Visiting Farol Santander, the former Banespão
We started our visit at the Observation Deck. From up there, you can see the mountain range (Serra do Mar), Pico do Jaraguá, the old city center, and even Paulista Avenue. The building was once the tallest in the city but now ranks 4th. The building offers binoculars to peek at the city's nooks and crannies, and their use is free.
On the same floor as the Observation Deck is the Café do 26º, which has various treats to eat while taking a break from your tour.
We went down the stairs and arrived at the first exhibition, "The Adventures of Alice," entirely dedicated to the story of Alice in Wonderland. In addition to learning about the book's history, we also learned a bit about Lewis Carroll and Alice, the girl who inspired the story. All of this was conveyed with written and illustrated panels, books, small interactive artworks, and even some instruments that inspired cinema as we know it today.
We also checked out Rafael Silveira's exhibition: Espuma Delirante. Rafael is a Brazilian artist from Curitiba, and his style is characterized as pop surrealist.
In addition to temporary exhibitions, Farol Santander houses some permanent spaces. The 2nd, 3rd, and 5th floors comprise the Memory Space, where the history of the building's construction is told. The Altino Arantes Building was built to be the headquarters of the Bank of the State of São Paulo (Banespa). This is where the nickname Banespão originates.
Fun fact: Farol Santander has 1119 windows!
Write down the address and visit too:
R. João Brícola, 24
Centro Histórico de São Paulo - São Paulo, SP
Happy Hour at Bar dos Arcos
After the visit, we went to Bar dos Arcos, a place we really wanted to check out. It's one of Facundo Guerra's ventures - and it's worth following his work, as cool projects always emerge :)
The bar is in the basement of the Theatro Municipal de São Paulo and it's beautiful! The arches of the construction make the space super interesting, and the indirect lighting from the illuminated counters brings a super cool vibe to the place.
Our orders were: Duck Coxinha, Herb Patatas Bravas, and Pina's mini-burger. The drinks of the night (which were sensational) were: Descalço, Noturna, Jamburana, and Anitta or Malfatti.
We absolutely loved this visit and already want to go back many times. A friendly tip: if you want to visit the Bar, arrive right when it opens (6 pm!) because you might risk not being able to get in.
Save the address and visit too:
Watch our video on Instagram to see the complete tour!Praça Ramos de Azevedo, s/n
República - São Paulo, SP
