Want to know what to do in São Paulo in January? To start the first month of the year on a high note, we have prepared a selection of outings for all ages.
After all, the entire São Paulo Secreto team hopes that 2026 will be the best year ever, full of positive energy. And, of course, we hope youcontinue to enjoy the city to the fullest. Shall we get started?
Table Of Contents
January vacation special: plans to enjoy with children in São Paulo
No ideas on how to explore the city with your little ones? Don’t worry, we’ve put together a guide full of things to do with your family in São Paulo in January! With outdoor options, trips to the interior of São Paulo, and much more. Check out all the tips in this article.
Photo: Leandro Gimenez/Press Release
What to do in January in São Paulo: paid activities
The human soul, you, and Jung’s universe
January is your last chance to check out “The human soul, you, and Jung’s universe” in São Paulo! The immersive exhibition celebrates the psychiatrist’s 150th birthday with sensory installations that present concepts such as the Unconscious, Archetypes, and Persona, as well as his relationship with Nise da Silveira.
📅 Until January 18
🕓 Tuesday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sundays and holidays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
🎫 Starting at R$ 15 | Free on Tuesdays and on B3 Wednesday (3rd Wednesday of the month)
📍 Museum of Image and Sound – MIS
Photo: Wikimedia
Titanic: An Immersive Journey
An exhibition never before seen in Latin America that reconstructs the history of the Titanic with original objects, life-size sets, 3D experiences, and a virtual reality tour, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the history of the world’s most famous ship.
📅 Until January 30
🎫 Starting at R$ 45
📍 Eldorado Shopping Mall
Pirate Ball: Améfrica version
The band BaianaSystem gets Carnival started early with a big ball that highlights Afro-Latin roots! With special guests Luedji Luna and Emicida, the event offers an afternoon of music and cultural celebration, mixing salsa, cumbia, and ijexá.
📅 January 24
🎫 Starting at R$ 125
📍 Memorial da América Latina: Rua Tagipuru, 500 – Barra Funda
Photo: Disclosure
Sunday in the Park: The Musical
Freely inspired by Gilberto Gil’s song, this musical with a black cast is directed by Alexandre Reinecke and musically directed by Bem Gil. The plot takes place in Bahia in the 1970s and narrates the love triangle and urban tragedy of the original song, with MPB classics and lots of capoeira.
📅 January 3 to February 8
🕓 Thursday and Friday at 8 p.m.; Saturday at 5 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.; Sunday at 6 p.m.
🎫 Starting at R$ 25
📍 Teatro Claro: Rua Olimpíadas, 360 – Vila Olímpia
A Very Special Day
Reynaldo Gianecchini and Maria Casadevall star in the adaptation of Ettore Scola’s classic film. “A Very Special Day” tells the story of an encounter between a radio broadcaster who is persecuted for being gay and a lonely housewife on the day of Hitler’s visit to Mussolini’s Rome.
📅 January 10 to February 15
🎫 Starting at R$ 54
📍 Teatro Bradesco: Rua Palestra Itália, 500 – Perdizes
Photo: Priscila Prade/Publicity
Habitat
This theatrical thriller is inspired by real events to discuss “cancellation” and popular judgment in the age of social media. Starring Rafael Primot, Fernanda de Freitas, and Rogério Brito, “Habitat” revolves around a crime in a supermarket that intertwines the fates of a journalist, an employee, and a manager, questioning the manipulation of truth.
📅 January 13 to March 5
🎫 Starting at R$ 50
📍 Teatro Estúdio: Rua Conselheiro Nébias, 891 – Campos Elíseos
Photo: Leekyung Kim/Publicity
Here, Now, Everyone
Felipe Barros’ first solo performance is inspired by Alexandre Mortagua’s autobiography , reflecting on mental health, depression, and LGBTQIAPN+ identity. Winner of the Coelho de Prata award at the Festival Mix Brasil, the show features songs by Jaloo to weave a sensitive and fragmented narrative.
📅 January 24 to March 1
🕓 Mondays , Saturdays, and Sundays at 7 p.m.
🎫 Starting at R$ 40
📍 Sérgio Cardoso Theater: Rua Rui Barbosa, 153 – Bela Vista
Photo: Kim Leekyung/Publicity
O Céu da Língua
Gregorio Duvivier’s monologue mixes stand-up comedy and poetry to explore the beauty and peculiarities of the Portuguese language. Directed by Luciana Paes, the show reflects on words, spelling, and everyday expressions in a fun and exciting way.
📅 January 28 to February 1
🎫 Starting at R$ 100
📍 Espaço Unimed: Rua Tagipuru, 795 – Barra Funda
Photo: Priscila Prade/Publicity
Cazuza Exagerado Exhibition
A sensory and emotional journey that reveals the most intimate side of one of the greatest icons of Brazilian rock! With nine themed rooms, the exhibition presents previously unseen items from Cazuza’s personal collection, including clothes, manuscripts, and objects. Fans can immerse themselves in his story from the days of “Agenor” to stardom, celebrating his legacy in music and in the fight against AIDS.
📅 Various dates!
