: the people are friendly and accomodating, genuinely helpful if you get lost, and, like Brazilians everywhere, are warm and open, despite the fact that we're talking about the largest city in South America. But it doesn't matter if you speak Portuguese or not, if you go alone or with a friend, Sao Paulo should not be missed! I am sure you'll have a great time in that great city!

[buckguy]

Having read about specific attractions elsewhere, I was hoping for an overarching reason to be in SP. Thanks fo providing that. SP sounds like an agreeable business destination and a place that's worth a couple days or so on its own, but it doesn't sound like a "world capital" or a "destination" on its own.

 

As for the Rio comments---on my first trip there, the weather generally was too cold for the beach and a bit too overcast for Corcovado. Yet, I found plenty to fill my days. The old downtown area is worth a day by itself--the markets, architecture, etc. Santa Teresa is definitely worth a special trip. The Botanical Garden was a pleasant surprise.....you could really skip the beach without missing it. On this trip, I had a number of other things I wanted to see, but didn't get to most of them. The next time I go, I certainly won't be bored. Rio is definitely more than the beach.