Recife, the capital ofPernambuco, is one of the largest and most important cities on the northeastern coast ofBrazil. This lively state capital, founded byDutch colonizers, is brimming with a vibrant culture, an interesting old town (which includes the oldest synagogue in the Americas) and some nice beaches.
Recife (Portuguese: "The Reef") is on the Atlantic coast, at the estuary of the Capibaribe, Beberibe and Jordão Rivers, close to the easternmost point of the Americas. The city, which is only two meters above sea level (some parts are below), is distributed across rivers, canals and islands.
Due to the prevalence of waterways in its geography, Recife is known asVeneza Brasileira (Brazilian Venice). Its 1.7 million inhabitants (2020), 3.7 million in the Grande Recife, are calledrecifenses. Services are the base of the economy. Despite the high incidence of poverty, the municipal Human Development Index (HDI) in 2000 (0.810) was above Brazil's national average (0.800). Recife is famous for its beaches, history, Carnaval, arts and cuisine.
The city can be roughly divided in four major areas:
The termGrande Recife is used to describe the Metropolitan Region of Recife, the fifth largest urban agglomeration in Brazil (after São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte and Porto Alegre) and the single largest in the Northeast. Grande Recife offers superb touristic attractions inside and outside the city limits. Do not missOlinda orPorto de Galinhas. The first is famous for its natural setting, colonial architecture and carnaval, while the second has been consistently voted the best beach in Brazil. Cabo de Santo Agostinho,Itamaracá Island andIgarassu are known for their beautiful beaches and important historical monuments.
A collection of fishing shacks, inns and warehouses started on the delta between the Capibaribe and Beberibe rivers in thecaptaincy of Pernambuco, sometime between 1535 and 1537, at the long reef (actually a petrified sandbank) that runs parallel to the shoreline, enclosing its harbor. Here is found the city's-8.06315-34.8711691Marco Zero. Eventually it became a port for the capitalOlinda, which is just across the Beberibe. In 1630 came theDutch invaders, establishing the colony of New Holland. They laid siege to Olinda, pillaging it in 1631, and built a new city on the island of Antônio Vaz opposite the first settlement, naming itMauritsstadt, after count Johan Maurits van Nassau-Siegen, governor from 1637 to 1644. His Vrijburg palace was built at the spot where Republic Square is today. Mauritsstadt's map shows two large forts, built of earth and wood, on either side of the walled city; the four-pointed northern one, Fort Ernest, was demolished to make way for the present Princesses' Field Palace. The five-pointed southern one, Fort Frederik Hendrik, has survived, rebuilt in stone, officially renamed Five-Pointed Fort, and has long been home to the Recife City Museum.
Nassau was a tolerant man, and allowed freedom of religion, but the Dutch West India Company bosses were hardline Calvinists, severe in architecture and taxation. This frustrated Nassau, who went home and left the company to impose its own rule, which drove the natives to rebellion. After the Dutch West India Company's larger, better equipped army's defeat (albeit a narrow one) to a Portuguese and Native force in the 1649 Guararapes battle at Recife's outskirts, opinion inAmsterdam considered that "Dutch Brazil by now no longer has a future worth fighting for". The last invaders were expelled in 1654, and a sizable resident Sephardic Jew community moved toNew Amsterdam.
After the Dutch Period, Recife saw an influx of wealthy Portuguese merchants (mascates). They soon dominated the local economy making profits off the sugar industry, and started dominating political life too. Recife rose from a satellite town ofOlinda to an independent city. The sugar plantation owners who previously formed the "aristocracy" of the region had not only been demoted but many were indebted to the merchants, and the frustration lead to the War of the Mascates in 1710-11 between the two groups. While the Pernambuco region had lost its position as the world center of sugar production it had before the Dutch period, it would still remain a rich and important part of Brazil.
The next major event would take place about a century later. The Portuguese court had fled theforces of Napoleon in 1807 and settled inRio de Janeiro for some years. This also contributed to making Brazil a monarchy (headed by the same dynasty as in Portugal) for most of the 19th century. But the residents of the northeast wanted to establish a republic, like for instance the former Spanish colonies and the USA.
The first revolt against the Portuguese was the Pernambuco Revolution of 1817, starting in Recife, which was put down by the Rio government in a couple of months. This event however turned the general opinion in Brazil towards seeking independence from Portugal, which would happen in 1822. However Pernambuco had seceded from the Portuguese Empire already a year earlier (though it was soon incorporated into Brazil), and further separation attempts followed in 1824 and 1848-50. In 1889 then Brazil became a republic.
