Sao Paulo Travel Guide

Sao Paulo Shopping

Shopping in Sao Paulo is a big deal, as the city is the major luxury shopping destination for all of Brazil. You''ll find designer labels and haute couture to rival the best boutiques of New York or London, small outdoor craft markets, and everything else in between.

Popular things to buy in Sao Paulo include religious antiques, soapstone carvings, leather goods and gemstone jewellery, offered by various shops throughout the city. You can also find local gemstones carved into shapes like toucans, jaguars, and other wild figures.

If your budget is bigger, though, you won''t find a better place to look for Brazilian fashion than Sao Paulo. Neighbourhoods like Jardins, Rua Augusta or Alameda Lorena have many high-end fashion boutiques carrying designer Brazilian labels like Animale, Victor Dzenk, Ellus, and Totem.

Sao Paulo has a few worthwhile outdoor markets, including the Saturday market Feira do Bixiga, which has crafts, antiques, clothing and live music; and Feira Moderna, offering high-end local goods set in a flower garden with a relaxed cafe. The Museu de Arte hosts an antique fair every Sunday, and the predominantly Japanese neighbourhood of Liberdade has its own Saturday market. Markets can be a great way to get bargains on Sao Paulo souvenirs, but there is petty theft, so always keep a close watch on your belongings.

There isn''t a central shopping district in Sao Paulo, but stores tend to be clustered in groups: Rua 25 de Março has an abundance of market stalls, and Jardins is where you''ll find a lot of high-end Brazilian fashion. But for those who would just as easily arrive in a helicopter as a taxi, Daslu is a posh department store catering to the every whim of its customer, from free espresso to a sushi bar, and all the designer labels you need to max out your credit card.

There are also a few shopping malls in Sao Paulo, including Patio Higienópolis, Morumbi, and Iguatemi. These tend toward upscale stores, with fine dining and expensive boutiques next to cinemas and food courts.

Shops in Sao Paulo accept credit cards with few exceptions. High-end stores won''t bargain, but feel free to haggle at markets. Sales tax is 18 percent, and there is no tax refund scheme for departing tourists in Brazil.