In the 18C, Portuguese colonists adorned the buildings of São Luís with fine ceramics painted meticulously by hand. You can admire the most beautiful of these tiles while meandering throughout the Centro, the town's historic centre, home to old churches and museums, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The administrative centre is the Praça D. Pedro II, situated at the mouth of the Rio Anil, a vast plaza lined by imposing Neoclassical palaces. Its lookout platform offers magnificent views over the bay.