• O Encontro dos Rios. Teresina, like Manaus, has a "Meeting of the Waters", although somewhat smaller! The river Poti flows into the river Parnaíba on its way to the Atlantic. While not as big as the Amazon, these are huge rivers by any other standard. The meeting is easily accessible from the city at Av. Boa Esperança.

• Procissão de São Pedro. The pilgrimage of St Peter on 29 June involves a penitential procession of boats on the river Parnaíba.

• Parque Potycabana. Potycabana Park is Teresina’s water wonder-world, situated in front of Teresina Shopping. It has a skating track, swimming pool with waves, water tabogan, small bar and stage for shows.

• Mercado Troca-Troca. Brazil does not get more real than this. Troco-Troca means “barter". Troco-Troca is the sort of flee-market that has been gentrified out of existence in Europe and America. It is a place to exchange your kitchen sink for an old bicycle rather than buy a memento of Brazil The market started under the vast fig tree that now stands behind the permanent roofing. Troca-Troca is situated on the banks of the River Parnaíba, by the Piauí-Maranhão border. Its fun for those who like a good rummage; the more refined may wish to give it a miss.

• The market gets a mention in a samba (‘Teresina’) by Aurélio Melo and Jose Rodrigues.

• Catedral de Nossa Senhora do Amparo

• Museu Histórico do Piauí. This state museum is divided into a series of exhibition rooms devoted to the history of the state; religious art; popular art; archaeology; fauna, flora and minerals; and an eclectic assortment of antique radios, projectors and other ancient wonders. Hidden in the corner of one room is a pathetic cabinet containing a flag, kerchief and some scribbled notes from comunistas, a flexible term used here to describe a group of independent thinkers, who were wiped out by the government in 1937. Admission is free, and the museum is open Tuesday to Friday from 8 to 11AM and 3 to 6PM, and on Saturday and Sunday from 8AM to noon.

• Palácio de Karnak. This Greco-Roman structure once functioned as the governor's residence and contained valuable works of art and antiques. In the late '80s, the outgoing governor made a quick exit, together with many of the valuable contents.

• Parque Zoobotânico do Piauí, Rodovia PI 112, KM 5, Tel.: (86) 232-4093, Fax: (86) 222-1415. The botanical park is on the road going north from Teresina towards União. The zoo part of the park is fifty years behind the West with bored unhappy animals (including a blind lion) in cages and insects on pins. Happily the armadillos (tatu) are not in cages and are free to wander around the park with the visitors. Don’t swim in the lake – it is full of caimans (jacaré). The main attraction of the park is the collection of local flora.

Aeroporto de Teresina/Senador Petrônio Portella Teresina – PI

Tel.: (86) 225-2536 Fax: (86) 225-2992

576 km from Fortaleza

Bus Station: Terminal Rodoviário Governador Lucídio Portela, BR-343, Bairro da Redenção

Tel: 218-1514 / 218-2259

• Centro Artesanal. This is an outlet for artisan products from all over the state. Items on sale include: leather articles; furniture; lacework; hammocks; opals and soapstone (from Pedro II); and liqueurs and confectionery made from genipapo, caju and maracujá.

• Celso's. Piauíese specialities. Rua Angélica 1059, Fátima

• Panela de Barro, Av. Pedro Freitas 1965

• Camarão do Elias. Fish, especially crabs. Av. Pedro Almeida 457

• O Pesqueirinho. Rua Domingos Jorge Velho 6889 (by the river)

Cajuína is non-alcoholic, non-fizzy, slightly syrupy, very sweet soft drink made from the cashew fruit. It's available in a couple of other north-eastern states like Ceará and Maranhão, but nowhere more prevelant than in Piauí and especially in Teresina. This link was immortalized in the Caetano Veloso song "Cajuína"