Skate-cation top 10: São Paulo with Eliana Sosco
There’s been no shortage of amazing skateboarders emerging from Brazil, which has often made people wonder if it’s something in the water, or perhaps in the acai bowls. In our interview with photographer, Anairam de Leon, she speculated that it is the less-than-perfect rough skate spots that force the skaters to be more persistent and creative.
For our third “skate-cation top 10” with the Autonomy team, celebrating their Jetsetter travel series, we asked Eliana Sosco to show us her favorite places to skate in São Paulo, Brazil. We got the low down on the skate spots, skate parks and where to find a good acai bowl — just incase that really is Brazil’s secret to big pop and extra steeze.
Praça da Sé, São Paulo, Brazil
This square marks the centre of São Paulo. In it is the well known sculpture Espaço Cósmico (Cosmic Space) sculpture that has appeared in many skate photos and videos. The square also has smooth flat ground, ledges and stairs so you can skate for hours and never get bored.
Praça Pateo do Collegio, 2 – Centro Histórico de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
Nearby Praça da Sé you’ll find Pátio do Colégio. This spot has been the preferred place for flatground tricks since its renovation in 2009. The smooth surface is made of marble and Portuguese stone and is perfect for skateboarding.
Centro Histórico de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
Vale do Anhangabaú is national skate heritage and has appeared in many of the videos filmed in São Paulo. It has long ledges and manual pads.
R. Augusta, 2414 – Cerqueira César, São Paulo, Brazil
Matriz has stores around Brazil including one in São Paulo. They carry the big brands from around the world as well as Brazilian brands like Öus Shoes. They also have a huge line of Matriz branded product including collabs with Grizzly and Nike.
Multiple locations
Rei do Mate is a good place for an acai bowl and “pan de queso” (cheese bread). They have multiple locations in São Paulo (and around Brazil) so you’re never too far from one when you’re out skating.
Av. Queiroz Filho, 1365 – Vila Hamburguesa, São Paulo, Brazil
The Vans Skatepark is one of the most famous skate destinations in São Paulo. It was built by California Skateparks for the Vans Park Series in June 2018. The park is the second in the world built-to-spec and certified by the VPS for the park terrain. It’s 830m2 of skateable terrain with a deep end of 2.9 meters and street obstacles on the deck. The park is free and open to the public.
Rua Catão 893 vila romana São Paulo, Brazil
This award-winning restaurant is a really good spot for homemade food. Their menu changes daily and meals cost around $8. Check out their Instagram here.
Praça Roosevelt, São Paulo, Brazil
This is one of the main skate spots in Brazil. It has stairs, rails, gaps, benches, and ledges of various heights. This square was first built in the 1960s and was frequented by skaters for many years. It was renovated in 2012 and in 2014 part of the square was dedicated for use by skateboarders.
Rua da Cantareira 306, São Paulo, Brazil
The Mercado Municipal market is one of the most famous tourist spots in the city of São Paulo. There is a huge variety of food ranging from fresh produce and spices to meals and snacks like the traditional mortadella sandwich.
Av. Eliseu de Almeida, 984 – Butantã, São Paulo, Brazil
CavePool ticks all the boxes with skateboarding, food and beers. The place includes a skate bowl, a bar that serves craft beer, a restaurant, a skate shop, pool tables, an arcade and a barbecue area. If you’re lucky there will be live music on stage as well.
We’ve teamed up with Autonomy to give you a chance to win a $100 Autonomy Skateboards product giveaway. Each deck from the new series comes with a postcard featuring the series artwork and details of how to enter. Shop the Jetsetter series here.
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