Thousands of ceramic tiles clothe the façades of São Luís, and that's what you come to see first: entire walls covered in blue, green or ochre azulejos, put there by Portuguese merchants to protect their homes from the equatorial heat. The capital of the state of Maranhão, founded by French navigators in 1612 before passing to the Portuguese crown, preserves the largest collection of these ceramics in Latin America. Its historic centre has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997.

From the port of Itaqui

Ships call at the port of Itaqui, a deepwater industrial facility located away from the old districts. A transfer by shuttle, taxi or organized excursion is therefore necessary to reach the heart of the city; the ride offers a glimpse of daily life in this tropical metropolis, between street markets and lively traffic. It's best to plan the round trip and keep most of your time for the old town.

The Reviver district, a 17th-century grid

The historic centre spreads some 3,500 old buildings across a grid plan inherited from the 17th century, between the Anil and Bacanga rivers. In the Reviver area, cobbled streets line up mansions with balconies, craft shops and tile-covered façades whose patterns change from one door to the next. You climb the stairs to Praça João Lisboa, head back down to the old customs house, and every perspective composes a different picture depending on the time and the light. The heat invites you to walk slowly, in the shade of the walls, an iced fruit juice in hand. The artisans' shops overflow with lace, ceramics and buriti-fibre goods made in the hinterland.

Palaces, convents and viewpoints

On a rise overlooking the bay, Praça Dom Pedro II brings together the seats of power, including the Palácio dos Leões, seat of the state government; its old trees offer one of the best vantage points over the bay surrounding the peninsula. A few streets away, the Mercês Convent opens its galleries to exhibitions, while the Desterro Church and the Casa do Maranhão complete the cultural route. The collections tell of the region's blended heritage: Indigenous, African and European legacies intertwine, as in the local cuisine based on rice, shrimp and crab.

Taming the climate

At this latitude, the humid heat sets the pace: it's best to concentrate your walking early in the day, bring a hat and take regular breaks in the shade. Tropical downpours, brief and spectacular, wash the cobblestones and brighten the colours of the tiles; regulars wait them out under an arcade over a cool drink. This forced slowness is no hardship, because the old town is best savoured in small sips, one block at a time.

An atmosphere like no other

São Luís cultivates its own peculiarities: a Brazilian capital born of a French venture, an island of traditions where reggae has taken root to the point of becoming local music, a city of legends and colourful popular festivals. You only need to sit down on a square in late afternoon to feel this singular identity, made of tropical nonchalance and pride in its heritage.

One last look

Leaving the old town, you take away images of tiles glistening after the rain and ornate balconies above the cobblestones. Many colonial cities in the Americas have been restored to a polished finish; this one still lives within its original walls, with its peeling paint and its dignity. It's this extra measure of authenticity that stays in your memory as the island fades behind the wake, and that makes you want to tell the story of the port call even before showing the photos.