Recife & Olinda

Recife and its sister city Olinda are together the cultural capital of Brazil's folklore-rich northeast. The capital of Pernambuco state, Recife — or at least its downtown — is composed of a series of islands. A total of 39 bridges thread together Brazil's Venice. Tradition and modernity coexist in all areas, from architecture to culture. Emblematic of this mix is the musical movement Manguebeat, a fusion of local percussion with international guitar chords. The city’s “can’t miss” attraction is on the outskirts of town, the Oficina Brennand, the atelier-cum-museum of sculptor Francisco Brennand. The old downtown features the oldest ...

Recife and its sister city Olinda are together the cultural capital of Brazil's folklore-rich northeast. The capital of Pernambuco state, Recife — or at least its downtown — is composed of a series of islands. A total of 39 bridges thread together Brazil's Venice. Tradition and modernity coexist in all areas, from architecture to culture. Emblematic of this mix is the musical movement Manguebeat, a fusion of local percussion with international guitar chords. The city’s “can’t miss” attraction is on the outskirts of town, the Oficina Brennand, the atelier-cum-museum of sculptor Francisco Brennand. The old downtown features the oldest synagogue of the Americas and lively nightlife. Swimmers should beware at Boa Viagem beach, the cities most popular, lined by tourist hotels, because environmental degradation at a nearby habitat has forced sharks into these waters. The former capital Olinda sits on a hillside astride Recife. It is full of bars, artist studios and sundry other cultural attractions. Olinda hosts one of Brazil's most popular street Carnavals. Both Olinda and Recife offer a range of options for traditional and contemporary Northeastern style cuisine.

About the Expert

Michael Sommers is the author of Moon Brazil and Moon Rio, as well as the blog Thrill of Brazil. He has been living in Salvador, Brazil since 1999.