Ibirapuera Park

Ibirapuera opened in 1954 for the four hundredth anniversary of the city's founding, with buildings by Oscar Niemeyer and landscape by Roberto Burle Marx, and it functions as Sao Paulo's equivalent of a central park - about a hundred and fifty-eight hectares of lawn, lakes and paths that fill with runners, cyclists and families from dawn. The Niemeyer buildings are linked by a long free-form concrete marquise, a curving canopy that shelters the walk between them and is used for skating and events. Under and around it are the Museu de Arte Moderna, the Afro Brasil museum, the Oca dome, the Ibirapuera Auditorium with its red tongue entrance, and the Bienal pavilion that hosts the Sao Paulo art biennial.

What you actually see

• The marquise - a free-form concrete canopy linking the pavilions.
• Niemeyer buildings of 1954 - the Oca, the auditorium and the Bienal pavilion.
• The Afro Brasil museum - one of the most substantial collections of its kind.
• A city park in use - runners, cyclists and families from first light.

When to go

All year. Half a day. Weekday mornings are the calmest.

Honest expectations

Weekends are extremely crowded and parking is difficult. Museums inside close on Mondays and charge separately. The park is not directly on the metro - expect a walk or a ride at either end. Air quality on high-pollution days is poor.

Nearby

Avenida Paulista and MASP are north; Vila Madalena is north-west.