Sao Paulo may not boast Rio de Janeiro’s exotic beaches, and won’t be in the spotlight when the Olympics arrive in the country next year. But it is indisputably South America’s financial engine, a colossal and chaotic behemoth of 20 million workers.  "The US is called the Land Of Opportunity, and in Brazil, Sao Paulo has been seen the same way,” said Bernardo Ignarra, promotions and partnerships coordinator at the City of Sao Paulo Tourism Board. “Opportunity is always knocking at our doors, and we are prepared better than anywhere else in Brazil to get down to business.”  The largest city south of the Equator, ‘Sampa’ (a nickname derived from the title of a well-known Caetano Veloso song about the city) is responsible for 20% of Brazil’s gross domestic product, according to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics.  It’s home to the headquarters of almost two-thirds of all international companies with business in Brazil, including Spain’s Telefonica SA and France’s Groupe Casino, and is a crucial cog in Latin America’s largest economy thanks to its vibrant agricultural and manufacturing sectors.  Sao Paulo’s crumbling infrastructure and bottlenecked roads can be intimidating for business travellers. But if you peer past those eyesores, you’ll find a metropolis that’s pulsating with energy.  Sao Paulo has 15,000 bars, and more than 12,000 restaurants. Excellent and authentic Italian, Japanese and Lebanese food can be found in the city, which is home to the largest diasporas of those three communities outside their respective homelands.  Gaurulhos International is Latin America’s busiest airport (by passenger traffic) and if you’re flying in from abroad this is where you’ll land. Recently rebranded as GRU Airport, the name change has done little to improve its sour reputation.  While GRU does have free wi-fi and helpful information desks in each of its four terminals, many visitors complain of a lack of dining or shopping options in Terminals 1 and 2. Another gripe is the airport’s location: it’s about 25km (16 miles) from downtown along a heavily trafficked highway, so brace yourself for a long commute. A pre-paid cab to the main business district along Avenida Paulista costs about $95 real ($32), while the Airport Bus Service costs 42 real ($14).  High-flyers can take advantage of the city’s ever-buzzing helicopter fleet — the largest in the world, and the only way to escape congestion — for upwards of 4,000 real ($1,350) per hour.  New York-based consulting firm Mercer ranked Sao Paulo the most expensive city in South America on its most recent cost-of-living survey. However, as the Brazilian real weakens against the US dollar the city has become more affordable than it was two years ago. A meal at a mid-range restaurant will still set you back about 80 real ($27), including the 10% tip. If afterwards you fancy a caipirinha (the national cocktail), it won’t lighten your wallet more than 30 real ($10). Credit cards are widely accepted, and ATMs or cashpoints are ever-present in the upscale neighbourhoods south and west of the historic centre.  Spaniard Eduardo Alvarez spent 13 years working as a consultant in Sao Paulo, and said he could not overstate the importance of getting to know your business partners outside of the office. “Paulistanos allow you space to build real relationships, and are extremely welcoming of foreigners,” he explained. “They’re eager to learn from other countries and show their own around.” Knowing a bit of Portuguese (or even Spanish) will be a big help.  Most workers at multinationals have at least a basic knowledge of English, but there is a surprising lack of English-language comprehension for a city of Sao Paulo’s size and importance. Navigating the streets alone can be problematic if you don’t know some basic phrases in Portuguese.  Hotel Emiliano is located in the heart of the exclusive Jardins neighbourhood on Oscar Freire Street — Sao Paulo’s answer to New York’s 5th Avenue. It is within easy walking distance to shops, restaurants and the offices along Avenida Paulista. Business-friendly amenities include a rooftop helipad, complementary dry-cleaning and a fully staffed business centre.  Business travellers looking for networking opportunities may prefer the atmosphere at uber-hip Hotel Unique. This boat-shaped architectural landmark features a roof deck with a blood-red pool and buzzing bar that boasts 360-degree views of the seemingly endless skyline. A popular pick with Brazilian executives, the hotel is a five-minute stroll from Sao Paulo’s largest green space, Ibirapuera Park, and less than 10 minutes by taxi from the business district.  Rodizio is the classic Brazilian dining experience in which you pay a fixed price for an unlimited supply of meat delivered to your table by servers who scurry around with skewers and knives. Establishments are known as churrascarias (steakhouses), and Barbacoa is one of Sao Paulo’s best, with three outposts across town. Ninety-nine real ($34) gets you all the pork, beef, lamb, ribs, salads and sides your stomach can accommodate.  Paulistanos consume 800,000 pizzas each day, according to Brazil’s ECD Food Service, more than any city in the world outside New York. Find out why at Braz, one of Sao Paulo’s most awarded pizzerias.  If restaurants were judged by the number of people waiting for a seat, then Aska would easily rank as Sao Paulo’s top eatery. This adored icon of the city’s Japanese neighbourhood, Liberdade, serves up exceptionally affordable ramen and gyoza in a casual environment. Bring cash and arrive early to put your name on the list.  A bastion of Sao Paulo’s bohemian set, Vila Madalena has become one of the city’s most exciting neighbourhoods, with a vibrant cafe culture, spectacular street art and some of Sampa’s best galleries. “We don’t have the sun, sand and sea like Rio de Janeiro,” explained Ignarra, “but our culture is our beach.”  Head to Rua Fradique Coutinho for art and boutique shops or Rua Aspicuelta for spirited botecos (neighbourhood bars) with nightly samba and bossa nova music. Where these two streets meet lies Sao Cristovao, an atmospheric bar and restaurant plastered with memorabilia where football fans can get into the spirit of Brazil’s favourite pastime.  Brazilian authorities are currently fighting an outbreak of dengue fever in Sao Paulo state. Travellers have been warned to take steps to avoid mosquito bites.  Most locals will tell you that Sao Paulo’s crime rate is overblown, but the heavily fortified buildings and guards would suggest otherwise. Moreover, many of Sao Paulo’s top attractions and historic buildings lie in its centre, which has degraded in recent decades as the city’s periphery prospers. The centre may be particularly unsafe nights and weekends when crowds are fewer.  While Sao Paulo’s murder rate has dropped two-thirds since 1999, according to the Centre for Latin American Studies, it’s still twice the US average. The fear of violence shapes many aspects of this socially and economically divided city, and though most visitors will never experience any problems, it pays to be a smart traveller. Keep your phone in your pocket, don’t wear expensive jewellery or watches, don’t carry more cash than you need and carry a photocopy of your passport so you can leave it in the hotel safe. Walk with confidence, and your stay in Sao Paulo will no doubt be an enjoyable experience.  To comment on this story or anything else you have seen on BBC Capital, please head over to our Facebook page or message us on Twitter.
If you can overlook the traffic and chaos of this Latin American financial hub, you just might be surprised.