The Brazilian Powerhouse

With almost 22 million people, São Paulo currently occupies fourth place in the global ranking of the world's largest metropolises, making it by far the largest city south of the equator.

The powerhouse of the country is Avenida Paulista. In the days of the coffee barons, the Avenida was dominated by colonial-style family palaces. Even today, more than a few people lament that these palaces had to make way for modern and post-modern business towers. 

In contrast, however, there is a completely different and highly attractive development of Avenida Paulista. The area is home to the strongest accumulation of museums and very attractive mixed-use buildings of various uses. For example, the legendary Conjunto Nacional is also home to one of the most charming and attractive cinemas in the metropolis.

Due to its mixed use, Avenida Paulista is today one of the most democratic places on the Latin American continent. Very many buildings are open to the public, the first floors are crisscrossed with galleries, and the museums are almost all free. In no other place on the continent do business people and the most diverse sub-cultures and tribes mix as naturally as on Avenida Paulista. 

Every Sunday, the Avenida is closed to vehicular traffic and the region converts into the largest open-air performance arena on the globe.