The city of Ribeirão Preto stands in southern Brazil, in the State of Sao Paulo, just under 2 miles north of the state capital. Visitors with a hire car in Ribeirão Preto will discover that it stands in the highlands in the northeast of the State, but forms an important communications hub thanks to road links (including the crucial SP-33 north-south highway linking Sao Paulo with Brasília) and the Doctor Leite Lopes Airport on the northeast outskirts. The university town of Jaboticabal to the west has an acclaimed history museum in an historic mansion and Franca, to the east, has a renowned central square featuring a massive old sundial.
Ribeirão Preto (or 'black stream') has an impressive cultural background, particularly in theatre, film and music. The Pedro II Opera House, with its ornate period façade, is home to one of Brazil's leading symphony orchestras. There's a comprehensive road network, so if you hire a car here in Ribeirão Preto you can tour the city's sights easily. Don't miss the old wooden Municipal Theatre, the towering Cathedral and the intriguing Coffee Museum. Other highlights include the historic Pinguim bar that is famed for its beer throughout the country, the relaxing Botanical Garden, and the family-friendly Bosque Zoo Fabio Barreto.