One of most important avenues in São Paulo, Brazil, Avenida Paulista is notable for the large number of financial institutions and corporations with buildings there. Being one of the highest points on the city, it is also clustered with radio and TV station antennas. It's sometimes identified as the "new business center" of the city, and it's generally regarded as the most expensive real estate anywhere in Latin America.

Once a residential neighbourhood thoroughfare flanked by many mansions of the city's gentry (of which few survive, a notable example being the restored Casa das Rosas ), the avenue has undergone a massive verticalization over the second half of the 20th century.

It is also home to a small native forest park, the Parque Siqueira Campos , commonly called Trianon, and to São Paulo Art Museum (MASP), known not only for its excellent collection but also for the remarkable architecture of its building, which is one of São Paulo's landmarks.

The Green Line of the Metrô (São Paulo's Metro system) runs underneath the avenue.

The history of the avenue was the subject of a comic by Brazilian award-winning artist Luiz Gê , originally commissioned by Revista Goodyear (Goodyear Magazine) for a special edition commemorating the 100th anniversary of the avenue, in 1991. As the Goodyear magazine was a public relations publication not sold in newsstands, this special issue is rather rare and highly sough out by fans. Years later, the story was reprinted in album form by another publisher.