Though it has several intersections that could terrorize people unaccustomed to walking in big, bustling cities, and a few crime-infested areas you need to avoid, Sao Paulo is a generally pedestrian-friendly city. The wide boulevard called Vale do Anhangabau, from southeast of the theater district to the Luz railstation, is especially appealing. Many of the photos in this journal were taken while walking along it.

The large, park-like Praca de Republica, along whose northwest side the airport buses terminate, is a good place to start a walking tour. The park itself is a high-crime area, but you can safely walk the sidewalks of the streets along its perimeter or, during daylight, the wide promenade between the park and the government buildings on its southwest side. There’s a ‘Metro’ station there and, close to it, a tourism information office with English-speaking guides. Load up on maps, advice on possibly-dangerous areas, and anything else you can glean from them.

Several of the side streets originating on the southeast and northeast sides of Praca de Republica are pedestrian-only malls with lots of conventional shops, fast-food restaurants, sidewalk merchants, street vendors and kiosks. Inexpensive full-service restaurants --- and some fine-dining ones --- abound here.

Walk south and east until you encounter the magnificent Municipal Theater and the plaza unfolding in front of it. If you’re lucky, you’ll walk in on an impromptu concert by a local musical group. (The night I ran into one, they were professionals rather than amateur street musicians, and I took home a CD of theirs that I still sometimes play at bedtime.)

Near here is where you’ll intercept the boulevard called Vale do Anhangabau. Follow this north and east to Estacio Luz --- the ornate train station I mentioned earlier --- and visit the open-air markets. There’s a Metro station here, so you can ride the subway back to your hotel instead of walking. This is an area of cheap budget-priced hotels, which at least one guidebook I’ve read actually recommends, but it’s also a seedy area that I’d personally prefer not to walk through after dark. If your hotel is on the north side of Praca de Republica, as mine was, it’s OK to walk back during daylight or early evening.

> DO visit the tourism office, and get the best map they can give you, before venturing too far from your hotel. Few streets run due North, East, South or West in Sao Paulo and there are many odd angles and intersections to confuse you. Once you get your bearings, and get used to the more challenging intersections, you’ll find walking easy and pleasant.

The tall, modernistic building dominating the Praca do Republica area is Italia Tower. There’s a free, open-air observation terrace atop it. Using it to see which streets went where was even better than reading the map!