Approximately five hours on a private tour including a panoramic view of the Historical Downtown area and stops with free time for shopping at: “25 de Março Street” (1h30min), famous for its Lebanese influence and popular market of goods in general – toys, fabric, clothes and decoration; “Jose Paulino Street” (1h30min), famous for its Korean influence and focus on clothes market;  “Mercado Municipal” (45min), food market including fruits from all the Country and a traditional Food Court.

SANTOS E GUARUJÁ

Full day tour visiting Santos and Guarujá. Santos, a city located on the State coastline, 70 Km away from São Paulo, is home to the Porto de Santos, the largest commercial port in Latin America. Guarujá, close to Santos, is the most important beach tourist destination in the State of São Paulo. Free time for beach and lunch (lunch not included).

WEATHER

São Paulo, is located on a plateau approximately 750 meters above sea level and that is why the mornings and evenings are cooler and sometimes accented by a slow drizzle (known as “garoa”).

In São Paulo the seasons are not well defined, and people can often experience the four seasons in only one day.

In the summer, December through March, most rain tends to fall and the temperature seldom rises above 34º C. In the winter, June through September, the temperature rarely goes below 7ºC.

Spring seems like a celebration of life itself, since the beautiful yellow trees called “Ipês”, and the multi-colored azaleas in full bloom soften the harshness of the cold concrete and bleak asphalt. 

Click to check São Paulo’s weather forecast.

http://br.weather.com/weather/local/BRXX0232

AIRPORTS

São Paulo has two main airports. Congonhas, São Paulo's domestic airport, which is located within the city boundaries 9km south of the city center, and Guarulhos Airport, 30km northeast of the city, operating both to international flights and domestic flights, as well. Paulistas (people from the state of São Paulo) also refer to this airport as “Cumbica”.

 Aeroporto Internacional de São Paulo – Congonhas

Operational hours: 6:00am to 23:00pm

Address: Avenida Washington Luís, s/nº - Aeroporto

Telephone #: 55 11 5090-9000

 Aeroporto Internacional de São Paulo – Guarulhos

Operational hours: Operates  24 hours a day

Address: Rodovia Hélio Schmit, s/nº - Cumbica – Guarulhos

Telephone #: 55 11 6445-2945

TRANSFER FROM/TO THE AIRPORTS

 From Guarulhos International Airport there are the following options:

l  Radio-Taxi - The radio taxi service costs approximately R$ 90,00 depending on your specific destination in São Paulo. We recommend you to prepay the taxi fare, (which can also be paid by credit card), at the taxi counters in the arrivals area of the airport. Travel time is anywhere from 25 to 70 minutes, depending on traffic;

l  Bus - The Airport Service operates four different shuttle bus routes: to the downtown area, serving Praça da Republica and Avenida Paulista (stopping at major hotels along the street), to Congonhas Airport (domestic flights); and to the Tietê Bus Terminal and Barra Funda Bus Terminal. Tickets should be purchased in advance at the EMTU booth on the arrivals floor of the airport. The fare is around R$ 30,00 per person. Buses depart every 30 minutes or so from 6 A.M. to 11 P.M. And the travel time is about 25 to 50 minutes. For more details call EMTU Customer Service -  Toll-Free: 0800 724 05 55  or check the website

www.emtu.sp.gov.br/aeroporto/tarifa.htm

From Congonhas Domestic Airport we recommend the following options:

·         Radio-taxi – The radio taxi service is charged according to the meter. The average cost for a taxi-ride downtown is around R$ 40,00 depending on traffic.

·         Bus - The Airport Service operates shuttle bus route to Guarulhos Airport only. Prepaid tickets purchased at the EMTU booth at the airport. The fare is around R$ 30,00 per person. Buses depart daily about every 30 minutes. For more details call EMTU Customer Service -  Toll-Free: 0800 724 05 55  or check the website www.emtu.sp.gov.br/aeroporto/tarifa.htm

Mell Faro Turismo offers its quality private transportation service in luxury vehicles upon credit card payment in advance. In this case an English speaking driver will be waiting by the arrival gate, holding a sign with the passenger's name. Prices upon request.

For returning bus transportation to the Airport, EMTU tickets can be purchased in one of the following offices (Sales booths/ ticket offices)

• Guarulhos Int’l Airport – Phone: 55 11 6445-2505 / 6445-3811 (24 hours)

• Congonhas Airport - Phone: 55 11 5090-9225
• Tietê Bus Terminal - Phone: 55 11 6221-0244
• Barra Funda Bus Terminal - Phone: 55 11 3822-2072
• Praça da República - Phone: 55 11 3331-6196
• Shopping Center Eldorado / Ground floor - Phone: 55 11 3817-5437

BUS TERMINALS

There are four bus terminals in São Paulo. All of them connected to the “metro” (subway) system:

l  Bresser Terminal, Near the Bresser metro stop (tel. 011/6692-5191), provides buses to all towns within the state of Minas Gerais;

l  Barra Funda Terminal, near the Barra Funda metro (tel. 011/3666-4682),  mostly serves buses to all towns in the State of Paraná and a few towns in the interior of São Paulo, such as Sorocaba, Avaré, Taquaritinga, Tatuí, Vargem Grande Paulista, Xavantes, Ibiuna, Cotia e Águas de Sta Barbara;

l  Jabaquara Terminal, next to the Jabaquara metro (tel. 011/5581-0856 or 011/5011-9345), mainly provides transportation to Santos and the south coast of the State of São Paulo;

l  Tietê Terminal is by far the largest and most important bus station. Located on the Tietê metro stop (tel. 011/6221-0155), it provides buses to all the cities not served by the other Terminals. Buses depart from here to Rio and most major Brazilian cities, as well as international destinations in Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Chile.

For further information call the Customer Service Central for the four Terminals - Phone: 55 11 3235-0322  from 6:00 am to 11:30 pm.

URBAN TRANSPORTATION

São Paulo is very well served by an extensive network of urban transportation. Public transportation extends to the farthest points of the city. For the tourist (visitor), the taxi or the subway are still the easiest and most recommended alternatives for transportation within the city. 

Click here to check the Subway Network Map (Interactive Metro Map)

www.metro.sp.gov.br/redes/teredes.shtml