🎫 Starting at R$ 40, available here
📍 Shopping Eldorado: Avenida Rebouças, 3970 – Pinheiros
Photo: Rosane Medeiros (@rosanemedeiros)/Press Release/Cazuza Exagerado Exhibition
Johnny Hooker’s Bloco
The singer from Pernambuco brings his bloco to São Paulo in January, kicking off the city’s carnival season. The show combines pop, brega funk, and forró with hits such as “Flutua” and “Amor Marginal, “ as well as special guests to celebrate the pre-carnival in style.
📅 January 24
🕓 Saturday, 8 p.m. (opening) and 10 p.m. (show)
🔞 For ages 18 and up
🎫 Starting at R$ 40
📍 Casa Natura Musical: Rua Artur de Azevedo, 2134 – Pinheiros
Samba do Chinelo
Led by maestro Rodrigo Moreira, the group brings the essence of traditional samba to the stage, with lively drumming and contagious energy. Experience Rio de Janeiro tradition right in the center of São Paulo!
📅 January 10, 2026
🕓 Saturday, at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.
🎫 Starting at R$ 26 | Free admission for the first 100 people, with tickets distributed at the box office 2 hours before the session
📍 Casa de Francisca: Rua Quintino Bocaiúva, 22 – Historic Center
Photo: Rovena Rosa/Agência Brasil
The Merchant of Venice
Dan Stulbach stars in this Shakespeare classic in a contemporary production that transports the plot to the world of the stock market in the 1990s. The play explores themes such as justice, prejudice, and the social tensions caused by capital, accompanied by a live soundtrack.
📅 January 29 to March 29
🕓 Thursdays at 8:30 p.m., Fridays at 9 p.m., Saturdays at 7 p.m., and Sundays at 6 p.m.
🎫 Starting at R$ 40
📍 Tucarena: Rua Bartira, s/n (corner of Rua Monte Alegre) – Perdizes
Photo: Ronaldo Gutierrez/Publicity
“Cartografias do Invisível” (Cartographies of the Invisible) by Cia. Ballet Paraisópolis
The company presents an evening of neoclassical and contemporary dance, with three distinct pieces. The repertoire includes “Vortex,” a reinterpretation of traditional ballet codes; “Desiderium,” a duo laden with nostalgia; and “Ser,” a work that explores vulnerability and the processes of emotional healing.
📅 January 20, 2026
🕓 Tuesday, at 8 p.m.
🎫 Starting at R$ 25
📍 BTG Pactual Hall: Rua Bento Branco de Andrade Filho, 722 – Santo Amaro
Photo: Lygia Contin/Press Release
Dopamine Land
The experience promises a “detox” from the virtual world to activate happiness in the real world! Comprising ten immersive rooms—including pillow fights and a digital forest —the attraction invites people of all ages to reconnect with their senses, stimulating joy away from cell phone screens.
📅 Various dates!
🎫 Starting at R$ 55, available here
📍 Eldorado Shopping Mall: Avenida Rebouças, 3970 – Pinheiros
Dining in the Dark: Blind Dinner
How about having dinner completely blindfolded? With surprise menu options (vegan, seafood, or red meat), the event challenges visitors to “take their eyes off the game” and sharpen their other senses, such as taste and smell, in order to experience a meal with more intense textures and flavors.
📅 January 23 and 30
🎫 R$ 200, available here
📍 Pullman Vila Olímpia Hotel: Rua Olimpíadas, 205 – Vila Olímpia
Photo: Disclosure/Fever
LUMINISCENCE
For the first time in São Paulo, the Sé Cathedral will host a spectacular 360° video mapping show with a live orchestra. The immersive experience tells the story of the monument and highlights its architectural details through light and sound projections, transforming the interior of the church into a living screen.
📅 Starting January 16
🎫 Starting at R$ 75
📍 Sé Cathedral: Praça da Sé, s/n – Sé
Photo: Disclosure/Luminiscence
Queda de Baleia ou Canto para Dançar com Minha Morte
A solo performance by Bruna Longo that explores death, mourning, and the silences that surround these themes, in a poetic and provocative work presented inside a cemetery.
📅 Starting January 16
🕓 Friday to Sunday, 7 p.m.
🎫 Starting at R$ 30
📍 Chapel of the Redentor Cemetery
Photo: Disclosure/Danilo Apoena
Gimme Gimme Disco São Paulo
This party transports the audience directly to the golden age of disco music! The dance floor will be led by a DJ who, inspired by ABBA, the Bee Gees, and other big names, will play the best classics from the 70s and 80s. Feel free to wear your most exuberant outfit!
📅 January 10
🕓 6:00 p.m.
🎫 Starting at R$ 70, available here
🔞 Ages 18 and up
📍 Rua Luís Murat, 370 – Pinheiros
Photo: Disclosure/Fever
Ópera do Malandro
Chico Buarque’s masterpiece gets a new staging directed by Jorge Farjalla, who revisits the classic with contemporary aesthetics, references to Umbanda, and a vibrant reading of the social criticism present in the text. The iconic songs return in renewed arrangements, reinforcing the relevance of the story of Max Overseas Navalha, Teresinha, and all the malandragem that runs through this musical universe.
