“I am not led, I lead.” That is the motto for Sao Paulo, Brazil and it is a fitting one. The city leads the way in the Southern Hemisphere with more than 11 million residents, a cultural scene that is unrivaled in Brazil and more than 12,000 restaurants that draw upon its rich cultural diversity.

To be honest, there are parts of Sao Paulo that are far from nice. Some neighborhoods are extremely poor. Others have high rates of crime. Some are dirty and hold no interest for the visitor. But such is life in any big city and while it does have its share of trouble spots, Sao Paulo also has a vibe that is hard not to love.

Sao Paulo is a city of festivals and events. It hosts everything from an international film festival to a fashion week to the largest Gay parade in the world, which draws more than 2.5 million to watch. There is, of course, Carnival as well which is a spectacle unto its own.

If you are one who likes to lead, or one who simply likes to visit large cities with lots of activites, you should put Sao Paulo on your travel list. [1] Airplane tickets from Europe to Sao Paulo are not super cheap, but sometimes you have to pay a bit more to receive a big reward.