If you fancy a far-sighted flutter or are simply partial to the viewing pleasures of a good horse race, the Hipodromo de Cidade Jardim is the place for you: it boasts some of the most spectacular contests and noblest beasts in all Brazil.

Built in 1941, the home of the Jockey Club de São Paulo features a grass and a sand track, as well as two auxiliary training lanes. Cheering from the stands is always exciting, but the art nouveau-style Restaurante Charlô offers the best view—a bird’s eye of the racetrack, framed by São Paulo’s concrete skyline—along with coffee, cocktails and a handsome, varied buffet.