São Paulo, Brazil

This is our guide to running in São Paulo, home to over 12 million people and the most populous city in the Southern Hemisphere. Thanks to its rich heritage and history, tourists flock to this cosmopolitan city to experience a unique taste of Brazil’s cultural significance. A growing industrial center of Latin America, São Paulo has recently become Brazil’s wealthiest city.

Industrialization aside, São Paulo also offers many options for quality running routes with many large parks and green areas perfect for nature-filled runs in the middle of a large city. Many of the busy roads of the city include running/cycling paths at their center, providing for safe, lengthy routes. Some running highlights include Ibirapuera Park, Parque Villa Lobos, and University of São Paulo. For a great hill run, head to the Pico de Jaragua! The best neighborhoods for running are: Alto de Pinheiros (Parque Villa Lobos, paths along the water, Univ. of São Paulo nearby; the Jardim Europa (paths along the river, some pleasant streets, and Ibirapuera Park); and the Pacaembu area, including Av. Sumaré and some of the streets east of it.

The city site on a plateau at 2,600 feet and is 70 km from the ocean. The city is divided into 32 boroughs, with most of major economic and tourist facilities in an area officially called Centro Expandido (“Broad Centre”, or “Broad Downtown”), which includes Sé and several other boroughs. This huge and sprawling city has significant congestion. Public transport consists of a six-line metro, a suburban rail system (CPTM), and a fast-lane bus system, called “Passa Rápido”.