São Paulo has 144 parks, offering everything in attractions that you can imagine. One, the Jardim da Luz is already described. Parque do Ibirapuera is the most frequented one, which can be compared with Central Park in New York and is an area for walking, relaxing and has a convention center. The park has several buildings, mainly designed by Oscar Niemeyer, the world famous architect (more in wikipedia).
Also the Museum of Contemporay Art and the Museum Afro Brazil is in the park.
Well frequented, too, is Parque Villa-Lobos, where you can rent a bike to take a ride in the park. Also some public events take place here, as for example concerts. A beautiful exhibition of orchids can be visited, too. End of 2011 the famous circus Cirque Soleil had its shows here.
Parque Trianon is at the Avenida Paulista, just across the avenue in front of the MASP. Opened in 1892 it remains a small reserve of the Mata Atlântica (atlantic rainforest).
Parque da Independência (Independence Park) is the area where Emperor Dom Pedro I declared Brazil´s independency of Portugal in 1822. In the park there is the monument Museu do Ipiranga (also: Museu Paulista). This monument is a building showing a lot about the declaration of independence as paintings, but also has a large exhibition how life in São Paulo was at that time.
more about the parks in English…
The square Praça Benedito Calixto in the area of Pinheiros is a marvellous place to spend a part of your Saturday in São Paulo. From 8 am to 7 pm there is a fair, actually a flee market with assorted crafts, artworks and antiques which takes place since 1987 and is a meeting point of the intelectuals of the city. There is a food area too, where many people spend a part of their time, having one of the typical Brazilian snacks, a drink and listen to the music of Chorinho na Praça between 2:30 and 6:30 pm. Around the square there are a few restaurants and bars, which are well frequented by many Brazilians and many people stay in front, having a drink and talking with their friends.