📅 Starting January 23
🕓 Fridays at 9 p.m., Saturdays at 5 p.m. and 9 p.m., Sundays at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.
🎫 Starting at R$ 30
📍 Renault Theater
Candlelight Concerts
This month, candlelight concerts return for another season in São Paulo! It’s your chance to enjoy a live orchestra in a unique way, in an intimate atmosphere surrounded by flickering candles. The good news is that, in January, São Paulo hosts concerts for all tastes, with repertoires ranging from classical to rock n’ roll. Check out some of the performances below:
- January 3, 10, and 31: Mozart & Beethoven
- January 17: Coldplay x Imagine Dragons
- January 24: Tribute to Queen & The Beatles, Tribute to Bruno Mars
- January 25: Rock Classics
Photo: Disclosure/Fever
Bars with beats
Some people prefer beer, others opt for drinks, and still others prefer a good, cold fruit smoothie. If you fall into the latter group, we now bring you five bars with smoothiesto cool off in São Paulo, perfect for the summer that is already knocking on our door.
Photo: Rodolfo Regini/Publicity
Candlelight: The Lord of the Rings
Warner Bros. Discovery Global Experiences and Candlelight Concerts have joined forces to bring the magic of Middle-earth to São Paulo. In “Candlelight: The Lord of the Rings, “ a string quartet will perform live, surrounded by thousands of candles. The repertoire celebrates the franchise’s unforgettable soundtrack, including songs from “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring,” “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers,” and “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.”
📅 January 24
🕓 Sessions at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.
🎫 Starting at R$ 65
📍 Unibes Cultural: Rua Oscar Freire, 2500 – Sumaré
What to do in January in São Paulo: free plans
Visit the city’s free swimming pools
Summer is here, and there’s nothing better to beat the heat than a refreshing dip in the pool. And you don’t need a club membership, either! Check out our guide to free swimming pools in São Paulo, find out how to visit them, and enjoy!
Photos: Edson Lopes Jr./SECOM
Game+ Exhibition: Art, Culture, and Community
The exhibition offers an unprecedented journey through the universe of electronic games, placing games between art, innovation, and the creative economy. Occupying three floors, the exhibition brings together 51 games (including Brazilian highlights such as Dandara), 25 historical consoles, and items from different eras, also featuring interactive areas and accessibility.
📅 Until March 8
🎫 Free
📍 Itaú Cultural: Avenida Paulista, 149 – Bela Vista
Concept art from the game Dandara (2018). Photo: Disclosure
Exhibition Radical Imagination: 100 Years of Frantz Fanon
Curated by Thais de Menezes, the exhibition celebrates the centenary of the thinker Frantz Fanon, bringing together more than 130 works by 40 national and international artists. The exhibition investigates countercolonial narratives and Fanon’s influence on art and activism, in four axes that dialogue with the author’s legacy.
📅 Until May 24
🎫 Free admission, with tickets available at the reception desk or on the official website
📍 Museu das Favelas: Largo Páteo do Colégio, 148 – Historic Center
Photo: Disclosure
Sesc Summer 2026
Under the theme “Sport is Movement, “ the 31st edition of the project offers more than 1,100 activities at all Sesc units and public spaces. The program includes meetings with athletes and open classes in various sports, such as skateboarding, climbing, and beach tennis. Check out the complete program here!
📅 Until February 15
🎫 Free
📍 Check out all the locations here
Maique. Photo: CBV
Palombar Karaoke Show
Circo Teatro Palombar presents a show that starts as a popular karaoke and turns into a circus show! The artists invite the audience to sing hits ranging from piseiro to sertanejo, while surprising them with juggling and acrobatic skits that celebrate the culture of the suburbs.
📅 Until February 1 | Sundays only
🎫 Free
📍 Sesc Santo Amaro: Rua Amador Bueno, 505 – Santo Amaro
Photo: Carlos Goff Photography/Publicity
PassaPorto
Sail along the coast of São Paulo and discover the Port of Santos from a new angle! The project offers a guided boat tour that passes by giant ships and containers, showing the daily life of the largest port complex in South America.
To participate, you must pick up your voucher in person at the Port Museum in advance, Monday through Thursday. In addition to the boat tour, visitors can enjoy exhibitions and themed workshops that celebrate maritime culture and the history of navigation during the summer holidays.
📅 January 9 to January 30, 2026
🕓 Fridays, mornings
🎫 Free
📍 Port of Santos Museum: Avenida Rodrigues Alves (between channels 4 and 5) – Porto Macuco, Santos
Photo: Brazilian Navy/Wikimedia Commons
CONTEMPORARY – International Exhibition of Contemporary Textile Art
The exhibition brings together 25 works by artists from Brazil and around the world, exploring femininity through creations that discuss femicide, work, the body, identity, and the daily lives of women in today’s society.
📅 Until January 18
🎫 Free
📍 CAIXA Cultural São Paulo
Photo: Disclosure/Glaucia Viola