We were both so tired last night when we got back from the 3+ hour dinner that we decided to extend our alarm ahead of time and skip breakfast this morning. It was a good decision and outside of a room service Cappuccino and Orange Juice we rolled out of bed a little after 8 AM and were downstairs in the lobby for our 4-hour tour of Sao Paulo a few minutes after 9.

We met our tour guide Danielo in the lobby who drove us around Sao Paulo for 4 hours. We knew going in that Sao Paulo is pretty spread out so seeing all the major stops was going to need a tour guide. We lucked out with Danielo who was an incredibly nice, knowledgable, and fun companion for our half-day tour. Our first stop on the tour was to a new office complex area that has become to heart of the technology sector in Brazil. There was a stunning whale sculpture that we snapped some photos of before continuing to walk around the growing area.

From there we made another quick stop at what Danielo described as one of the most beautiful churches in Sao Paulo that most tourists don’t visit, called Paróquia Nossa Senhora do Brasil. A Greek Orthodox church that allows visitors worldwide is gorgeous inside and out. We went into the main chapel and also saw some artwork of the Portuguese settling the land 400 years ago. It wasn’t a stop we’d normally make on our own but we’re glad we did.

Our next stop was on our “must-see” list in Sao Paulo, which was Batman Alley. A small area of Sao Paulo that was cornered off to allow the world’s best street artists to use the walls of the neighborhood as their canvas, starting with the famous Batman mural (thus the name). Not only was it a great area to walk around in but it was also a great picture spot, with plenty of opportunities to snap photos with great backgrounds. What’s nice about having a guide is that he was able to walk us through some of the symbolism and local meanings behind the art, plus he knew almost everyone there which helped.

We made a quick stop after Batman Alley to Jardin’s a shopping district in Sao Paulo that looks a lot like California, although more focused on Brazillian brands. It’s a stunning street with plenty of window shopping and nice stores to go into. We learned about the history of the area and it was also at this time that Jenn really amped up the political discussion. Not only about the recent Presidential turmoil in Brazil but how US politics influence them. It was fascinating.

Our second to lost stop was for a quick snack at Pasties Imperio a small stand on the side of the road that he promised us was the best Pastel in the city. If it wasn’t I’d love to find the one that is because they were outrageously good. We split two, one beef and cheese and the latest craze, Pizza. Both were so good but I think we were partial to the beef and cheese. We washed it down with fresh pineapple juice from another nearby stand.

The last stop of our quick tour was at the Museum of Contemporary Art. Danielo took us to a few of his favorite pieces in the museum before taking us to the rooftop which was absolutely gorgeous views of the entire city. We got so lucky with the weather for our time in Sao Paulo and viewing the different neighborhoods of the city from this spot was something I’ll never forget. I could see why so many people had sat down and had lunch there, I haven’t seen a prettier viewing spot in the city.

We parted ways with Danielo at one of the entryways to the most famous park in Sao Paulo, Ibirapuera Park. We said our goodbyes and for the next hour, we slowly made our way through the gorgeous park, taking a seat a few times to just enjoy the perfect fall day. From there we decided that we were happy with our experience for the day and grabbed an Uber on the other side of the park to take us back to our hotel. Jenn fell asleep almost minutes after arriving back and I joined her for a nice afternoon nap not too long after.

Our last engagement in Sao Paulo was at the two-Michelin star restaurant D.O.M. This is considered to be one of the best restaurants in all of South America and has been on my radar for years. We had 7:15 PM reservations this evening and after a 15-minute Uber ride were let into the massive door of the restaurant and taken to the second floor overlooking the rest of the restaurant. From there we began a Brazilian-focused 12-course meal. We both started with two glasses of sparkling wine from Brazil and later on got a glass of white and red wine.

For the next 2+ hours, we were given a lot of interesting dishes but nothing really that we loved. In fact much of the meal we were a bit let down. After the incredibly high bar of Evvai the evening before we never felt like tonight’s meal was able to replicate the same high level. There were some nice dishes like the mushroom foam (course 4) or the Lamb (course 8) but there wasn’t anything that we truly loved. It happens that not every “great” restaurant is your thing and this wasn’t our thing. We’re still glad we came and got to try it even if it wasn’t what we had hoped for. We left a little after 10 PM, finished packing, and got ready for our next stop Rio tomorrow.