Bom Retiro
Sao Paulo, Southeast Brazil
The gateway through which immigrants historically entered São Paulo, the central Bom Retiro neighborhood today represents the city at its most eclectic. Originally home to Jewish and Arabic communities—and now boasting a vibrant Koreatown—the area is a great place for cultural (and culinary) discovery. It’s also home to several major museums, cultural venues, historic buildings, green spaces, and shopping streets.
The basics
Located between São Paulo’s Luz Station (one of the city’s major transit hubs, and an extraordinary Victorian landmark in its own right) and the Tietê River, Bom Retiro is full of cultural treasures. Begin with museums like the Pinacoteca de São Paulo (the city’s oldest art museum) and the Museum of Sacred Art (Museu de Arte Sacra de São Paulo), as well as the Sala São Paulo—now home to the São Paulo Symphony Orchestra.
Then, it’s time to go shopping. The lively Rua José Paulino is home to boutiques, markets, and informal stalls, and a dizzying array of choices. You can also sample top-notch Korean food, and check out Bolivian, Greek, and other international restaurants. A number of sightseeing tours also visit the area, if you’re after a guided experience.
Things to know before you go
- If you plan to go shopping, it’s wise to wear tight-fitting layers (as some shops don’t have their own changing rooms), and to bring cash with you.
- Want to catch a baseball game in São Paulo? Bom Retiro is home to Mie Nishi Municipal Baseball Stadium—the only place of its kind in the country.
- While Bom Retiro is generally safe, some streets near Luz are known as “Cracolândia,” an area of open-air drug markets that’s best avoided.
How to get there
There are several stations in Bom Retiro. Luz is its main public transit hub, reached by mainline trains and Lines 1 and 4 of the São Paulo Metro. Tiradentes and Armênia stations, both on Line 1, are also nearby. Taxis and rideshare services are plentiful and generally affordable, and another good way to go.
When to get there
The best time to visit Bom Retiro is during daytime hours, both to catch its museums and attractions when they’re open and for the safest way to explore. If you can, time your visit for Saturday, when the weekly Feira do Bom Retiro street market is held from morning to early evening.
The best Korean restaurants in Bom Retiro
If you’re visiting São Paulo and have a hankering for kimchi or bulgogi, there are few better places to go than Bom Retiro. Some of its most popular Korean spots include Hwang To Gil (a no-frills, family-run restaurant specializing in traditional cooking), Darê (which offers Korean and Brazilian options), and Komah Restaurante (a destination for chef-driven dishes and cocktails).
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