sbm12

I've got a 12 hour layover in GRU (9am-9pm) this coming Sunday and I'm looking for suggestions of what I can/should do while on the ground. My goals are to see a bit of the local life, have at least one good (local, large, cheap) meal and to not spend a fortune in general.

Any suggestions?

SJOGuy

You have a visa for Brazil, right?

sbm12

Yup...picking up my passport from the consulate in NYC this afternoon. Just in time for my trip which starts tomorrow.

l etoile

Please follow this in the Brazil forum.

l'etoile
sr. moderator

qfrodo

Try starting with this thread:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/brazi...sao-paulo.html

Don't know if the OP is traveling the same day as you, but similar situation.

SoCal

I know GRU pretty well, SP not so much. The airport is not one in which you'd want to spend 12 hours. Apart from getting a day room at an airport-area hotel and sleeping (you're arriving from one overnight flight and connecting to another, brave person?), going into downtown SP sounds like a good idea. There is a tourist info desk in the airport so maybe they can give ideas on public transportation as well as tours.

I don't know anyone who wants to, or can, spend a "fortune." What's your budget? Could you afford a guided tour out of Guarulhos to take you into Sao Paulo? Otherwise I'd get a guidebook of SP and take a bus into the city from Guarulhos (not exactly next door, but doable in your time frame), and walk around, take the Metro, etc. I assume you'd have someplace to store your bags (or that they'll be checked through to your next flight already). Good thing it's a Sunday so you don't have to worry about traffic like on a weekday, but do allow plenty of time to get back to the airport. You'll have to go through immigration and customs upon arrival, of coruse. When you go back to the airport, you'll need to go through the usual security line (assuiming you already have the boarding pass for your onward flight and don't have to get in line for that), plus a quick stop at passport control.

If you want a big, cheap meal, don't expect great quality, but the two "traditional" chocies that come to mind are feijoada (pork and black bean stew, with lots of side dishes) or churrascaria (all-you-can-eat barbequed meat place). You could find either in Guarlhos itself and, of course, in SP. For each there is a wide range of places, from very basic and cheap to very fancy (well, as fancy as pork and beans can get) and expensive.

qfrodo

SoCal mentioned a day room at the airport. Here is a link in case you don't sleep well on planes:

http://www.fastsleep.com.br/

And some reviews on trip advisor:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...Sao_Paulo.html

sbm12

I'll sleep when I'm dead.

At this point I'm pretty sure the plan is a Shopee and Pao do Queijo to fortify myself and then the bus into S.P. proper. Destination is Republica Square and then I'll mostly be playing it by ear. The food thing may prove difficult but, well, I've always managed thus far and I doubt it'll get too much worse this time around.

SoCal

Actually I was talking about day rooms at area hotels outside of the airport, but I think I have seen this place mentioned in the link when I walked through GRU (in the interntional departures area). OP seems sure they don't need sleep (could be strong, or young, stupid and macho, but no matter, they seem to have their plans well set). I'm not a fan of Pao de Quijo etc., but lots of people eat there, so to each their own.

Palal

I have a similar trip in a few months.
Other then the two "traditional" food options mentioned, anything else local and not that expensive that's worth trying? I'm not a big fan of Feijoada, at least the type we have here in Portugal.

Palal

Has anyone taken bus 257 which costs only 4 reais?

dgcpaphd

Unless you already made plans for your arrival in Sao Paulo on Sunday, here is a link to something that might be interesting as part of your 12 hour layover.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altino_Arantes_Building

The link is to Sao Paulo's Banespa Building. This was once the tallest building in the city. On the top of the building is an observation deck where you can see many landmarks of the city. The building and observation deck were "inspired" by the Empire State Building in New York.

You said you were first going to Republica Square (Praca da Republica). From that location, if you like to walk, it is only about ten or twelve blocks to the Banespa building. A cab ride would not cost more than a few dollars if you prefer not to walk.

The web address I furnished shows pictures of the building and area. Seeing this landmark might be a nice way to fill up the 12 hour layover.

By the way, there is no charge to go to the top of the deck but non Brazilians need a passport or at least a photocopy of the first page of a passport.

If you want an inexpensive place to eat before or after visiting the Banespa building, there is a large shopping center in the area called "Shopping light" where you will find many restaurants on the food level floor. Surprisingly, there is a very nice German restaurant in the food court with sit-down tables and menus.

Of course, there are many things to see and do in Sao Paulo. However, since your time is limited, seeing this building would be something you will remember for a long time, unless you do not like tall buildings.

There is also a small museum in the building.

Good luck on wherever you decide to go during your 12 connection time.
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sbm12

That tower could've been nice but I stayed grounded today. There was a HUGE music festival this weekend so I pretty much enjoyed that as I wandered from Republica to some other square to the Mercado Municipal to the Cathedral. I stopped to enjoy the musical performances at a couple locations along the way and lunched at the Mercado. By the time I was done with the Cathedral I was done.

Back at the airport now and "enjoying" the rather sub-par RCC waiting for the flight to ORD.

Thanks to all for the suggestions. I'll write up a more coherent version with details when I'm back home and have slept in a real bed again.

GUWonder

Not I, but anyone with luggage may want to consider using the paid rental lockers/storage area at GRU -- after exiting customs, exiting the terminal building and heading (left usually for the OP's situation) toward the rental car counters and lockers on the exterior of the terminal building -- prior to taking that bus. The more expensive 33 BRL (in each direction) bus pick-up area is close to the paid baggage storage area on the exterior of the terminal building, and that's the one with which I'm familiar.

sbm12

UA arrives in Terminal 1 and the luggage lockers are to the right after you exit the building, not to the left. They are just past the bus ticket room. I paid the R$ 9 to store my bag for the day and took the R$ 33 bus each way (it was R$ 34.35 on the return with some extra tax added on). One in town I took the metro a couple times (R$ 2.90 each) and otherwise walked a lot.

Oh, and be ready for an extortionate R$ 12 fee at the ATMs in the airport arrivals hall. That was brutal.