2 Best Sights in São Paulo, Brazil

Peek into the Paulista's past at one of the avenue's few remaining early-20th-century buildings, the House of the Roses. A 1935 French-style mansion with gardens inspired by those at Versailles, it seems out of place next to the surrounding skyscrapers. The famous paulistano architect Ramos de Azevedo designed the home for one of his daughters, and the same family occupied it until 1986, when it was made an official municipal landmark. The site, now a cultural center, hosts classes and literary events. Coffee drinks and pastries are served at the café on the terrace.

A beautiful, quiet, private wooded estate is the setting for the Maria Luisa and Oscar Americano Foundation. Paintings, furniture, sacred art, silver, porcelain, engravings, tapestries, sculptures, and personal possessions of the Brazilian royal family are among the 1,500 objects from the Portuguese colonial and imperial periods on display here, and there are some modern pieces as well. Having afternoon high tea here is an event, albeit an expensive one, and Sunday concerts take place in the auditorium.