Sao Paulo is Brazil's big secret

Why São Paulo? The biggest metropolis in the Americas has become a regular stop-off for those on business but is too often overlooked by leisure travellers. Where Rio de Janeiro and Brasilia have garnered status through politics, history and architecture (and those seductive beaches), São Paulo has muscled itself into the position of Brazil's economic powerhouse through hard work. But it offers the hedonism to reward all that graft - the city has the smartest boutiques, restaurants, bars, clubs and residential districts in Brazil, and some of the best-stocked art galleries and museums. When you're in a metropolitan area that sprawls for 8,000 square kilometres, you have to plan and limit your outings - unless you want to spend entire days in the back of a cab. Must-sees include the Brazilian art at the Pinacoteca do Estado ( www.pinacoteca.org.br ), which has 5,000-plus paintings and sculptures that show how native art aped European schools before taking off on its own terms in the 20th century, and the Museu Paulista (Parque da Independencia; www.mp.usp.br ), which gives an overview of the nation's history and this city's central place in it. São Paulo owes its expansion to commerce - coffee in the 19th century (note the beans on the cathedral doorway) and, now, industry and services, plus massive immigration from inside and outside Brazil. This last fact means the city boasts Latin America's most diverse cuisine, and once you tire of the city centre, head to the leafy, upscale Jardims to explore the gastronomy. Brazilians love haute couture and São Paulo Fashion Week, which falls in March ( ffw.com.br/spfw/ ), is the pre-eminent Latin American showcase for local designers. It's a sports-hungry city, too, with the local football club Corinthians winning the World Club Cup in 2012 and São Paulo hosting World Cup matches next year. A long-standing Formula 1 city, this year's Interlagos races fall on November 22 to 24. The art biennale ( www.bienal.org.br ) is the second oldest in the world after Venice (the next one is in 2014) and the annual film festival Mostra ( www.mostra.org ; October 18 to 31) is world-class. The challenge is to slow down. Head to Parque do Ibirapuera and settle down for a picnic; you could spend a whole day in the park - it also houses the Modern Art Museum, the Hotel Unique and the Japanese gardens. If all this proves too much, the beach is 90 minutes away on a fast motorway. A comfortable bed When the 1930s art deco-inspired Fasano ( www.fasano.com.br ; 00 55 11 3896 4000) opened in 2003, it heralded São Paulo's move into the luxury hotel premiership. Set in the Jardins neighbourhood, the hotel's 91 rooms stylishly mix design fixtures, with Kilim rugs, Murano vases and Sergio Rodrigues chairs. Double rooms cost from 1,736 Brazilian reals (Dh3,175) per night. The 95-room Hotel Unique ( www.hotelunique.com.br ; 00 55 11 3055 4700) has the most audacious design and best location in the city. The watermelon slice-shaped neo-industrial wonder, conceived by local architect Ruy Ohtake, sits close to the edge of Ibirapuera Park. The hotel is hyper-designed and full of futuristic forms. Double rooms cost from 1,533 reals (Dh2,804) per night. Emiliano ( www.emiliano.com.br ; 00 55 11 3069 4369) is the other member of the luxury designer triumvirate. With only three rooms on each of its 22 floors, and a pair of signature Havaianas for each guest, the emphasis is on a laid-back, distinctly Brazilian atmosphere. Rooms are businesslike and beige but in a good way. Double rooms cost from 1,800 reals (Dh3,295), including a massage, fruit and butler service but not breakfast. The stylish Grand Hyatt ( www.saopaulo.grand.hyatt.com.br ; 00 55 11 2838 1234), with a spa and outdoor pool, is close to several good malls in the Marginal Pinheiros/Berrini business district. The upper rooms have views of River Pinheiros. Double rooms cost from 450 reals (Dh822) per night. Twelve hotels are being built in São Paulo, including a new Four Seasons in the Brooklin district. Find your feet Or your helipad. São Paulo's skies are full of helicopters and there are 500 helipads and dozens of firms - Aerovip Taxi ( www.voeaerovip.com.br ) and Global Aviation ( www.globaltaxiaereo.com.br ) are well established - to help you navigate the city. São Paulo is not a walker's city, there's no disputing that, but there are neighbourhoods and streets well worth exploring on foot - Jardins, laid out in 1915 and the residential retreat of the well-heeled, is the best place for both accommodation and shopping. If you don't want to fly but want the view, take the lift up to the 36th floor of Edificio Banespa (Rua Joao Bricola) for a powerful sense of the vastness of this 100km-wide city. Spend a morning checking out the historic buildings and churches around the central squares, the Praça da Republica and Praça da Sé - you'll see English influences in the Estaçao da Luz railway station, a mix of European styles in the Igreja da Consolação church and a Paris Opera lookalike in the Teatro Municipal. Oscar Niemeyer, the architect behind Brasilia who died last year at the age of 104, has left his mark on the much-photographed Edificio Copan. Further north is Mercado Municipal, a food market in a neo-Gothic hall with enormous stained-glass windows celebrating the city's trading past. Meet the locals Paulistanos (the name for residents of the city, as distinct from São Paulo state's Paulistas) are hyper-social. Where Rio has its beaches, they have bars and clubs. Terraço Itália ( www.terracoitalia.com.br ; 00 55 11 2189 2929) on the 42nd floor of Edificio Itália has great views and a gentleman's club feel. Down at street level, the city has a good jazz scene; the HSBC (00 55 11 5646 2120) is ideal if you want to avoid the heaving nightclubs. Book a table To try new-style Brazilian gastronomy, visit Tordesilhas ( www.tordesilhas.com ; 00 55 11 3107 7444; dinner for two costs from 200 reals [Dh365]), where partner and chef Mara Salles reinvents regional dishes such as pato no tucupi (duck and manioc stew) and grilled Amazonian pirarucu fish. DOM ( www.domrestaurante.com.br ; 00 55 11 3088 0761; dinner for two from 400 reals or Dh733) is the only restaurant in South America to make the top 10 in the influential San Pellegrino list (it was No 6 in 2013). Chef-historian-botanist Alex Atala's kitchen spotlights oft-forgotten, rustic ingredients such as tapioca, açaí, jambu (a herb) and canjiquinha corn and transforms them into beautiful, delicate dishes. At Figueira Rubaiyat ( www.rubaiyat.com.br ; 00 55 11 3087 1399; dinner for two from 400 real [Dh730]), diners sit under a magnificent fig tree and indulge in churrascaria, Brazilian barbecue. Try the picanha sumus, premium top sirloin. Shopper's Paradise In an automotive city like this, malls are social hubs. The Cidade Jardim and JK Iguatemi malls in Vila Olímpia have all the international brands and the best Brazilian apparel shops. Seek out the boutiques in Jardins, Pacaembu and Vila Madalena districts. The Daslu department store is a showcase for national couturiers, including Raia de Goeye and Cris Barros, and sportswear specialist Osklen. What to avoid São Paulo is best explored by day. At night, the centre of the city can feel edgy, verging on dangerous. When visiting museums, ask your taxi to wait because getting one can be difficult, especially at rush hour. In September last year, a 180km-long traffic jam was reported as the average for São Paulo (295km is the record), so don't cram your day with spots that are too far apart. Don't miss The Museu do Futebol (Praça Charles Miller; www.museudofutebol.org.br ; 00 55 11 2627 8054) is a well-balanced celebration of "the beautiful game" and its place in Brazilian history. It's located on Charles Miller Square, named after the Scottish-Brazilian sportsman credited with introducing football to the country, and occupies part of the Corinthians' stadium, designed by Niemeyer's co-worker on Brasilia, architect Lúcio Costa. Go there Return flights from Abu Dhabi to São Paulo with Etihad Airways ( www.etihad.com ) cost from Dh5,435, including taxes. Follow us Follow us on Facebook for discussions, entertainment, reviews, wellness and news.

Sao Paulo is Brazil's big secret

Ultratravel: Unashamedly commerce-driven but with a thriving entertainment scene, São Paulo has more to it than meets the eye. Chris Moss explores this modern city that works hard but plays.