Photos

Old train at Paranapiacaba.

Check the maps at the subway while in Sao Paulo. CPTM is the old, recovered train system and it connects to Metro, the subway. Get one ticket to jump from one system to the other. You can go pretty much anywhere with them. Walk the distance or try buses [EMTU] which are way less predictable, and you don’t need to try that hard. Best way to learn Sampa is walking its streets. Just be street-smart and don’t try unknown areas after dark.

But if you are brave enough to try by yourself, go to Estacao da Luz (close to the Museum of Portuguese Language, recommended) take the CPTM [light brown line in the map image] train to Rio Grande da Serra all the way to its end and then take the 424 bus, a blue one to Paranapiacaba. It will let you just past the parking lot where the “mirante” hides itself.

Paranapiacaba is down the steep road past the little Church. The city lives for its Winter Festival that just about happened, so during weekdays don’t expect to see many stores and places open, but weekends are better served.

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