São Paulo/Southeast

In the first half of the 20th century, the Southeast was mostly occupied by industries and working class neighborhoods, with a large number of foreign immigrants. During São Paulo's great economic and populational growth during the second half of the 20th century, industries have been replaced by services, or moved to peripherical areas of the city. Foreign immigrants and their descendants advanced to middle and high social classes.
Nowadays, the Southeast remains heavily populated by immigrants and their descendants, mostly Italians, but also Spanish, Japanese (most from Okinawa), Portuguese, Lithuanian, Lebanese, Koreans and Yugoslavians. There is also a large number of migrants from the Northeast of the country. Verticalization is accelerate and progressing towards the east part of the region. This is attracting shops and restaurants to the area, but it is also causing problems, including increase of traffic and pollution.
Besides, buildings from the industrial era of the region are disappearing, with a significant number of them only remaining in the Brás and Belém districts. Tatuapé is the center of gastronomy, shopping and nightlife in the Southeast, and Museu do Ipiranga, probably the most beautiful museum of the entire São Paulo state, is one of the primary reasons to visit the region.
Brás is also one of the busiest centers of popular commerce in São Paulo, and it is particularly important for the Christian Pentecostal community: the district is home to the central churches of Congregação Cristã and Igreja Mundial do Poder de Deus, and the new colossal cathedral of Igreja Universal do Reino de Deus, a replica of King Solomon's temple, is being constructed there.

By metro and train

These are the metro and train stations located at each district:

• Brás: Brás, Bresser-Mooca
• Belém: Belém
• Cursino: Imigrantes
• Ipiranga: Alto do Ipiranga
• Mooca: Mooca
• Tatuapé: Tatuapé, Carrão
• Vila Prudente: Ipiranga, Tamanduateí, Vila Prudente, Sacomã

By bus

8 of the 15 districts have no metro/train stations, making the bus the only available public transport to reach them. Some attractions are also not really close (or not close at all) to a metro/train station.

By car

The Radial Leste-Oeste links the Southeast to the Far East and Center regions, Marginal Tietê links it to the Northeast, and Av. Dr. Ricardo Javet, together with Av. Pres. Tancredo Neves, links it to the South Central.

By bicycle

Cycleway Radial Leste (see São Paulo main section) is partly located in the Southeast. The other cycleway is:

• Cycleway Adutora Rio Claro

  address: from Av. Sapopemba w/R. Germínio Gomes da Silva to Praça Felibserto da Silvia
  Cycleway in the more suburban district of Sapopemba. It has some serious slopes, making parts of it not very suitable for amateur cyclists. 7 km.

• Aquário de São Paulo

  phone: +55 11 2273-5500
  address: Rua Huet Bacelar, 407 - Ipiranga
  The largest oceanarium in South America, with 1 million liters of seawater and 300 different animal species. A night visit, with flashlight and dinner included, can also be scheduled by groups (more costly than regular visit).

• Basílica Nossa Senhora da Penha

  address: Rua Santo Afonso, 199
  Penha. One of the oldest churches of São Paulo.

• Cemitério da Vila Formosa

  address: Praça Estevão Ribeiro Neto, Carrão
  With 780,000 m², Cemitério da Vila Formosa is the largest necropolis of Latin America, with most of the 1.5 million buried people belonging to low and low middle classes. Interestingly, the cemetery is used for leisure and sports by locals, as it is the only green area of the surrounding neighborhoods.

• Santuário Santa Isabel Rainha

  phone: +55 11 2781-1048
  address: Alameda Rainha Santa, 322 - Vila Santa Isabel
  Perhaps the most beautiful church of the region, projected by Benedito Calixto and sitting in a small hill in a peaceful residential neighborhood between Carrão and Vila Formosa. It has Neoclassic-Roman style and a 90-meter-high tower, which can be visited.

• Teatro Sílvio Romero

  address: Rua Coelho Lisboa, 334 - Tatuapé

• Vila Maria Zélia

  address: Entrance at crossing between Rua dos Prazeres and Rua Cachoeira - Belém
  The historical neighborhood was built in 1917 to be the home of workers of Companhia Nacional de Tecidos de Juta, a textile factory. The architecture and many buildings from that time remain, although only the church is completely preserved.

Museums

• Casa do Sítio Tatuapé

  address: Rua Guabijú, 49 - Tatuapé
  One of the oldest houses of São Paulo, constructed by an early explorer (bandeirante) between 1668-1698. Now it hosts cultural activities.

• Museu de Imigração do Estado de São Paulo

  phone: +11 2692-1866
  address: Rua Visconde de Parnaíba, 1316 - Brás
  From 1887 to 1978, this building hosted immigrants from other countries and other parts of Brazil that came to São Paulo in search of work and opportunity. Now, the building is a museum about the history of immigration in the state. Attractions include a replica of a 19th-century coffee farm and a 1-km ride on a steam locomotive.

