Rua Portugal is perhaps the most atmospheric street in São Luís, running steeply down from the upper historic centre toward the old port waterfront. The facades here are particularly dense with azulejo tiles, and the street itself is narrow enough that the buildings on both sides feel like walls of blue and white ceramics. At the bottom, the view opens out over the bay.
In the evenings, Rua Portugal is a lively bar street — several establishments occupy the ground floors of the colonial buildings, their tables spreading into the narrow lane. The combination of the tiled facades, the sound of reggae from open doors, and the smell of grilled seafood from nearby restaurants creates an atmosphere that is entirely particular to São Luís and found nowhere else in Brazil.