Travel Guide São Luis

São Luis is first of all an island and the capital of Maranhão. This one gathers two cities in one. On the one hand, the historical city, on the other hand the new city, not very elegant but where the beaches are. São Luis is also an open-air museum. It is home to the most important 18th century Portuguese style architectural ensemble in America. São Luis was also for a long time a sleeping beauty and the historic centre has suffered from the erosion of time and human neglect. For some years now, the "Reviver" programme has been trying to revive the historic centre, but the old São Luis remains in a serious state of disrepair. We will walk around in search of fountains where, when it has rained, water flows through mythical figures carved in stone. The Praça Dom Pedro II is lined with magnificent small French neoclassical palaces. Here and there, old abandoned and faded houses remain, sometimes overgrown with vegetation. In the winding and sloping streets, after having descended stairs romantically lit by neon lights, one can dream in front of the numerous houses tiled with blue tiles ( azulejos), which make São Luis the most Portuguese of Brazilian cities. The island of São Luis is also home to picturesque fishing villages, such as Raposa.