• Museu do Ipiranga

  phone: +55 11 2065-8000
  address: Parque da Independência, Ipiranga
  São Paulo's most important historical museum, built in an eclectic style, tells the history of the Brazilian society, the Independence of Brazil (which reputedly, happened where the Ipiranga district sits now), and the importance of people of the state of São Paulo, the Paulistas. The gardens of the museum snf the surrounding park (Parque da Independência) are also closed.

Parks

• Parque Anália Franco

  address: Rua Canuto Abreu, s/n - Anália Franco
  One of the largest and cleanest green areas of the city. It has many installations for practice of sports and the largest swimming pool of Latin America - which requires a special license to use.

• Parque Estadual Fontes do Ipiranga

  address: Avenida Miguel Estéfano, Cursino
  Consists in a large patch of Atlantic rainforest, with more than 5 million m². Only a portion of this area is open for visits, and includes the Zoo and the Botanical Garden (listed below). To get there, it is possible to use Ponte Orca Zoo, a bus from Jabaquara metro/bus station to the São Paulo Zoo, available everyday from 08:30 to 17:00. The roundtrip bus ticket costs R$ 2.20 (Bilhete Único not accepted) and you can buy the tickets for the Zoo together with the bus ticket. More information available in this website.

• Parque Zoológico de São Paulo

  phone: +55 11 5073-0811
  The largest zoo from Brazil has about 825,000 m², and exhibits more than 3,200 animals. The "Simba Safari" tour allows you to see free animals in the wild area of the park.

• Jardim Botânico de São Paulo

  address: Av. Miguel Estéfano, 3031
  A 360,000-m² space containing gardens and lakes, with many species of local flora and birds.

Parque do Piqueri

Football and other sports

The association with football (soccer) is one of the most remarkable traits of the Southeast. The region is home to Corinthians Sport Club, the most popular football club of the state (and 2nd most popular of Brazil), Associação Portuguesa de Desportos, a club that also usually runs in the 1st division, associated with the Portuguese commmunity, and Clube Atlético Juventus, a minor but traditional club, that is part of the history of the Italian community of the city. Besides football clubs, these clubs are also general sport and social clubs, so associating with them may be a good idea if plan to stay a long time in the city.

• Estádio do Canindé

  address: Rua Comendador Nestor Pereira, 33 - Pari
  Despite the association of the region with football, it contains only one stadium capable of hosting 1st division games, the Canindé, home to Associação Portuguesa de Desportos. Capacity for 27,000 people.

• Parque São Jorge

  address: Rua São Jorge, 777 - Parque São Jorge
  The 158,000-m² area is the headquarters of Corinthians Sport Club. It is a private club with many sport facilities, including an impressive waterpark. It contains a museum of the football team, and a chapel where the supporters pray for its success in the various championships of the year.

• Parque Anália Franco

  address: Praça do Trabalhador, Vila Formosa
  A park with 286,000 m², including a patch of Atlantic rainforest and various sport facilities. Those include, among others, a swimming pool and Arena Paulista de Rugby, the first rugby field of the city.

Events

• Festa de San Gennaro

  address: Rua San Gennaro, 160 - Mooca
  The annual event of the Italian community, around the Church of San Gennaro, starts around September, and happens every Saturday and Sunday night for the next 4 weeks. Basically, it is a smaller version of Festa de Nossa Senhora Acheropita (in the city center, and it includes Italian food, music and dance, plus an optional paid cantine for those who want to sit. Attracts around 70,000 visitors.

• Festa Junina da Portuguesa

  address: Rua Comendador Nestor Pereira, 33 - Pari
  The annual festival, that happens during weekends of June and early July, combines a typical Brazilian Festa Junina with traditions of the Portuguese community in São Paulo. It showcases performances of both popular Brazilian artists and typical Portuguese dance and musical groups.

• Okinawa Festival

  address: Praça Haroldo Daltro, Carrão
  The event of the Japanese-Okinawan community happens in an weekend in August, and has become one of the largest cultural events from the Southeast. It includes cultural presentations typical from Okinawa, like the Okinawa Taiko, that mixes music and dance, plus, naturally, Japanese-Okinawan food. Attracts around 20,000 visitors.

The Southeast has a rich and diverse shopping scene, not much behind Downtown, West and South Central.

• BrásThe Brás neighborhood is one of busiest centers of popular commerce in the city, particularly of clothes, with the shops typically owned by Arabs, Koreans and Chinese. Many clothes sold in local retailers around the city were produced in Brás. During the day, most shops can be found in and nearby Rua Oriente, Rua Maria Marcolina e Largo da Concórdia. During the night (03:00-10:00), Feirinha da Madrugada happens, with shops concentrated in galleries and open-air spaces in and nearby Rua Oriente, Rua São Caetano and Rua Monsenhor de Andrade.

• Central Plaza Shopping

  address: Avenida Dr. Francisco Mesquita, 1.000 - Vila Prudente
  The shopping mall is popular among younger people due to its nice area for bowling, billiards and games. Also has 26 shops specific for house furnishing. Quite spacious parking lot. About 240 shops.

• Mooca Plaza Shopping

  address: Rua Capitão Pacheco e Chaves, 313 - Mooca
  The second upscale shopping mall in the region, a consequence of the valorization of the Mooca region. About 232 shops.

