This is our guide to running in São Paulo, the world’s fourth most populous city! Tourists flock to this cosmopolitan city for its cosmopolitan culture. São Paulo sits on a plateau at 2,600 feet and is 70 km from the ocean. It’s divided into 32 boroughs, with most of major economic and tourist facilities in the Centro Expandido (“Broad Downtown”), which includes Sé and several other boroughs. Running in São Paulo can be a challenge, given the city’s congestion, poor air, and relative lack of green space. The installation of numerous cycle paths has also helped the running scene. If you’d like to have an in-person guided running experience in São Paulo, we highly recommend our friends at Go! Running Tours.
The best places to run in São Paulo are centered in the Alto de Pinheiros neighborhood, with its two signature parks — Parque Ibirapuera and Parque Villa-Lobos, plus riverfront paths and the Univ. of São Paulo. For a long off-road run, the best bet is the cycle path along the Pinheiros River. Our Centro Histórico ‘Runseeing‘ Tour explores São Paulo’s downtown core. A unique experience is the Minhocão, a downtown elevated highway that’s closed to cars evenings & weekends. For a great hill run, head to the Pico de Jaragua! Cycle paths along Av. Faria Lima & Av. Sumaré are also decent running options.
Public transport consists of a six-line metro, a suburban rail system (CPTM), and a fast-lane bus system, called “Passa Rápido”.
Sao Paulo has a humid subtropical climate, with average temperatures similar to Sydney and Shanghai. Summers (December-March) are warm to hot, with average highs around 80F (27C) and warm nights. Winds coming from the ocean can cool things down. Winters are temperate, with average high temps of 70F (21C), and nights in the 50s (12C). Rainfall is plentiful, especially in summer, with frequent storms. Winters are drier. The city’s elevation and winds coming from the ocean influences the weather, which can be very changeable.