Translated from my previous blog: https://perdidopelomundo.wordpress.com/2016/04/12/sao-luis-a-atenas-brasileira/
São Luís, located in the brazilian northeast, has many nicknames, among them Love Island, Brazilian Athens (due to the cultural effervescence during the XVIII century), Brazilian Jamaica (because of the raggae music during the second half of the XX century)... All this names, by their own, demonstrates the cultural diversity belonged to the city, even though nowadays it is not explored and mantained as it should be.
The arrival in the city by plane is very insteresting, as the tiny airport has many appraisal tile panels, with different themes, though with the same focus: depict the Maranhão State, its people and its culture.
The historical center is one of the better preserved among the brazilian state capitals, howsoever there are some abandoned or bad mantained buildings. The hotspots are the João Lisboa Square, the Lion's Palace (headquarter of the Maranhão's government), the Nhôzinho's house and the Visual Arts Museum.
Deserves attention the tiles and ceramics found in the city, with a large style diversity as religious representation and patterns.
