Sundays have become synonymous with cycling in São Paulo. Each week, more than 100,000 people of all sizes and speeds take to the CicloFaixa – a 67km network of closed-off roads, in areas in the east, west and north of the city – so don’t let chaotic traffic stop you from exploring the city by bike.
The roads along the route are closed to cars, and connect Parques do Ibirapuera, Villa-Lobos, do Povo and das Bicicletas. In August 2012, the city’s most iconic avenue, the great Avenida Paulista, joined the CicloFaixa, extending from Rua da Consolação to Praça Oswaldo Cruz and on up Rua Vergueiro to Praça da Sé, in the heart of the city’s historic centre, adding a further 8.5km to the network.
If you don't have a bike: you can rent one in Parque do Ibirapuera, Parque Villa-Lobos and from Instituto Parada Vital, a bike rental scheme found in 15 metrô stations across the city.
The CicloFaixa is open on Sundays and bank holidays, 7am-4pm (3097 3220, ciclofaixa.com.br).
