Sao Paulo is famous for its pizza with 1.4 million pies consumed there daily. For this reason it is considered as the “Pizza Capital of the World”. The area has a great love for the Italian culture that is mostly seen in the popularity of Italian food among the locals. The Brazilian city is home to numerous pizzerias and Italian restaurants. The neighborhood carrying the Italian atmosphere the most is called Mooca. The area is full of high rise buildings both residential and office blocks, sports centers and it is also home to three universities.
History
Not many people who travel to the neighborhood in Sao Paulo know the rich history of the area. There are several unique things that distinguish the neighborhood of Mooca with the larger Sao Paulo. This is mainly the result of the culture, history and way of lives of the locals. The town dates back to 1556 when it was established. Over the years it has attracted visitors from all over the world who settled there with the Italians who mostly came from the city of Naples. A large number of Mooca's inhabitants have an Italian background although it has a large ethnic diversity.
Restaurants
One can clearly see the Italian touch the area has by visiting the numerous restaurants in the area. The restaurants not only serve Italian dishes fused with a little Moocan diversity, but are also well themed. For this reason visitors can enjoy eating out and still have the feeling that it is a home cooked meal. There are traditional cuisines each with a bit of history of the area. For those who do not fancy full meals, there are hundreds of pizza outlets throughout the entire neighborhood.
Things to Do
There are a lot of things to do in Mooca apart from dining in restaurants. Tourists can visit the public library as well as the museum to learn more about the area. There are three theaters in the area that are open for the public. The immigrant memorial is always an incredible place to learn about the history of the neighborhood. It is such a vital place of history that it has been included in the UNESCO Memory of the World Program.
The local Italian community also holds traditional religious festivities all around the year, the main one being The San Genaro celebrations. The century old festival is normally held in September and runs through all the weekends of the month. It is organized by the church so as to raise funds for charity around the neighborhood. It is an exciting cultural event that takes place in San Gennaro street in Mooca where various dishes, handicrafts and wine are offered. A stage is also created where the guests and residents are treated to live traditional music and dance presentations.