Compras no centro de SP: Pegue sua ecobag e vá às feiras!

Shopping in downtown SP: Grab your ecobag and go to the markets!

Shopping in downtown SP is a dream , there's everything - from bargains to super specialized streets!

Living alone is a huge challenge, but one of the great pleasures is being able to enjoy a market and decide what to eat!

Normally, when we start living alone, we hear a list of things we need to do every month or week, such as: taking out the trash, changing the sheets, cleaning the fridge (I hate this part), not leaving the clothes out on the line for too long, and going grocery shopping. The money for the monthly shopping needs to be on your expense list . But it's not always at the grocery store that we'll find everything we need to eat , and most importantly, to stay healthy .

The fair is a very powerful piece of popular wisdom. Our social imagination makes us think that the fair is something European and medieval, but here in Brazil, the fair and the markets were and are black territories of great freedom and commerce. It is based on exchange, singing, and smooth talk that the fair is made. It is no wonder that, if you live in a peripheral region, there must certainly be a fair very close to your home, because the fair is a construction of our people.

And it is there that we find the best food, the best trinkets, the best stories, and we can also contribute to the local economy and help the street vendors. Here near my home, in Bom Retiro , right next to Armênia station, there is a very small but very welcoming street vendor. I made friends with all the vendors, they know me and help me choose the fruits and vegetables, and they also have a wonderful pastel. I even made a little film of my partner going to the street vendor, it was really cool, if you want to watch it, just click here. There is a very nice documentary about street vendors in São Paulo on YouTube, which is worth watching and learning more about.

Well, in this text I will introduce you to 02 fairs and a street of shops that you can add to your shopping itinerary in downtown São Paulo, close to 03 Citas apartments that are available for you to live in!



Freedom - a trinket fair

Liberdade Neighborhood - Photo: City Hall of SP

In another post here on the blog, I told you the story of the Liberdade neighborhood . Located on the blue line of the São Paulo subway map, Liberdade is a very diverse neighborhood, and today it is known for having a large Japanese-Brazilian population, in addition to the Japanese culture being honored and permeating the entire neighborhood. It is a perfect place for all types of shopping in the center. In addition to large stores with Japanese and Chinese products, Asian restaurants and lots of makeup, creams, and technological gadgets, Liberdade has a small fair selling clothes, crystal stones, plants, bamboo objects and typical foods right at the entrance of the subway.

Just get off the subway and there you go, you're at the market. I thought the bamboo objects were really cool, like cutting boards, kitchen spoons, and even a little twig to remove earwax. The prices are fair, only a few things more geared towards costume jewelry and fashion are more expensive. The food is great!! There's yakisoba, spring rolls, natural juice, etc. There are lots of delicious things to eat, and I recommend you go on an empty stomach!

The Citas apartment has two bedrooms, a coliving system and is located 750 meters from the Liberdade station, so in addition to the market, you can also take a walk! Oh, and this apartment is also close to the Dom Pedro II station, on the 25 de Março street, a street full of stores where you can buy cheap things and decorate your apartment!



A street in Sé full of pots for you!

I'm sure your grandmother or aunt gave you a Tupperware kit as a gift when you announced that you were going to live alone. Well, that happened to me. I grew up in a house full of plastic containers, which, although considered chic, weren't always functional. It's true that colorful containers are cute and make our cupboards look pretty, but they're also not very environmentally friendly and are a hassle if they're covered in grease.

That's why I recommend glass jars. They are better received by nature, they last a long time indoors and they are also beautiful! You can get glass jars by reusing other products, such as olives and hearts of palm, or by going shopping in downtown São Paulo - on Rua Tabatinguera, in Sé.

Well, if you went for a stroll at the Liberdade market I mentioned above, just follow Avenida da Liberdade towards the Sé Church and then turn right. There you have it, you have arrived at your destination: glass jars.

Tabatinguera Street has a huge variety of stores and is a great destination for shopping in downtown São Paulo, selling glass, plastic, cardboard and Styrofoam packaging. You can even find ointment packaging! Glass jars are very affordable, small ones can cost R$2.00, great for seasoning, and large ones cost on average R$4.00 to R$10.00, and the latter can be really big.

You can also find those darker colored pots, used to put flowers or kambô teas made at home. However, I think it would be beautiful to add a sprig of a plant, or any other decoration of your choice. Oh, speaking of decorations, you can also find dried flowers and fruits, as well as essences, on the street, a great opportunity for you to create your own home scent!

The Citas Sé apartment is located right on Tabatinguera Street! And can I say that? I've stayed at an Airbnb in the same building and it's incredible! In addition to having a wonderful balcony and being super bright, the condominium has a room just for washing machines and dryers, without taking up space in your home. It's worth checking out!

Republic, and its variety of little markets!

If you are in Sé and tired of walking around downtown, just take the subway and you will soon arrive at República. I particularly love República, it is a place full of little markets, restaurants, grocery stores and bars, perfect for spending an afternoon and shopping in downtown São Paulo. Always remember to wear a mask, use hand sanitizer and check if the establishment follows the WHO rules.

On Barão de Itapetininga Street, in República, you will find a small market of mainly African and Haitian immigrant traders. República, being one of São Paulo's small Africas, welcomes those who have crossed seas and lands to find a place in this world. The clothes with capulanas, colorful African fabrics full of stories, are wonderful. The price may be a little "scary" at first, but if you think about it, you would spend it easily.

R$90.00 reais for a t-shirt, and we wouldn't be helping anyone.

In addition to clothes, you can also find earrings, turbans, necklaces, bracelets, metal insects and many stories to listen to at Barão de Itapetininga. Well, crossing Avenida Ipiranga towards Praça da República, you will find a small market selling clothes, earrings, necklaces, works of art and food. But my favorite stall at this little market in the square is the one selling instruments, where you can play freely and even chat with the vendors who are there. This little market is held on weekends and is an important point for the local economy of the city center. I recommend going with an empty eco-bag and with room for a pastel!


If you decide to live in the Citas apartment at Palacete Mococa , you will only walk 550 meters and find this whole universe of markets and stories in República. Oh, and your room will be very beautiful, it even has a sofa that made me really want to buy it for my house.

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