Shopping · São Paulo · Brazil
Shopping in São Paulo
Shopping streets, markets and souvenirs worth the suitcase space.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
São Paulo is Brazil's shopping capital, from designer flagships on Rua Oscar Freire to the wholesale street of 25 de Março and enormous malls. Brazilian brands of swimwear, sandals, coffee and cachaça make good buys. Best souvenirs: Havaianas, Cachaça and Brazilian coffee.
Key facts
- Shopping areas
- 4
- Markets
- 4
- Top souvenir
- Havaianas
Where to shop
Rua Oscar Freire
Brazilian and international designer boutiques on a tree-lined street in Jardins.
Rua 25 de Março
A crowded wholesale and bargain street near the Mercadão selling everything from costumes to electronics; keep valuables close.
Pinheiros and Vila Madalena
Independent designers, record shops, galleries and design stores.
Shopping Iguatemi and JK Iguatemi
Upmarket malls with luxury brands and restaurants.
Markets
Praça Benedito Calixto fair
Saturday antiques, crafts and food fair in Pinheiros, often with live choro music.
Liberdade weekend fair
Japanese food and crafts stalls outside the Liberdade Metrô station.
MASP antiques fair
An antiques and collectables fair held under MASP's raised building on Sundays.
Feiras livres
Weekly street food markets in every district, best for fruit and pastel.
What to buy
Havaianas
The Brazilian flip-flops in many more designs than you find abroad.
Cachaça
Aged artisanal cachaça from Minas Gerais and São Paulo state, sold in specialist shops and at the Mercadão.
Brazilian coffee
Speciality single-farm beans from Minas Gerais and São Paulo state roasted by local cafés.
Swimwear
Brazilian beachwear brands, sold in Jardins boutiques and malls.
Design objects
Furniture miniatures, ceramics and prints by Brazilian designers in Pinheiros shops and museum stores.
Streets and markets worth a wander
Street · Avenida Paulista and Bela Vista
Avenida Paulista
São Paulo's signature avenue mixes bank towers, cultural centres, bookshops and the Parque Trianon, a fragment of Atlantic forest opposite MASP.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Kids
- Shopping
- Architecture
Market · Centro
Mercado Municipal (Mercadão)
The 1933 municipal market, with large stained-glass windows showing farm and market scenes, sells tropical fruit, spices, cheeses and cured meats.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Food
- Iconic
- Architecture
- Shopping
Street · Vila Madalena
Beco do Batman
A sloping alley in Vila Madalena where every wall, step and garage door is covered in murals and graffiti that change regularly.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Art
- Photo spot
- Outdoors
Neighbourhood · Liberdade
Liberdade
The Japanese-Brazilian quarter is a short walk from the cathedral, with red lanterns, torii-style gateways, Japanese supermarkets and stationery shops along Rua Galvão Bueno.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Food
- Free
- Shopping
- Photo spot
Food and drink to take home
Edible souvenirs travel best when they are dry or sealed: consider Coxinha, Brigadeiro, Caipirinha and Açaí na tigela. Padarias (bakeries) and lanchonetes on almost every corner. Check your home country's rules on bringing food and drink back.
Shopping by neighbourhood
| Area | Price level | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Avenida Paulista and Bela Vista | $$$ | The city's main avenue of museums, cultural centres and Metrô stations |
| Jardins | $$$$ | Leafy streets of designer boutiques, upscale hotels and restaurants |
| Pinheiros | $$$ | Bars, restaurants, independent shops and a big Saturday street fair |
| Itaim Bibi | $$$$ | Business towers, smart restaurants and cocktail bars near Ibirapuera |
| Liberdade | $$ | Red lanterns, ramen shops and the largest Japanese community outside Japan |
| Centro | $$ | Historic squares, art deco towers and the Theatro Municipal |
Paying and bargaining
Prices are in BRL. A 10% service charge is added to most restaurant and bar bills and covers the tip. Taxi drivers do not expect tips, but rounding up is common; tip hotel porters and tour guides a few reais.
- Pay by card or Pix rather than carrying large amounts of cash.
When to shop
Shops and markets are quietest in March–October and December–January; the busiest months are the peak holidays.
- June: Festas Juninas — June festivals with traditional food and dancing
- October: Mostra Internacional de Cinema — São Paulo International Film Festival (usually late October)
Staying near the shops
$$$$ · Best for luxury, shopping, couples and food lovers
Jardins
Leafy streets of designer boutiques, upscale hotels and restaurants
Questions travellers ask
+What should I buy in São Paulo?
Havaianas, Cachaça, Brazilian coffee and Swimwear.
+Where is the best shopping in São Paulo?
Rua Oscar Freire: Brazilian and international designer boutiques on a tree-lined street in Jardins.
+What are the best markets in São Paulo?
Praça Benedito Calixto fair, Liberdade weekend fair, MASP antiques fair and Feiras livres.