Praça da Sé

São Paulo


The old heart of the city, palm-fringed Praça da Sé has seen better days but still draws animated crowds; from street hawkers and nose-down business types to – unfortunately – more than its fair share of pickpockets and unsavory types (but police presence is strong).


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby São Paulo attractions

1. Catedral da Sé

0.07 MILES

Crowning the Praça da Sé is the domed Catedral da Sé, a huge neo-Byzantine concoction that, for better or worse, replaced the original 18th-century…

2. Caixa Cultural

0.09 MILES

This cultural center occupies a grand neoclassical-style building with an imperious facade of black marble that served as Caixa Econômica Federal's…

3. Solar da Marquesa

0.15 MILES

Down a set of narrow downtown side streets stands one of the city’s last surviving 18th-century residences. This simple but delightful villa was once home…

4. Igreja Nossa Senhora do Carmo

0.15 MILES

On Praça da Sé stands the modest Igreja do Carmo, which dates to the 1630s and still preserves its original high altar.

5. Casa da Imagem

0.16 MILES

Beautifully curated from some 84,000 historical photographs, this museum inside a restored colonial downtown mansion is a must for those interested in the…

6. Páteo do Collégio

0.18 MILES

Occupying the exact spot where São Paulo was founded in 1554 by Jesuit brothers José de Anchieta and Manoel da Nóbregra, this mission is actually a 1950s…

7. Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil

0.22 MILES

Housed in an extraordinarily and lovingly restored beaux-arts building, this cultural center holds innovative exhibitions of contemporary art over five…

8. College of Law

0.24 MILES

Next to Igreja de São Francisco de Assis is the prestigious College of Law. Founded in 1827, it is considered to be Brazil’s oldest institution of higher…

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