Recife
Recife is the most populous city in the North Eastern Region of Brazil and the fifth largest metropolitan area in the whole country.
A major port on the Atlantic, it is located at the point where the Beberibe and Capibaribe rivers meet before flowing into the ocean.
Surrounded by rivers and crossed by bridges, Recife is full of islands and mangroves that have led to it being dubbed ‘the South American Venice’.
It is also considered one of Brazil's cultural capitals and has given rise to poets and writers such as Manoel Bandeira, Carlos Pena Filho, and Nelson Rodrigues; although its most internationally famous son is probably the footballer Rivaldo.
Boa Viagem
The waterfront area of Boa Viagem is home to Recife’s finest beach as well as many of its best restaurants and nightlife options and, appropriately enough, the name means ‘good trip’.
As elsewhere in Brazil, the fun starts late (after 10pm), and there is an emphasis on raucous music and dancing, the sheer variety of which is astonishing.
Don’t worry if you were hoping for something a little less rowdy though. Although the majority of places cater to a young, party-minded crowd, there’s no shortage of bars to enjoy a quiet drink and a chat.
Culture and Sights
As befits a city so steeped in Brazilian tradition, the best place to start is the Casa da Cultura de Recife (Recifi Cultural Centre).
Housed in what was originally a colonial prison, it now acts both as a showcase for folk arts and craft such as clay figurines, wood sculptures, leather goods, and woven straw, and as a general centre for tourist information.
Beyond the Casa da Cultura, the Oficina Ceramica Francisco Brennand is a must.
Located a short journey outside the city centre, it is the working studio and gallery of one of the country’s most celebrated artists.
Converted from a colonial ceramics factory, the building now plays host to the products of Brennard’s surreal imagination.
Geese with helmets, worms in full battle gear, and lizards dressed as snipers are among the many thousands of Brennard’s bizarre and amusing creations.
Gracas is the natural starting point for any walking tour of the city.
Beginning at the Praca da Republica, one can visit the impressive, 19th-century Teatro Santa Isabel, before proceeding to the Catedral de Sao Pedro dos Clerigos.
After passing through the colourful Mercado do Sao Jose (Saint John's Market), visitors can explore the old city, starting at the Basilica de NS da Penha.
Elsewhere, Horto Zoobotanico, a newly renovated zoo and botanical garden, is worth a look, as is the Museo do Homen do Nordoeste, which displays anthropological and popular art and is considered to be Recife's best museum.
Olinda
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the nearby town of Olinda is well worth a visit for its array of colonial churches and other buildings.
Although now a place of historical interest, Olinda was, until the 19th century, the main trading centre of the region, only losing its status following violent clashes between local traders and their neighbours in Recife.
Carnaval
Carnaval is an integral part of Brazilian life and no more so than in Recife and Olinda, perhaps the two best cities in which to experience it.
Starting in late February/early March, earlier than elsewhere in the country, their combined party is more than the sum of its parts and is said to be the most spontaneous, diverse, and joyous carnaval of them all.
While this will always be arguable, its popularity is beyond doubt, its two million revellers a fixture in the Guinness Book of Records.
While Rio has its Samba rhythms and Salvador the Axe, Recife and Olinda are home to a variety of distinctive local music including Frevo, Maracatu, Coco, and Coboclinhos.
Fazenda Nova
1 km outside Fazenda Nova, a village in the commune of Brejo da Madre de Deus, is the open-air theatre of Nova Jerusalém, the largest of its type in the world.
Nova Jerusalém was created by a local Brazilian who had lived for a time in Israel.
When he returned to his native land, he noticed that the climate and countryside of this part of the country were similar to those of the Holy Land.
With the help of enthusiastic locals, he undertook a highly ambitious project – to build a replica of Christianity's Mecca.
His theatre-city is one-third the area of the old historic quarter of Jerusalem; that is to say, the size the entire city would have been during the time of Jesus Christ.
Surrounded by a replica of old Jerusalem's ramparts, which incorporate seven gates and seventy towers, it contains 12 permanent stages, each representing a station of the Cross.
During Easter week, some 500 costumed, mostly local, amateurs recreate the Passion and Crucifixion of Christ, and are joined by many thousands of people from all over the country and beyond.