Stand on the elevator of the João Isidoro França Sesquicentennial Cable Suspension Bridge and the city spreads out below you in low white blocks, the Parnaíba River cutting past the edge of town. Teresina is a hot, river-shaped capital, and much of what is worth your time sits along or near the water.
This guide suits travellers passing through Brazil's Northeast who want a day or two of churches, markets, river views and local food rather than a checklist of monuments. It covers the main sights, how to string them together in a single day, and a few practical questions.
Top things to do in Teresina
1. João Isidoro França Sesquicentennial Cable Suspension Bridge
The 100-metre lookout tower in the middle of the bridge is reached by elevator and gives 360-degree views of the city and the country beyond it. It is the single best orientation point in Teresina.
Access the tower from Av. Rio Poti in Bairro Fátima. Go in the cooler part of the day, since the exposed platform offers little shade.
2. O Encontro das Aguas
This is where the Poti River flows into the Parnaíba on its way to the Atlantic. In the dry season the colour difference between the two rivers is very distinct, and they continue flowing side by side even after merging into one body.
There is a floating restaurant, a monument to a local fishermen's legend, and boat trips are offered. It is easily reached from the city at Av. Boa Esperança, and pairs naturally with the bridge lookout on the same outing.
3. Museu Histórico do Piauí
This state museum is divided into rooms devoted to the history of the state, religious art, popular art, archaeology, and fauna, flora and minerals, plus an eclectic assortment of antique radios, projectors and other old objects.
It sits on Praça Marechal Deodoro da Fonseca in the Centro. It is open Tuesday to Friday from 8 to 11am and 3 to 6pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 8am to noon, so plan it as a morning or late-afternoon stop.
4. Parque Potycabana
This is Teresina's exercise park, in front of Teresina Shopping. You can play football, volleyball and basketball, or jog, stroll or roller blade around its winding paths, and roller blades are available for rent.
Because of the city's heat, it fills up in the early mornings and evenings. Those are the hours to aim for.
5. Igreja São Benedito
São Benedito is the main Catholic church of the city and one of the sights worth building a walk around the centre on. Step inside for a quiet pause between the market and the museum.
Combine it with the Centro sights on the same morning, before the heat peaks.
6. Catedral de Nossa Senhora do Amparo
The cathedral is another of the city's central religious buildings and an easy addition to a walk through the centre. Its interior offers a cool break from the street.
Visit it on the same loop as the Museu Histórico do Piauí and Igreja São Benedito, all in the Centro area.
7. Mercado Troca-Troca
This is a barter market, a place to exchange your kitchen sink for an old bicycle rather than buy a memento. It began under the vast fig tree that still stands behind the permanent roofing, on the banks of the Parnaíba River.
It is fun if you like a good rummage; the more refined may wish to give it a miss. Go with time to dig.
8. Parque Zoobotânico do Piauí
The botanical park is on the road going north from Teresina towards União. The zoo part is dated, with animals in cages, but the armadillos are not caged and wander the park freely with visitors. The main attraction is the collection of local flora.
Do not swim in the lake, which is full of caimans. Treat this as a flora visit with the wildlife as a secondary draw.
9. 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 1980s the outgoing governor left in a hurry, together with many of the valuable contents.
Visit for the architecture and the story rather than for the collection, which is no longer what it was.
10. Alberto Silva Stadium
The Albertão Stadium, also known as Estádio Governador Alberto Tavares Silva, is the place to watch local football matches, with capacity for 60,000 people.
It sits at the corner of Avenida Industrial Gil Martins and Rua Motorista Joça. Check whether a match falls during your stay before building a day around it.
11. River beaches
Between June and November the river levels fall, exposing large sand banks known as the "crowns of the rivers". These become popular river beaches complete with life-guards and vendors selling fried fish straight out of the rivers.
This is a seasonal experience, so it only fits a trip in those months.
12. Carnaval
Teresina's Carnaval takes place in February. If your visit falls then, the city's street celebrations are part of the calendar rather than an add-on.
Plan accommodation and transport around it, as the city is busy.
13. Procissão de São Pedro
On 29 June, a penitential procession of boats moves along the Parnaíba River. It is a river event as much as a religious one, and worth timing a trip around if you are in the city in late June.
Watch from the riverside and combine it with the Encontro das Aguas area.
14. Micarana festival
In July, Teresina hosts the three-day Micarana festival, which attracts top artists and visitors from across Brazil. It is one of the city's biggest events of the year.
Because it draws crowds from elsewhere in the country, sort out where you will stay before you commit to those dates.
15. Salão Internacional de Humor
In November the city is given over to cartoons and caricatures, with participants from Brazil and abroad. It is a distinctly Teresina event and an easy one to build an afternoon around.
Pair it with the Centro sights, which are close at hand.
If you only have one day
Morning. Start early, before the heat builds, at Parque Potycabana, which fills up in the early mornings. Then move into the Centro for the Museu Histórico do Piauí, open from 8 to 11am, followed by Igreja São Benedito and the Catedral de Nossa Senhora do Amparo on the same walk.
Afternoon. Head to the João Isidoro França Sesquicentennial Cable Suspension Bridge and take the elevator up the lookout tower for the 360-degree view. Continue to O Encontro das Aguas at Av. Boa Esperança, where you can take a boat trip and eat at the floating restaurant. If you have energy left, stop at Mercado Troca-Troca on the banks of the Parnaíba for a rummage.
Evening. Return to Parque Potycabana, which fills up again in the evenings, for a stroll or a jog around its winding paths as the temperature drops.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time of year to visit Teresina?
The city is hot most of the year. From June to August the climate is dry with relatively milder nights, and from June to November the low rivers expose the sand-bank river beaches. September to December is the hottest stretch, referred to by locals as "Bro".
How do I get to the river meeting point?
O Encontro das Aguas is easily accessible from the city at Av. Boa Esperança, about 8 km north of the centre, where the Poti flows into the Parnaíba. Boat trips are offered there.
Is the zoo worth visiting?
The zoo part of Parque Zoobotânico do Piauí is dated, with animals in cages, though the armadillos roam free among visitors. The main attraction of the park is its collection of local flora. Do not swim in the lake, which is full of caimans.
What events should I plan around?
Carnaval in February, the Procissão de São Pedro on 29 June, the three-day Micarana festival in July, and the Salão Internacional de Humor in November. The river beaches run from June to November.
Pick your dates around the river season or one of the city's festivals, and you can build a Teresina itinerary from the list above without much else.