Just in time for Christmas, Air Canada inaugurated a new direct route from Montreal to South America's largest "commercial hub," Sao Paulo, Brazil. Offering from 3 direct flights per week, Air Canada and of course, the sao Paulo tourist office, want to attract Quebec travelers to the Brazilian metropolis this winter.

For this FAM Tour, journalists discovered the region in two parts. The first part of the trip, organized by the Circuito Litoral Norte de Sao Paulo, the coastal region that encompasses the coastal towns of Bertioga, Sao Sebastiao, Ubatuba and Ilhabela, aimed to introduce the picturesque beaches and towns of the waterfront that border the metropolis.

Subsequently, the group moved to the metropolis of Sao Paulo, which is one of the main "commercial hub" of South America. This initiative, to split the trip into two parts, was a good idea.

It is indeed mistakenly believed that there are no beaches in Sao Paulo... skeptics were therefore confused.

"Sao Paulo is surpassing Rio," said Tiago Tomazella of Sao Paulo Turismo. It is a thriving business city, there are a multitude of neighborhoods and attractions of interest to visit: museums, parks, restaurants... the city's economy is doing well, so its development is booming and the interest of travelers to visit it is growing. »

The issue of security kept coming up, both from journalists and their relatives. Brazil has a bad reputation for being a dangerous country for tourists. However, Sao Paulo is not to be discouraged, unlike in Rio. Just be careful and discreet.

"We always tell tourists to be careful, of course, as everywhere in the world. There are neighborhoods to avoid, which are less frequent and there are pick pockets in tourist places, but it's like anywhere else... we recommend to be discreet, to take out your camera only to take pictures and of course, we recommend retaining the services of a certified guide to visit the city. Sao Paulo is a rich and beautiful city, where you eat well and where there are many attractions to discover, don't miss it."