Recife

Culture & History

Start with pickup from your hotel in Recife and depart to the beach of Porto de Galinhas. With its attractive landscape of coconut trees and clear blue sea, the beach is one of the most popular destinations of the Pernambuco region. While here, swim in natural pools with the company of colorful fish, enjoy some sunbathing on the sand, savor delicious delicacies of the sea, and make friends with people from all over the world in the charming village. The village is full of bars, restaurants, and shops where there is no shortage of souvenirs and handicrafts. The location owes much of his fame to the immense pool of reefs near the shore. In the calm wind and depending on the low tide, you can reach the coral banks for a swim with the colorful fish.

Explore Old Recife where the city has its origins. Begin at Armory Square, and take a pleasant walk through the neighborhood. Next, you can choose to visit one of 3 historical places. See the Paço do Frevo, featuring classes, multimedia and rotating exhibitions dedicated to local dance and frevo music. Explore the Pernambuco Embassy of the Giant Dolls, a cultural space dedicated to the Giant Dolls of carnival season. Visit the Cais do Sertão Museum that offers temporary exhibitions and permanent collections highlighting Northeastern Brazilian culture, with sensory experiences and innovative architecture. Afterwards, head to the Bom Jesus Street, where you will visit Kahal-Zur Israel Synagogue, the first American synagogue. Next, stop at the Pernambuco Handicraft Center, with its extensive variety of works of art produced by master artisans, and walk through streets of this charming neighborhood taking in its architecture and old buildings. Next discover the city of Olinda to the north of the city, surrounded by palm trees, tall coconut trees, the Atlantic Forest, and the ocean. Amidst uneven cobbled streets and hillsides adorned with countless colorful houses, visit secular churches such as the São Bento Monastery, whose high altar is an important example of Brazilian baroque. Stroll down the beautiful Rua do Amparo with its artisan workshops. Travel to Largo da Misericórdia and Alto da Sé, with their numerous viewpoints. You will have the opportunity to taste delicious tapioca with cheese and learn about the famous giant carnival dolls of Olinda, as well as the significant cultural heritage of the city.

Your island adventure begins when you’re picked up from your hotel in Recife and transported in comfort to the stunning Carneiros Beach. Located in Tamandaré on the Pernambuco coast, these unique shores boast breathtaking scenery with an abundance of coconut trees, pure white sand, coral reefs, and natural salt water pools.   Once you’ve reached your destination, enjoy a structured day of activities or opt for just relaxing and soaking up the rejuvenating atmosphere at your leisure. Roam the vast 8 kilometers of coast free from any rush even at peak season. Explore the bucolic landscape and discover a distinctive white church dedicated to São Benedito.

Depart Recife at approximately 11:00 and travel along the Boa Viagem-PIna coastal road to Olinda, passing Beberibe, the Capibaribe River and the zero kilometer mark of Marco Zero along the way. Upon arrival in Olinda, go to the square of Alto da Sé and visit 3 churches. Journey up to the viewpoint to take panoramic pictures of the historic city. Enjoy 45 minutes of free time to purchase souvenirs of local crafts, or relax with some food and drinks if you prefer. Next, descend the hill of the Igreja da Misericórdia (Church of Mercy), strolling the narrow streets lined with colorful houses. Arrive at the former slave market of the Mercado da Ribeira and see the giant dolls used in the Olinda Carnival. Continue to São Bento Church, and end at the Ricardo Brennand Museum, where you can learn about the colonization of Recife and Olinda by the Dutch army.

Discover a more authentic side to Brazil along paths less traveled. The 8-hour sightseeing tour from Recife visits the colonial town of Igarassu and the island city of Itamaracá in the state of Pernambuco. Tours are available either as a group tour in Spanish and Portuguese or as a private tour in English. Following a pick-up from your hotel in the Recife area, journey 30 minutes north to the beautiful colonial town of Igarassu, one of the first towns ever settled by Europeans in Brazil. Next, explore the island city of Itamaracá, a tropical jewel of white sand beaches, palm trees, and mangles, just off the coast of Igarassu. Enjoy optional water activities at one of Brazil's favorite water sport destinations (extra charges apply). Explore the Marine Manatee Center to learn about these extraordinary mammals, and go to the 17th-century Fort Orange, built by the Dutch. Afterward, sail by catamaran to the paradise of Coroa do Avião sandbar and observe countless migratory birds building their nests.

At 09:00, depart from your hotel to the center of Recife. Your exciting shopping day will start with a stop at the Casa da Cultura located in front of Capibaribe River. An old prison, each cell today holds a handcraft shop from all over the state. Afterwards, you will go to RioMar Shopping in front of Jordão River, the newest and best shopping mall in the city where you will be able to find good deals. Your third stop will be in Cachaçaria, where you will be able to buy and taste one of the best in the cachaça. Finally, your tour will go to Marco Zero Square and you will have some free time to shop handcrafts from the Artesanato shop that holds some of the best artists of the state. When your tour finishes, you will be taken back to your hotel at around 16:00.