The most flowery season of the year returns on the 22nd of September, and alongside that, the heat also makes a comeback!
To truly enjoy spring, it is nice to spend time outside appreciating the sun and the company of family and friends, or maybe, your own company! To help you choose the spot you will be either reading a book alone, while tanning and enjoying the September breeze, or even just hiking on a beautiful place with friends, here is a list of 5 outdoor places to help you choose your favorite one to enjoy spring, and the beautiful flowers.
1. Parque Ecológico do Guarapiranga (Guarapiranga Ecological Park)
Image Source: Governo do Estado de São Paulo
Located on the south of São Paulo, it occupies 28km around the Guarapiranga dam, and it is known for its beautiful natural landscape. Most part of the park is covered with eucalyptus trees that produce beautiful flowers around spring time! The park also has a total of 52 animal species, including colorful birds that make the surroundings a little happier with their singing.
There are plenty of sports and cultural activities available in the park, the most popular one being the hikes. The schedule is made by CECCO (Guarapiranga Park Cooperative Center). The area is also great for a picnic with friends, but don’t forget to bring the food, because unfortunately there are no cafes or restaurants in the park. It is also a pet friendly place, so definitely a good spot to hike with your dog!
2. Pracinha do Seu Justino
Image Source: Pracinha do Seu Justino Facebook Page
In the neighborhood of Vila Madalena, Pracinha do Seu Justino is gastronomic square and bar, and the food is inspired by street snacks of São Paulo! It takes place in an outdoor surrounding, the entrance is free and the decoration is modern with vertical gardens, neon signs, and even a fountain to make wishes.
Renowned chefs are sporadically invited to command the dynamic menu the place offers, and to go with the food, there are also options of beers and tropical drinks! They open at 6pm from Tuesday to Friday, and 12am during weekends, so definitely a great place to spend warm spring nights (and days) with friends, and you can also bring your dog, since the place is pet friendly!
3. Jardim Botânico (Botanical Garden)
Image Source: Caio Pimenta (Passeios baratos em SP)
A beautiful place to either read a book, or take a walk during spring time to enjoy the flowers and the big variety of plants. There you can also find a museum where there are samples of plants of the Brazilian flora and representations of São Paulo’s ecosystem. It stands out two greenhouses that shelter typical plants of the Atlantic Florest, and temporary expositions.
Jardim Botânico is also known for the peace, since it usually is not packed with people, maybe because of the rules: it is prohibited to practice any sports or bring pets. Some people define the place as an oasis inside of São Paulo, because of the beautiful area it is located in and the lake. It is definitely very clean, and has great infrastructure.
4. Outdoor Cinema – Cine na Praça
Image Source: Cine na Praça Facebook Page
This one is not a place but an event that occurs in multiple outdoor locations. Cine na Praça is a project that was idealized in 2012 and consists on exhibiting movies in outdoor spaces. In São Paulo, the films are often shown at Parque do Povo, but have been exhibited in multiple locations including Centro Cultural São Paulo – CCSP and in the city of Santos.
They show a big variety of films, usually the movies are bold, independent, and bring up debate around the topic it is about. A few movies they have exhibited are “Dunkirk”, “Moana” and “Wonder”. Definitely a good idea to spend spring nights watching a movie with family and friends, in an outdoor place, and the best is that it is all for free! Keep up with their website (www.cinenapraca.com.br) to see when they are next exhibiting a movie next to you!
5. Parque Burle Marx
Image Source: Creative Commons/Paulo Roberto de Souza
This park was idealized by the architect Burle Marx, the one who created the famous design of the sidewalks at Rio de Janeiro. It is located at Vila Andrade neighborhood, and is known as a great place to spend the day reading a book. There you can find books hanging by the trees, and people can take one to read and leave another, using the concept of a collective library.
It has an area of approximately 168.000 m², and has the Burle Marx garden, which is considered historical and cultural heritage. A good place to spend weekends and weekdays with family and friends, specially on spring time, and the entrance is free.