• Praça Silvio RomeroPraça Silvio Romero, in Tatuapé, and its surroundings, like R. Serra de Bragança and R. Coelho de Lisboa form an important middle class commercial area, that concentrates a large number of shops, bars and services.

• Shopping Anália Franco

  phone: +55 11 4003-4133
  address: Av. Regente Feijó, 1739 - Vila Formosa
  The first shopping mall in the East with a more upscale profile, i.e. more expensive shopping options and a better decorated interior. The favorite option of middle class and wealthy inhabitants of Tatuapé, Mooca and Vila Formosa. About 329 shops.

• Shopping D

  address: Av. Cruzeiro do Sul, 1100 - Pari
  Shopping mall easy to spot from Marginal Tietê due to its "Lego" architecture. About 230 shops.

• Shopping Metrô Boulevard Tatuapé

  address: Rua Gonçalves Cresp w/R. Tuiti - Tatuapé
  Basically an extension of Shopping Metrô Tatuapé, constructed in the other side of the Tatuapé station. It is far less crowded than the "other Metrô Tatuapé mall", making it popular among those who are after more leisure and less shopping, like couples. An area in the ground floor of the shopping mall hosts diverse expositions. About 150 shops.

• Shopping Metrô Tatuapé

  phone: +55 11 2092-9444
  address: Rua Domingos Agostim, 91 - Tatuapé
  The shopping mall, due to its connection to the busy Tatuapé metro, train and bus station, has become one of the most crowded shopping malls of the city. Has a very diverse public, frequented by people from various social classes coming from the East. A favorite among teenagers. It is also physically linked to Shopping Metrô Boulevard Tatuapé. About 300 shops.

• Attrio Pizza and Bar

  address: Rua Serra de Japi, 1275
  Pizzeria.

• O Bacalhoeiro

  address: Rua Azevedo Soares, 1580 – Tatuapé
  Portuguese cuisine.

• Bracia Parrilla

  address: Rua Azevedo Soares, 1008
  Barbecue, with meat prepared by Uruguayan and Argentinian parrilleros.

• Burgguers

  phone: +55 11 2094-3940
  address: Rua Azevedo Soares, 1172 - Tatuapé
  Hamburguer restaurant with thematic decoration of comics.

• Espetinho Giba

  phone: +55 11 2227-1294
  address: Rua Baquiá, 70 - Carrão
  A favorite among locals of Carrão, owned by a Japanese family. Serves skewers (chicken, beef, cheese, bread and others), which may be accompanied by Japanese rice balls (onigiris).

• Hakken

  address: R. Azevedo Soares, 541 - Tatuapé
  Japanese cuisine.

• La Pasta Gialla

  address: Rua Serra do Japi, 1.436 - Tatuapé

• La Pergoletta

  address: Rua Itapura, 1478 - Tatuapé
  Italian restaurant, with specialities in pasta.

• Sol do Oriente

  address: Rua Azevedo Soares, 679 - Tatuapé
  Vegetarian food, with self service.

• Black Steel Bar

  address: Rua Coelho Lisboa, 398 - Tatuapé
  Mix of English/American pub. First floor has a dance floor and live music, second floor has tables for those who want to sit and relax.

• Bulls Club

  phone: +55 11 2601-4488
  address: Avenida Salim Farah Maluf, 1500 - Belém
  The largest club of the Southeast. Has two dance floors

• Copacabana Bar

  phone: +55 11 2295-4364
  address: Rua Coelho Lisboa, 537 - Tatuapé
  Bar with Rio de Janeiro theme. Live Brazilian music on Fridays and Saturdays.

• Elídio Bar

  phone: +55 11 2966-5805
  address: R. Isabel Dias, 57 - Mooca
  Bar owned by Italians that serves 130 types of snacks. Football is the theme of the decoration.

• Garage Bier Kalt

  address: R. Apucarana, 1462 - Tatuapé
  Typical German pub, with one of the best beers of the city.

• Jordão

  phone: +55 11 2671-0670
  address: R. Apucarana, 1462 - Jd. Anália Franco
  Typical German pub, with one of the best beers of the city.

• Magnolia Tatuapé

  address: Rua Coelho Lisboa, 534 - Tatuapé

• Blue Tree Towers Anália Franco

  phone: +55 11 2672-7000
  address: Rua Eleonora Cintra, 960 - Anália Franco
  In front of Parque Anália Franco.

• Meliá Tryp Tatuapé

  phone: +55 11 2942-4900
  address: Rua Serra da Juréia, 351 - Tatuapé
  Includes: Cable TV, Internet, international restaurant, swimming pool and sauna.

The Southeast is relatively safe, and as proven by crime statistics, it is actually the safest region of São Paulo. The only area which is more dangerous than the average of the city is Vila Heliópolis, in the district of Sacomã, a neighborhood that was once the largest favela of São Paulo.
Brás used to be a dangerous area in the past. Although there are still some run-down areas (typically the areas occupied by abandoned factories), today, the commercial center is relatively safe. Watch your belongings as in any crowded area.