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São Paulo
by Mark Chesnut
Not only is Brazil’s economic hub the largest city
in South America, it’s also the third-largest city
in the world. Especially noteworthy for LGBT travelers
is the fact that São Paulo hosts the biggest gay
pride celebration on the planet. In 2008 the parade (which
is called the Parada do Orgulho GLBT de São
Paulo) attracted some 3.5 million revelers, and organizers
predict at least the same number for 2009. The parade
takes place in May every year, but the date changes so
make sure to visit www.paradasp.org.br
for details.
Gay and lesbian tourism is big business
in Brazil, and São Paulo is no exception. Embratur,
the government tourism organization, partnered for the
first time in 2006 with ABRAT-GLS, an LGBT organization,
to promote the São Paulo pride event with a new
website and financial support. In 2007, Embratur worked
for the first time with a gay tour operator, G Brazil,
to bring international journalists to São Paulo,
Rio de Janeiro, Cabo Frio, and Búzios, with the
goal of showing off what these destinations offer gay
travelers. Clearly, the Brazilian government wants our
business.
“For the future, we intend to create
a GLBT bureau that will receive investments from the
Ministry of Tourism and work to make the experience
[for gay and lesbian visitors] in Brazil something they
will never forget,” said Geraldo Bentes, marketing
director at Embratur.
In the meantime, ABRAT-GLS has introduced
a gay guide to Brazil’s largest destinations on
its website (www.abratgls.com.br).
Other popular events for LGBT travelers
include Mix Brasil (www.mixbrasil.org.br),
a movie festival in November that features works dealing
with sexual diversity; and São Paulo Fashion
Week (www.spfw.com.br),
which brings the nation’s hottest designers to
the runways and shops of Brazil’s largest city.
Even if you can’t make it for one
of São Paulo’s big events, don’t worry.
Corporate travelers may be responsible for about half
of the city’s visitors, but São Paulo offers
plenty of leisure activities and attractions, including
some 87 museums, 66 shopping malls, 12,500 restaurants,
and plenty of nightlife. The upscale Jardins
district is among the most popular neighborhoods with
the gay community and offers many dining and drinking
options. Among the most gay-popular places is L’Open
(Alameda Itu 1466. Tel: 11-3060-9013. www.lopen.com.br),
an elegant, gay-owned Italian restaurant with a second-floor
art gallery, and Ritz (Alameda Franca 1088. Tel:
11-3088-6808), a casual gay-owned restaurant that packs
in diners for its tasty daily specials.
Gay life is visible in many parts of
São Paulo, including the city center and at giant
dance clubs like The Week (Rua Guaicurus 324,
Lapa. Tel: 11-3872-9966. www.theweek.com.br),
where muscle-bound guys take to the dance floor. For
a more alternative scene, check out A Loca (Rua
Frei Caneca 916. Tel: 11-3159-8889. www.aloca.com.br),
where gay men and women (and some hip straight people)
dance and imbibe.
Various publications highlight the city’s
weekly parties and activities, and hotel concierges
are surprisingly well versed on the ins and outs of
gay nightlife. You can also check out Junior
(www.editorasapucaia.com.br),
a glossy gay men’s lifestyle magazine in Portuguese
with beautiful photography and art.
Getting to São Paulo is decidedly
not a quick trip from North America, but since it’s
in the same hemisphere, the time change is much less
daunting than a trip to Europe or Asia, and there are
more options than ever for arriving. TAM (www.tamairlines.com),
the gay-friendly Brazilian airline, has stepped up to
the plate with increased service both domestically and
abroad. In 2007 alone, TAM launched nonstop service
from São Paulo to Caracas, Milan, Frankfurt,
Montevideo, and Madrid, complementing its existing flights
to London, Paris, and the United States. “With
four daily flights linking the US (from Miami and New
York) our presence has increased from our original daily
flight from Miami nine years ago,” noted José
Sampol, TAM’s general manager for North America.
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