Paulista Avenue Walking Tour (Self Guided), Sao Paulo

One of the main arteries of Sao Paulo, Paulista Avenue is a famous location and a symbol of the city's economic and political power. On both sides the avenue is lined with impressive high-rising architecture, extensive shopping areas, and cultural institutions.

The history of skyscrapers in Sao Paulo started in the late 1930s with the first multi-story edifice constructed at the corner of Paulista and Frei Caneca. The most important of those buildings still in place is Casa das Rosas (The House of Roses), located at the very outset of the avenue. Fitted with oil/hydraulic heat radiators – a luxury only the millionaire could afford back in the day, the house was turned into a cultural center in the late 1980s.

Paulista is also home to the most comprehensive fine-art museum in South America, called the Sao Paulo Museum of Art (MASP - Museu de Arte de Sao Paulo), which is one of the city's most controversial architectural landmarks. The exhibition space here is made of a single block of concrete with glass windows, suspended and supported by two vertical concrete columns. But most importantly, MASP is known for the excellent collection of European and national paintings, sketches, and sculptures by the likes of Renoir, Picasso and Brazilian Modernist artists.

Situated nearby is a small native forest park, Parque Siqueira Campos, commonly known as Trianon. Found in the vicinity is a multitude of large-scale shopping malls, such as Conjunto Nacional and more, noted for their boutique stores, coffee shops, restaurants, luncheonettes, and movie theaters.

To take a closer look at all these and other attractions of Sao Paulo, take this self-guided tour of Paulista Avenue.