“Sampa,” as the locals affectionately call it is a sprawling metropolis. Santa Paula stands as a testament to the city’s diverse history.
Santa Paula is not just a location. It is a piece of the vast mosaic that makes up S\u00e3o Paulo. S\u00e3o Paulo sprawls with a population of about 12 million. Almost 22 million people live in its metropolitan region. It is the capital of the Southeastern state of S\u00e3o Paulo. The city is a beehive of activity that offers a jovial nightlife. It also provides an intense cultural experience.
Following S\u00e3o Paulo’s extraordinary growth during the 20th century, most of the old city buildings gave way to contemporary architecture. However, the best of S\u00e3o Paulo’s gastronomy, nightlife, and museums are concentrated in the historic downtown. They also are in neighboring areas to the west. Consequently, this is where most visitors to the city tend to stay. Adventurous travelers venture beyond these areas. They discover a completely different S\u00e3o Paulo. It includes areas of preserved natural beauty and affluent suburban neighborhoods. Of course, there are also more dangerous and impoverished districts.
S\u00e3o Paulo was founded on January 25 1554. Native American Chief Tibiriçá and the Jesuit priests Jos\u00e9 de Anchieta and Manuel de Nóbrega founded the village. It was initially named S\u00e3o Paulo de Piratininga. The founding occurred on the Feast of the Conversion of Paul the Apostle. The priests established a mission. They named it Colégio de S\u00e3o Paulo de Piratininga. Their aim was converting the Tupi-Guarani native Brazilians to Catholicism. S\u00e3o Paulo’s first church was constructed in 1616. It was located where today is the Pátio do Colégio.
S\u00e3o Paulo officially became a city in 1711. In the 19th century, it experienced a flourishing economic prosperity. This was brought about chiefly through coffee exports. They were shipped abroad from the port of neighboring city Santos. After 1881, waves of immigrants came to S\u00e3o Paulo State due to the coffee production boom. They came from Italy and Japan. Others came from European and Middle Eastern countries like Syria and Lebanon.
The citizens of S\u00e3o Paulo have a reputation as hard-working and industrious people. However, they can also be shallow money-grubbers. It is common to hear that the people in S\u00e3o Paulo work. The rest of Brazil relaxes. It is a fact. Sao Paulo alone contributes 15 percent of the country’s gross national product. The entire S\u00e3o Paulo state accounts for 45 percent.
When Paulistanos are not working, they are often clubbing. The city nightlife is intense. Everything is possible in a city that does not dare to blink. S\u00e3o Paulo is home to a diverse population. For example, S\u00e3o Paulo is home to the largest Japanese population outside of Japan. It is not uncommon to see businesses and churches being conducted by Chinese and Korean-Brazilians in Liberdade. This was originally an Italian district and then Japanese. Currently it is heavily populated by Koreans and Chinese. The city’s Italian influence is also very strong. It is mainly in the upper and middle-class spots. About 6 million people in the metropolitan area have Italian background. Almost 40% of “paulistanos” have one of the parents or grand-parents who came from Brazilian northeastern region.
S\u00e3o Paulo’s basic spot for orientation should be Avenida Paulista. From there, it is pretty easy to reach every single spot in town. You can take a bus or use the underground transport. It is located between the neighborhoods of Bela Vista and Jardim Paulista. Avenida Paulista is also within walking distance to Centro and Ibirapuera Park. This makes it the perfect place to start a walking tour.
From museums to the vibrant street art, from historical churches to modern skyscrapers, Santa Paula is the perfect place to start your exploration of Sao Paulo. Take it all in. Let the spirit of S\u00e3o Paulo captivate you.