Travel Postcard - 48 hours in Sao Paulo

By Leslie Gevirtz

SAO PAULO, Brazil (Reuters Life!) - Got 48 hours to explore the vast, vibrant metropolis that is not only Brazil's commercial center, but its artistic and gastronomic heart?

Reuters correspondents with local knowledge help visitors get the most out of a visit to Sao Paulo, the city where trees are an integral part of the architecture and surround its museums, restaurants and shops.

FRIDAY

6 p.m. - Check into your hotel, which can range from a simple guest house such as the Pousada Dona Zilah on Alameda Franca or the more luxurious Slaviero on Alameda Campinas in the chic Jardim Paulista neighborhood.

8 p.m. - It's hard to go hungry in Sao Paulo and it's possible to eat well without breaking the bank. For a light snack or sandwich, try one of the bakeries like Padaria Caconde on Rua Caconde or the 24-hour A Bela Paulista on Rua Haddock Lobo.

Vila Madalena is a neighbor filled with bars and restaurants. The streets that cross Rua Aspicuelta - Rua Fidalga, Rua Fradique Coutinho and Rua Mourato Coelho - are the busiest. Filial on Rua Fidalga is a watering hole popular with journalists. If you're a football fan - and everyone in Brazil is - try Sao Cristovao on Rua Aspicuelta.

11 p.m. - Feel like music? Head to Baretto, a small jazz bar in the fashionable Hotel Fasano where musicians play until nearly dawn.

SATURDAY