São Paulo Gained Spotlight in International Ranking by Surpassing Famous Destinations, Driven by Intense Urban Life, Expanding Mobility, and a Cultural and Culinary Scene That Continues to Grow
São Paulo ranked 18th in the World’s Best Cities ranking – best city in the world – 2026 and is noted in the survey as a reference in urban transformation.
The report highlights that the capital is advancing in mobility, consumption, and gastronomy, factors that reinforce its presence among destinations evaluated as the best city in the world.
The research involved one hundred metropolitan areas with over 1 million inhabitants and considered urban indicators and the perceptions of 21,000 people.
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Couple surprises by purchasing a village abandoned for 50 years in Spain for R$ 2 million and will rebuild about 60 stone houses in ruins and start a plan to restore everything as a self-sufficient ecovillage with solar energy, community gardens, and sustainable living.
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In a locked room of a R$ 220 million mansion in Brazil about to be demolished, a R$ 400,000 Brancusi sculpture has just been found.
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Archaeologists discovered in Pompeii the remains of a man who faced the eruption of Vesuvius holding a bowl on his head as a shield, a lamp to light the way, and ten bronze coins to restart life, in a find that confirms the account written by Pliny the Younger almost 2,000 years ago.
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Hidden beneath the Amazon rainforest in southern Pará, an extinct volcano approximately 1.9 billion years old is considered by Brazilian researchers to be one of the oldest ever identified with a preserved structure, placing the Amazon at the center of studies on the formation of Earth’s first continents.
Best City in the World and Nightlife
The city leads the world in nightlife. Areas such as Vila Madalena and Baixo Augusta maintain continuous movement, driven by the variety of bars, music venues, and cultural spaces.
This scenario is linked to the return of crowds to the streets and urban reorganization in different neighborhoods.
Urban Experience on the Rise
The capital climbed to 8th place globally in the urban experience pillar. Mobility between neighborhoods, the expansion of transportation, and the offering of cultural activities influenced the performance.
The revitalization of Anhembi and the changes along the Rio Pinheiros axis, with parks and bike lanes, reinforce the perception that São Paulo is consolidating characteristics associated with the idea of the best city in the world.
Gastronomy and Consumption
The gastronomy remains among the top five in the world. The return of the Michelin Guide to Brazil has once again placed D.O.M., Maní, and Evvai among the most relevant restaurants.
For 2025, the opening of new ventures in Pinheiros and Jardins promises to increase gastronomic variety and strengthen the city’s presence on the global scene.
The luxury consumption remains strong, placing São Paulo in the top 3 worldwide for shopping. Commercial streets and shopping malls focused on international brands sustain performance and influence the international perception of the best city in the world.
At the conclusion of the report, São Paulo is presented as a metropolis in cultural, urban, and economic renewal, consolidating its global influence and strengthening criteria associated with the idea of the best city in the world.

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