24 hours in ... Sao Paulo

The largest - and richest - city in Brazil is a hub of arts and entertainment, fashion and finance. It's a place for supermodels, stockbrokers and summer fun.

Sarah Chofakian is a shoe designer and proprietor of prestigious footwear stores in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Popular with fashionistas and A-list celebrities, Chofakian's designs are seen on Brazil's well-heeled ladies.

08:00

If it's the weekend, Chofakian is able to let her hair down and enjoy a long, leisurely breakfast.

"On my perfect Saturday morning, I would go to have breakfast at a little French cafe, Patisserie Le Vin," she says. "Everything there is delicious; you can't go wrong with the pastries and sweets."

09:30

After lingering over her latte and croissant, she would head for Ibirapuera Park for at least 30 minutes of exercise. This sprawling urban park (all 1.8 million square metres of it) is a much-loved spot for locals, with a lake, jogging trails, playgrounds and ice-skating rink.

"It is one of the special places that you have to visit in Sao Paulo if you are a foreigner to understand the city and the people who live here," she explains.

10:30

A sunny day, a post-workout glow ... a fresh mango juice can't be far away. "After sport, I love to drink a refreshing juice at Suplicy Cafe on Alameda Lorena Street," Chofakian says. "It's really a very nice place for any time of the day and the free Wi-Fi is handy if you want to take your laptop along to check emails."

11:00

Sao Paulo is a city of contrasts. Rush-hour traffic can be maddening, so savvy locals know where to get away from it all. Chofakian likes to take a long ramble through the "fancy and green" neighbourhood of Jardim Europa, an exclusive district of elegant architecture, small boutiques and pavement cafes. "Sao Paulo is unique in her contrast and experiencing these contrasts is amazing," she says.

13:00

There's no shortage of excellent restaurants in the city. Chofakian is particularly fond of Piselli, an Italian restaurant in Padre Joao Manuel Street. "It's possible to enjoy lots of classic dishes there, including the ravioli with brie, spaghetti alla carbonara and spaghetti alle vongole," she says.

If she is in a carnivorous mood - and remember, Brazil is the home of those legendary barbecue restaurants - Chofakian chooses a table at either Churrascaria Rodeio on Rua Haddock Lobo or Pobre Juan in the suburb of Itaim.

"Absolutely delicious meat," she says of the cuisine with enthusiastic abandon.

14:30

After lunch, Chofakian recommends a hearty dose of window shopping (or asset acquisition, if the budget permits) along the walking streets of Oscar Freire Street and Alameda Lorena.

"I like to watch the stores and the crowds shopping, to scope out the new trends and the mood of the moment," she says.

"There are always the stylish people walking by and doing some shopping; of course, I like to visit my own shoe stores as well."

16:30

It's time for caffeine - as you probably know, Brazilian coffee is rated among the world's best - and Chofakian likes to stop at a little cafe called Santo Grao.

"The place is cheerful and you will be surrounded by beautiful people," she says.

18:00

Shoe designers love to shop - who knew? After coffee, Chofakian says you must head for one of the fanciest malls in Brazil: at the Iguatemi shopping centre you'll find high-end labels (Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Burberry) plus a good mix of local fashion, bags, jewellery, art and collectables.

Wealthy Paulistas, as the residents are known, flock here to kick up their heels and repudiate the notion of an economic crisis.

20:00

Feeling peckish? Brazilians tend to eat dinner late but most restaurants will cater for those who prefer to dine well before midnight.

Chofakian says there is a strong tradition of Japanese food in Sao Paulo, with an estimated 1.5 million people of Japanese descent living in the city. One of the best places for authentic-style sushi and sashimi is Nagayama on Rua Bandeira Paulista.

If Tokyo teppanyaki is not your thing, follow the Brazilian supermodels and local cattle barons to a Sao Paulo institution: D.O.M. on Rua Barao de Capanema."The best way to define D.O.M. is in its concept: the combination of classical bases and current techniques, expressed in a modern result," Chofakian says. "It's a place that really values Brazilian ingredients and the tradition of Brazilian gastronomy."

22:30

Party time. "Usually I prefer to spend my time with my boyfriend and friends having a bottle of good wine and conversation at home or at a restaurant but once in a while it is nice to go out," Chofakian says.

For a night to remember, she and her crew would choose to visit Alucci Alucci, a chic bar-restaurant, and then onto Barreto inside Hotel Fasano. Barreto is renowned as a live music venue without peer, with a glamorous dress code and prices to match.

"The best thing about these two nightspots is that they are next to each other, just a one-minute distance on foot," Chofakian says.