Ministério do Turismo

São Luís

Stunningly beautiful beaches, a very lively carnival and the largest architectonic complex of Portuguese origin in Brazil, São Luís in Maranhão is all that and a little more. Although founded by the French, the capital of Maranhão shows little evidence of that except for the names of a few streets and monuments – such as the beautiful La Ravardière Palace -, and a refined touch in its cuisine. The main features of the city have been inherited from the Portuguese: the incredible row of tiled houses and the countless surnames of Portuguese origin, among other influences. In 1997, São Luís was granted the title of Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in recognition for the preservation of its magnificent and homogenous Latin American colonial architectonic complex from the 18th and 19th Centuries. There are more than 3500 buildings of incomparable historic and artistic value that portray the way of life of the city’s old well-to-do families. São Luís is bathed by the warm waters of São Marcos Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, and permanently heated by the sun.

Basic information
Climate:
It is hot all year round, with average temperatures ranging between 26°C and 28°C.
Events
Bumba-meu-boi
In June, the famous June parties take place in São Luiz, celebrating the bumba-meu-boi. This folklore tradition of Iberian tradition is performed by costumed groups that tell the story of the bull through music and dance and theater. The festivities are held from June 13 to 30.
City facts
State: Maranhão
Region: Northeast
Population: 870,028 inhabitants
Area Code: (98)

Distances
Belém: 800 km
Fortaleza: 1070 km
Recife: 1600 km
Brasília: 2160 km
Rio de Janeiro: 3060 km
Accommodation / Restaurants
Hotels with different comfort categories integrate São Luiz’s lodging options. Most of them are along the beaches.

To eat well is another excellent option in São Luís, where it is possible to try everything the exotic Maranhão gastronomy offers. Fish and seafood are the staples of the local dishes. Prepared in large kettles, stews and pies, the fish, such as the snook and the yellow cod, are generally served with cuxá, a dish made of dried shrimp, cassava flour, toasted sesame seeds and forkleaf hibiscus, a slightly sour herb. The cuxá can also be served with rice in the traditional rice with cuxá recipe, which does not use cassava flour. The delicious desserts are made with creams from regional fruits, such as cupuaçu and bacuri.

Get to know some restaurant options in the sites below:
http://www.turismo.ma.gov.br http://www.geocities.com/TheTropics/Harbor/8394/baresrestaurantes.htm
How to get there
By Air: airlines maintain daily flights to the Cunha Machado Airport in São Luis, departing from the main cities of the country.
By Highway: the main access is over BR 135.
Main highways:
From Belém: BR-316/BR-135
From Fortaleza: BR-222/BR-343/BR-316
Services
Tourist information
Phone: +55 (98) 3227-8484

Marechal Cunha Machado Airport
Phone: +55 (98) 3217-6101

Bus Stations
Phone: +55 (98) 3249-2488

Bank Agencies
The city has agencies of all the main banks. Most establishments accept credit cards.
Related links
State Secretary of Tourism: http://www.turismo.ma.gov.br/pt/
Attractions
Historical Center
The São Luis architectonic complex consists of more than 3.5 thousand buildings, most from the 18th and 19th Centuries. The townhouses that line the narrow downtown streets and Praia Grande exhibit various colors and shapes of ornamental Portuguese tiles on their façades. Because they reflect the sun and waterproof the walls, these tiles helped preserve the buildings. Approximately one thousand of these historical constructions have been restored.

The buildings most deserving of attention include the Arthur Azevedo Theater, from 1817, in neo-Classic style, and the Granary House, from 1820, where a center for selling products from Maranhão now functions. The Palace of the Lions was originally a fortress erected by the French, and was later transformed into a palace by the Portuguese. The ancient slave market operated out of a colonial style townhouse from the 19th Century called the Den of Mercy.

Another interesting place to visit in the historical center is the Center for Popular Culture, installed in a large house from the 19th Century. Among the items in its collection are objects and costumes that refer to folklore and popular manifestations, such as the Power of the Drum and Carnival. And of course, there is the Mother Church of the See, which was built in the 17th Century and whose renovations gave it a neo-Classic style. Its high altar is made of gold.

Bumba-meu-boi and other festivities
For those who cannot do without a party, June is by far the liveliest month in the capital. It is time for square dancing and bumba-meu-boi, of the creole drum and rural festivities. It is the time for the parties in honor of Saint Anthony, Saint John, Saint Peter and Saint Marçal.

Maranhão also has the richness of the Power of the Drum, the Dance of Saint Gonçalo, the Party of the Dogs and carnival.

When the New Year celebration finishes along the seashore, with its shows, fireworks and flower for Iemanjá, the goddess of the sea, the carnival bands begin to parade through the streets.
Together with the manifestations of popular culture, São Luís also dances and swings to the rhythm of root reggae. The Jamaican rhythm reached the island over short-wave radio from the Caribbean and is thoroughly enjoyed by the people in Maranhão.

Beaches
São Luis has many beaches along its 32 km of coastline. The busiest is Ponta d’Areia, where the hotels and restaurants are concentrated. The São Marcos beach has excellent waves for surfing and it preserves the ruins of the São Marcos Fort from the 18th Century. The Calhau Beach has yellow sand dunes and it is followed by the Coastal Highway. During the months from July to December, the strong winds at the Olho d’Água beach are perfect for sailing sports. The Praia da Guia lies west of São Luis and it is the only one from which the city’s large houses can be seen.

Business tourism
The city’s infrastructure offers every condition for developing businesses, even those geared to exportations. It has two large ports (one of them is the 2nd largest in the world), abundant electric power, railroads, highways, large open urban and suburban areas that are viable for the construction of buildings, tax incentives and other attractive factors.

The service network is ample and it attends to the most diverse needs of its inhabitants and visitors. The city has four large shopping malls (and other smaller ones), a good number of hotels, from pleasant inns to renowned establishments and restaurants of the most varied tendencies. It will soon also have a modern and ample convention center.


Shopping

Arts and crafts and sweets
At the Granary House and the Arts and Crafts Center, typical Maranhão arts and crafts can be purchased: towels, hammocks and rugs produced from natural fibers, several types of lace and ceramic objects.

Guaraná Jesus
The pharmacist, Jesus Norberto Gomes created this drink in 1920 (in his own backyard to please his grandchildren). It drink is a tremendous success in the entire state. It is pink, with a cinnamon aroma and very sweet. Its formula is secret and it has been carefully kept by the inventor’s family. Legend says there are 17 ingredients, including some herbs from the Amazon. The characteristic color supposedly comes from extracts from tree bark. The slogan for Guaraná Jesus has been the same for decades: “the pink dream”.

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