This bohemian area is very nice for walking for a couple of drinks and feel the vibrant hippie capitalism (trust me on that one for handcrafted works). Probably the most lively neighborhood in the afternoon/night during weekdays, and a must if you have a Saturday in town.
You can start by reaching Mourato Coelho Street with Rua Inácio Pereira da Rocha. Subway station: Vila Madalena or Faria Lima station + around 15 reais on taxi. From there you can walk Mourato Coelho and Rua Aspicuelta and just pick any of the bars.
You have a Saturday in town? Definitly the best day to visit Vila Madalena and Pinheiros neighbourhood! . Keep this 4~5 hours walk in mind: Start at Inácio Pereira da Rocha and Mourato Coelho corner at the fruit market around 9:00 AM and end in the afternoon at Mourato Coelho and Aspicuelta street. And come with an empty belly - no big breakfast is required for this, as you will have an opportunity to taste great tropical fruits, street food (if you are up to it) and end up with a very big lunch
On Saturday mornings there is a fruit market in the neigborhood, specially at Mourato Coelho street. Start here! They have fresh tropical fruits for you to try and/or buy (get lucky and find good Jabuticaba - sort of a black berry, Caquí - looks like a tomato, but very sweet, a very yellowish Carambola - Starfruit, and many other more common such as watermelons, pineapples, papayas and mangos) and fish on the market were the cut in sushi plates right there (avoid the sushi in very hot days - it is not unhealthy: it just don't taste great). If you can stand something sweet, try the sugar cane juice (caldo de cana) – with lime (limão) or pineapple (abacaxi) combination - with pastel of palm tree heart (pastel de palmito) which is a fried dough with a filling of such vegetable. They also have the cheese pastel (pastel de queijo) if the palm tree heart sound too weird… Other flavors are also available such as pizza and meat (carne).
Wipe your fingers, turn left from Mourato and walk along Rua Aspicuelta randomly entering open business doors. You will get curious on the stuff they can sell... Mostly would be handcrafts that might be over priced, but you can get a flavour on what they look like in the country.
Walk on Aspicuelta until you turn right on Rua Harmonia. Just before reaching the end of it, there will be an alley at your left, full of grafitti. That's Beco do Batman (Batman's Alley). Don't be shy or scared: that small half cobbled street holds some of the greatest graffitti you can find in town. Back in the 70's, a small Bat-sign was painted here, and therfore the name. Explore it all the way to the other street (R. Medeiros de Albuquerque), make your way back and exit in the middle (R. Gonçalo Afonso), towards to a cemetery gate.
São Paulo cemetery can give you a little about what catholics graves looks like, specially if you does not follow such religion. The best ones in town are the Consolação and the Araça - both a bit more closer to Downtown and Paulista, but yet, a quick glimpse here can be worth it!
Walk down on Luis Murat for a block, and check if Perola Negra - a samba school - is practicing at Girassol Street. You will get luckier as close to carnaval as possible, and a quick google can give you their agenda.
Make your way back up at Luiz Murat, all the way following the cemetry walls to Henrique Schaumman street. Find at your left the Calvario church and the public library. Visit this church, and take a break from the hilly walk. It's working hours are a bit complicated, and it would be clever to get to the church at around 11:30 as they close at 12:00.
Walk by Henrique Schaumman until you reach Teodoro Sampaio. Another block up and you should be at Benedito Calixto. If you arrived here by around 15:00 you can still see the antique fair and the music shops open in the next 2 or 3 blocks up. You can also have a nice meal at Consulado Mineiro (see eating).
From Benedito Calixto square, make your way back down Teodoro Sampaio, continue at Av. Henrique Schaumman, turn left at Av. Rebouças, then another left at Francisco Leitão and walk until you reach Rua dos Pinheiros. If you still have any room in your stomach, try Bomba de Chocolate at Le Bombe (various sweet flavors) or an Acarajé (palm oil fried white beans cake, filled with Vatapá, a shrimp and fish cream) or Moqueca (Shirimp and lobster are favorites cooked with coconut milk with several typical northeast side dishes) at Consulado da Bahia. If you are into the Minas Gerais style, go all the way in the Consulado Mineiro and try any of their beans - Feijão Tropeiro or Tutu de Feijão.
Walk Rua dos Pinheiros down until you reach Fradique Coutinho street. Turn right on it. On the corner of Fradique With Teodoro Sampaio, there is a popular bakery called Sensação. They sell sandwiches that carreis the name of the stores on that corner. A favorite is called Ortobom, made out of mini-baggets, with white cheese, smoked turkey breast and tomatoes. Go for the espresso and milk (média espressa) or/and orange juice (suco de laranja) - or any other fruit combination, such as pinapple and mint (abacaxi com hortelã) or papay with orange (mamão com laranja) with it. Other pastries that they sell are the standard among paulistanos, not the most sophisticated, and not the underquality.
Move down one block until you reach Mourato Coelho again. Take a quick peek at the old buildings on the left, and have fun at the supermarket if you need anything - and want to get curious on the goods. From Teodoro Sampaio, turn left on Mourato, all theway back to Aspicuelta street.
Pick a bar and relax - it was a long day! They have great live Bossa Nova and Samba music, and it will not be difficult to join the people dancing after pushing the tables aside. If you want to eat something, should try Calabresa na Cachaça (Brazilian Sausages flambéed on liquor). If you are more into beer tasting/eating, hit Melograno ( http://www.melograno.com.br/ ) at Aspicuelta,436.
The mood in the afternoon and at night are very different. If a soccer match is going on, it can be either exciting or scary - if both jerseys are found, try a more neutral bar looks, otherwise, just join that team and make sure you are supporting them!
Hint: take a look at menu prices here. They change a lot, and you can end up spending more than budgeted. Tips are 10% always and you have to tell the waiter to stop serving beer! Keep an eye on your stuff - there are cases of pickpockting, specially at tables outside.
Does it sound difficult? Learn São Paulo helps you out - Contact us for rates on this tour at learnsaopaulo@gmail.com
