Sorocaba is a city in the interior of São Paulo state. Although almost ignored as a tourist destination, Sorocaba is a large city with strong (and growing) economy, a charming and well-preserved Downtown, practically no slums, and known as one of the most cycling-friendly cities of the country (if not the most).
Understand
editSorocaba, founded in 1654, is located in the southeast region of the state, about 90km from the capital.
Get in
editBy bus
edit- 1 Sorocaba bus station (Terminal Rodoviário de Sorocaba), ☏ +15 3232-6964. Relatively small, but it has various companies which run between Sorocaba and nearby cities of the region such as Ibiúna, São Roque, and Iperó, as well as destinations further afield such as Curitiba, Londrina, Foz do Iguaçu, Belo Horizonte, and Rio de Janeiro. Only one company, Viação Cometa, offers service from the city of São Paulo.
By car
edit- SP 75 (Santos Dumont highway), from Itu, Salto, Piracicaba and Campinas
- SP 79 (Waldomiro Correa de Camargo highway), from Itu
- SP 97 (Emerenciano Prestes de Barros highway), from Porto Feliz
- SP 264 (João Leme dos Santos highway), from Salto de Pirapora, Votorantim, and Piedade
- SP 270 (Raposo Tavares highway), from Itapetininga, Presidente Prudente, São Roque and Vargem Grande Paulista
- SP 280 (Castelo Branco highway), from São Paulo, Ourinhos
- SCB 354 - from Iperó
Get around
editSee
edit- Cathedral Church.
- 1 Brigadier Tobias' Manor (Casarão de Brigadeiro Tobias).
- Monastery of São Bento, Largo São Bento - Centro, ☏ +55 11 3328-8794.
- Pelourinho, Rua Dr. Nogueira Martins - Centro. In 1599, governor Dom Francisco de Souza established the first slave trading post in Vila de Nossa Senhora de Monte Serrat. In 1661 it was transferred first to Itavuvu and then to what is now central Sorocaba.
- Sorocaba Historical Museum. Housed in the former house of the Marquesa de Santos.
- Zoológico Municipal Quinzinho de Barros, R. Teodoro Kaisel, 883 - Vila Hortência, Sorocaba - SP, 18020-268.
Do
editBuy
edit- Mercado Municipal, Largo do Mercado – Centro.
- Sorocaba Shopping Center, Av. Afonso Vergueiro, 1, ☏ +55 15 3232-2757. 700. One of the first malls constructed in Brazil, with a cinema and a large variety of shops.
- Shopping Iguatemi Esplanada, ☏ +55 15 3224-4666. Av. Profa. Izoraida Marques Peres, 401 - Campolim. Several department stores, a cinema, and one of the region's biggest supermarkets.
- Panorâmico Shopping Center, ☏ +55 15 3231-6917. Rodovia Raposo Tavares, km 99,5, Sorocaba.
- Pátio Cianê Shopping, Av. Dr. Afonso Vergueiro, 823 - Centro, Sorocaba - SP, 18035-370.
Eat
editDrink
edit- Tribeca Café. Dance music, pop and techno.
Sleep
editBudget
edit- Cardum Hotel
- Chamonix Hotel
- Hotel Ipanema
- Sorocaba Hotel
Mid-range
edit- Grand Hotel Royal.
- Ibis
- Shelton Inn
- Sorocaba Park Hotel
Splurge
edit- Flat The First
- Hotel Pitangueiras.
Connect
editStay safe
editSorocaba is the safest of the 10 largest cities of the São Paulo state, and probably one of safest large cities of the country. This is likely due to the lack of extreme social contrasts commonly seen in other large Brazilian cities - Sorocaba contains practically no slums (favelas).
As in many cities of the country, drug addicts roam the city center, but until so far, their number has been kept under control by means of governmental assistance programs.