Although São Paulo is a quite young city, it was planned for cars, not people. This led the city to be overrun by roads and buildings and left very little spots for parks. Thus, there are very few good parks in central locations of the city, leaving the best outdoor spots far away from the crowd, as you can see on this Google Maps list. I’ll give you 5 obvious and 5 non-obvious Parks in São Paulo:

Mainstream Parks in São Paulo

Ibirapuera Park – the go-to park for most of the locals. It is equipped with lots of sports courts (football, futsal, tennis, basketball, skate), kids amusement, green area, a lake and some bicycles for rent. It is home to 4 museums (Afro and Modern Art with permanent exhibitions), an auditorium and a big building for Biannual events, all put together by legendary Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer. If you can, also book a time for the Japanese garden. I don’t recommend the Planetarium if you have no kids with you. You can go admire all of this or simply take a stroll and drink coconut water and read a book.

It is also open until late in the night with very low risk rate as the park is guarded. The park is accessible by metro Purple – 5 Line, AACD-Servidor station or LOTS of buses. Uber is ok, but the traffic around the park can get huge, so I’d avoid it. Walking to it is also fine if you can as the surroundings are quite safe and full of trees.

Villa Lobos Park – similar to Ibirapuera, but without the lake and with more open area. It holds more varied events – lots of runners-focused ones as the park is, in my opinion, better for this audience due to it being less crowded. Also the best place to make a picnic in the city – you’ll see lots of people doing it. Accessible by train Emerald – 9 Line, Villa Lobos-Jaguaré station.

Independence Park – this park was built in 1989 and commemorates Brazil’s independence. It holds a mausoleum for Dom Pedro I, the first Emperor of Brazil, and his wife, Empress Leopoldina. It also holds a renewed Independence Museum I still need to go to – buy tickets in advance, the queue gets to weeks level. It’s a nice place to walk around, you can see the Cantareira mountains in the background. You can also ride a Carrinho de Rolimã (soapbox carts) as it’s on a hill – there’s always a guy renting them there. Great thing to do with your kid. You will feel tempted to go by Uber from the closest metro station that is 2km away as the Ipiranga surroundings are not the safest — worth keeping in mind if you’re new to the city and still calibrating your sense of the streets. I cover this in more detail in the safety guide.

Parque da Aclimação – A french-inspired park that is a small but secluded retreat in the middle of the chaos. If your hotel is close by, this is a nice place to walk and unwind around the lake. Lots of dog walkers and runners also do the same. Accessible through metro Green – 2 Line Paraíso station + a 20 minutes walk.

Botanical Garden – the only park in São Paulo you need to pay to enter. It is regarded as the most beautiful park in São Paulo, as it’s more secluded, less crowded and has lots of different plant species. It is very close to the city Zoo, so you might feel tempted to do both in the same day. They make it easy for you to buy tickets for both on their website. They also have night tickets – which I’ve never got, but may be a thing. Not as easily accessible, you must take metro Blue Line-1 to Saude station and hop on 4742-10 bus.

Non-Obvious Parks in São Paulo

Tietê Ecological Park – A non-obvious park, it sits at the margin of the Tietê river – the most polluted river I’ve ever seen. However, the park is nice and doesn’t give any pollution vibes. It has places for families picnicking, some wildlife (dogs are not allowed here because of this) and a nice flat trail for you to stroll among lots of native trees. I have personally been chased by a pack of quatis here, very funny memory. Very close to train Line 12-Sapphire Engenheiro Goulart station.

Parque do Carmo – A VERY local park, it is home to the japanese festival in late July/early August because it has a very nice cherry blossom garden. Expect it to be packed by then.

This park has a cool, unique characteristic: it is the only public park in Urban São Paulo I know you can make a barbecue on. Just bring a grill, some meat and enjoy. Not easily accessible, you need to go to the Line 3 – Red, Corinthians-Itaquera station and either get a bus or Uber. Don’t walk to the park from the metro station as the surroundings are quite sketchy — and if you’re not sure what to expect from different parts of the city, have a read through the safety guide before you go.

Parque Cantareira – This for light hikers. From this park you get a nice view from the northern part of the city, lots of trees, local wildlife and if you’re persistent enough, even a waterfall. I’ve never been to this park but it is on my bucket list for a long time now. Accessible through Line Blue – 1 Tucuruvi terminal + a 18 minute Uber. If you’re a hardcore hiker, you’ll also want to go to the Guarulhos gates far to the northeast as they have more wildlife and more cascades for you to admire, but are harder, longer hikes. I know little about them, so no promises.

Jaragua Peak – My favorite outdoor spot in São Paulo, it’s the highest point in the city. This place is home to a State Park with lushing plants and wildlife, indigenous housing (not for tourists though), and a climbable antenna by the end with a gorgeous view of northern and western São Paulo + surrounding cities.

This is for light to medium hikers, as the earthy trail mountain can get quite steep by the end – although you can choose to go by the way less exciting paved road. I frequently see Chinese tourists doing the hike and have seen a bunch of US citizens as well. Accessible by Line Ruby – 8 Vila Clarice station + 30 minute walk or a short Uber ride. I prefer to do the walk very early in the morning to feel the local vibe.

Paranapiacaba – A very small village within Santo André’s borders, the Brazilian Silent Hill can be both chill (as the village itself has its winter festival, lots of Cambuci – a local fruit with delicious produce and some great mountain views) or thrilling, as it is located on the Serra do Mar mountain range with infinite hiking options. I made the Crystal Lake hike once in a pouring New Years Eve and it was very nice. There are rivers to cross, lots of wildlife and a dense tropical forest.

There are also lots of waterfall options if you like them and, if you try hard enough, you can even hike to a point you can see the sea from atop the 1 kilometer high range. For really hardcore hikers, there’s a trail where you can climb the mountain down to Cubatão city and then up again – they call it the horseshoe trail for its format. It takes 2 to 3 days to do so at a high difficulty level. There are lots of guides in the village and online so feel free to pick one and have some adventure. You can access this gem via Turquoise – 10 Line, Rio Grande da Serra station + a 30 minutes bus ride.

Before heading out to any of these parks, the São Paulo transport guide has all the metro and train tips to reach them. Still deciding where to base yourself? The neighborhoods guide helps you pick the right area. And after a long day outdoors, the Brazilian food guide will sort dinner.