For couples · São Paulo · Brazil
Romantic things to do in São Paulo
Ideas for a couples' trip, from small moments to a special day out.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: ProtoplasmaKid, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
São Paulo's romance is urban: rooftop drinks above a sea of skyscrapers, long dinners at celebrated restaurants and nights of live samba and jazz. Pair it with a weekend in Campos do Jordão or Ilhabela. Couples tend to stay in Jardins.
Key facts
- Romantic ideas
- 5
- Couple-friendly sights
- 2
- Area for couples
- Jardins
- Best months
- April–May and August–October
Romantic ideas
1.Sunset at Terraço Itália
Watch the skyline turn gold and then glitter from the top of the Edifício Itália.
2.Concert at the Theatro Municipal
Dress up for an opera, ballet or symphony evening in the gilded 1911 theatre.
3.Dinner in Jardins
Book a table at one of the acclaimed restaurants around Rua Oscar Freire and Alameda Lorena.
4.Samba night in Vila Madalena
Join a roda de samba at a bar and dance with the locals.
5.Sunday on Paulista
Walk the car-free avenue hand in hand, then picnic in Ibirapuera.
Sights couples love
Architecture · Centro
Theatro Municipal
Tickets for many concerts are inexpensive; check the season programme rather than only taking the tour.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Architecture
- History
- After dark
- Couples
Viewpoint · Centro
Terraço Itália
Arrive just before sunset for a drink and watch the skyline lights come on.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Views
- Couples
- After dark
Where couples should stay
$$$$ · Best for luxury, shopping, couples and food lovers
Jardins
South-west of Paulista, Jardins (Jardim Paulista and Jardim América) is the city's most polished area for shopping and dining, centred on Rua Oscar Freire and Rua Haddock Lobo. Tree-lined residential streets, international hotels and many of the city's best-known restaurants make it a comfortable, walkable base, a short walk from the Consolação and Trianon-MASP Metrô stations.
- Good
- Calm and walkable; Top restaurants and boutiques; Close to Paulista and Metrô Line 2
- Watch out
- Expensive; Few budget hotels
- Nearby
- Rua Oscar Freire, MASP, Avenida Paulista
Romantic day trips
- Paranapiacaba (About 1.5–2 hours by train and bus) — A British-built railway village from the 1860s perched at the top of the Serra do Mar, with wooden houses, a clock tower modelled on Big Ben and trails into the Atlantic forest.
- Campos do Jordão (About 3 hours by road) — A mountain resort at about 1,600 metres in the Serra da Mantiqueira, with Swiss-style chalets, fondue restaurants and pine forests.
- Holambra (About 2 hours by road) — A town founded by Dutch immigrants that produces much of Brazil's cut flowers, with a windmill, Dutch-style buildings and flower fields.
- Ilhabela (About 3.5–4 hours by road and ferry) — A mountainous, forested island off the north coast of São Paulo state with waterfalls and beaches; it is better as an overnight stay than a single day.
For dinner
Share local specialities such as Mortadella sandwich, Pizza paulistana and Feijoada. Cards and Pix instant payments are accepted almost everywhere, including market stalls.
Questions travellers ask
+Is São Paulo romantic?
São Paulo's romance is urban: rooftop drinks above a sea of skyscrapers, long dinners at celebrated restaurants and nights of live samba and jazz. Pair it with a weekend in Campos do Jordão or Ilhabela.
+What is the most romantic thing to do in São Paulo?
Sunset at Terraço Itália: Watch the skyline turn gold and then glitter from the top of the Edifício Itália.
+Where should couples stay in São Paulo?
Jardins: Leafy streets of designer boutiques, upscale hotels and restaurants.