National is also good!

Not as much vacation time as you wanted huh?! I know the feeling… And that’s why today I’m going to provide some insights of an escape which could work perfectly for the weekend.

            Newport in Rhode Island (RI), considered the “New England summer resort”, is also a good place to spend the weekend in cooler seasons of the year. In fact, during this time of the year (not summer) the hotels are much cheaper and you could find a good quality hotel room for something around $50-60.00 a night, especially if you can bid on the prices. Since the town is not that crowded at this time, hotels manage to have capacity at an acceptable level. There are also many entertainment options and leisure activities to be explored in the city.

            For the hotel, I could suggest Hyatt Regency Newport where it was possible to get a room for as low as $40.00 per night. But again, bidding was the price strategy. The hotel has an amazing waterfront view on both sides (picture below) and the rooms are very cozy. Staff people are also courteous. 

From the hotel you can also see the Newport Bridge which is just beautiful during the night; simply worthy of a postcard (picture on the side). 

Very close to the hotel is downtown Newport, where most of the good stuff to do is located! The town has a graceful street packed with well known brand stores but also some small stores selling local souvenir items. The small restaurants also give a touch of ‘home’ places to eat and everyone outside seems to be happy there.

               Nearby there is the Cliff Walk which is one of the ‘must do’ things when coming to Newport. Located on the eastern shore of the city, the Cliff Walk allows visitors to watch the bay, providing an amazing view, see some of Newport Mansions, and enjoy public nature space. It could take you as long as 2.5 hours to go through the entire walk.

 The Mansions are also one of the top attractions in Newport. People come from all over the place to see these huge houses where the elites used to spend their summers and which were built many years ago. Some are even 100 years back dated. The history and architecture of these houses is incredible, and there are actually tours for people who want to visit and go in. Ticket prices range from between $10-30.00 for adults and depend on the properties visited.

When coming back to the downtown area there is this game place which is perfect to end the day!! Ryan Family Amusements is the get together point for anyone in Newport willing to have a good time. Buying as low as a $10 card, you can have fun with your friends. The place is full with games such as pinball, basketball, air hockey, dance revolution, slot machines, etc, and after winning tickets with the points made, you can trade these for prizes inside the store.

 See?! No need to complain anymore about short vacations or unknown holiday places to go. Newport has everything from calm, to open space, fun and antique. So just pick which you prefer and enjoy!!

 

São Paulo's must go places

São Paulo, a city where I spent 5 years of my life and met incredible people, was named after Saint Paul and is the capital of Brazil’s most populous state, also named São Paulo. Considered the country’s financial capital, it also has strong influences in terms of tourist attractions due to its popular places to visit such as antique monuments and well known museums. So, if you’re planning to visit São Paulo you should definitely check out these places.

Although being the largest church in São Paulo and a share place for Catholics to get together, the Sé Cathedral is also famous for its Neo-Gothic style (picture on the side), making it one of the most visited places in the city. Located at the centre of São Paulo, it becomes almost a mandatory route for those visiting the city. 

Initially built to be the headquarters of the state’s Bank, today Santander Banespa Building, also known as the Downtown skyline, is considered the second tallest building in São Paulo. In this sense, from the Parapet, the upper level of the building, you get a far and spectacular view of the city (picture below). To participate in the tour people just need to provide some type of identification.

  

 Sao Paulo Museum of Art is a place that gathers varied art exhibitions, including paintings, music, films, antiques and art in general. The building has an eye-catching architecture and is located at the famous “Avenida Paulista” (Paulista Avenue), which is also an icon of São Paulo for being the city’s most important financial center (picture below).

Despite the fact that São Paulo is a really busy city, it has an urban park suitable for people who want to practice sports during the day or just spend leisure time (pictures below). Ibirapuera Park is renowned for its design by Oscar Niemeyer, a famous architect who specializes in international modern constructions. He also participated in the design of UN Headquarters in New York and is the oldest living architect.

   

 Just outside the Ibirapuera Park is the “Monumento às Bandeiras” (Monument to the flags) which represents those who ‘followed the flags’, called the ‘bandeirantes’. It refers to the explorers who were in the country during the 17^th century.

 São Paulo also has a specific region called “Liberdade” which is a mini Asian town and it derives from the fact that it’s the second city of the world with more concentration of Japanese. The constructions and everything in the region follows the Oriental style as well. This is a good place to shop for Asian goods and eat Chinese/Japanese food.

 The Municipal Market is another must go place for tourists not only from outside the country but also from other Brazilian states. It’s just amazing the variety of food you’ll find here! It’s also considered the best place in São Paulo to enjoy different aromas, colors and flavors.

  Last but not least, “Rua 25 de Março” (25 March Street) is one of the most crowed places in São Paulo (picture below). Practically at the center of the city, it’s a popular commerce region which attracts merchants from all over the country due to its low prices and variety of products; everything from clothes to party supplies and household items.

 There are still many other places to visit such as the Municipal Theatre, the Museum of Ipiranga, Oscar Freire Street, the Morumbi Stadium, the Luz Station, etc. Indeed a city to explore and enjoy!