The capital of Pernambuco since 1827, Recife was spared the fate that often awaited rebellious cities and regions back in the day (and still does in some parts of the world). The city grew steadily with a population of well above 100,000 in 1870, doubling in 1920, exceeding a million inhabitants in 1970 and today it's Brazil's fourth populous city. As the city grew in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many of the landmarks of today were built, however at the expense of earlier colonial architecture. Also the some of most famous dancing groups of the yearly Carnival were established during this time.
In 1930, Recife would again be the starting point for a new chapter in Brazilian political history. João Pessoa who was the running mate of Getúlio Vargas who had just lost the presidential election was shot dead in Recife, leading to unrest around Brazil known as the 1930 Brazilian revolution and ultimately the proclamation of the Second Republic with Vargas as president.
Beginning in the 1930s, the city was developed in a more modern direction under young landscape architect Roberto Burle Marx (1909-1994). A couple of decades later, Recife as it's known today emerged, together with the Boa Viagem beach, first a summer resort for the elite, but now one of the most popular beaches in northeastern Brazil.
Recife has also remained a place for events reshaping Brazil's political life. A military junta ruled Brazil from 1964, and in the early 1980s a movement named Diretas Já demanding direct elections was formed. Eventually this led to free elections, a new constitution and restoration of democracy. Their first demonstration was held in 1983 in the town of Abreu e Lima, just north of Recife. One of the movement members was present-day president (as of 2025) Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, himself from Pernambuco.
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The climate is tropical, with two main seasons: dry (September–March) and rainy (April–August). Average annual temperature is 26°C (78.8°F), with limited variation.
You may also want to consider flying to the airports ofMaceió,Natal orJoão Pessoa. From there you can take an intercity bus or shared ride with Blablacar to Recife.
Direct buses from all Northeast and many other capital cities:
Especially from Maceió and Natal you can get a better price from the frequent shared rides. Have a look on Blablacar.
Cruise ships sometimes call at the Port of Recife. However cruises heading all the way here are usually on a trip around the world or something similar and as therefore much more expensive than your typical five-day cruise in the Caribbean or Mediterranean. There may also be domestic cruises from other Brazilian states, and from Recife to theFernando de Noronha archipelago.
Uber operates in Recife with available pickups at the airport.
Look for registered taxi companies which charge standard rates. Ask for a car with air conditioning (especially in the summer).
Buses are the most useful form of mass transportation. TheSistema Estrutural Integrado (SEI), has 119 bus lines which are integrated with the subway system at 13 points throughout the metropolitan area.
Metro Recife, Recife's subway system, is the third largest in Brazil, although it covers only limited areas of the city. 13 of the 28 stations have connections to the SEI metro bus system and, depending on your destination, it may be possible to purchase a single combination subway/bus ticket. MetroRec has three basic lines:
Recife is known for its amazing beaches.
Recife is the third largest theater production center in Brazil, after São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. The most traditional theater is Teatro Santa Isabel (listed in the See section above), while the most modern is the one at Convention Center of the Federal University of Pernambuco.
Football (soccer) teams from Recife have participated in the A-Series (First Division) Brazilian Championship, the Brazil Cup, Pernambucan Championship, and the Copa Libertadores da América.
The three most traditional teams areClube Náutico Capibaribe (home:-8.0405-34.89681Aflitos Stadium);Sport Clube do Recife (home:-8.0628-34.90282Ilha do Retiro Stadium); andSanta Cruz Futebol Clube (home:-8.0268-34.89123Arruda Stadium). As of 2025 Sport plays in the B-Series of the Brazilian Championship, Náutico in the C-Series and Santa Cruz is in the D-Series.
Recife is home to internationally famous football players including Juninho Pernambucano, Rivaldo, Ricardo Rocha and Vavá.
The city of Recife is home to some of Brazil's top roller hockey teams:Clube Português do Recife,Clube Náutico Capibaribe,Sport Clube do Recife andAssociacão Amigos do Minho do Recife. Both Clube Português and Sport have been national champions.
Shopping malls are similar to elsewhere in the world, with a number of shops selling clothes, home electronics, groceries and so forth, places to eat and drink, services such as banks, and some entertainment options.
Pernambuco has a multicultural gastronomy with African and indigenous influences, among others. The national dishFeijoada (a stew of beans, pork and beef, served with rice and Farofa) is not very popular in Recife.On the other hand some ingredients which are widely used in Recife are hardly found in the South of Brazil, as manioc flour (which is the main ingredient oftapioca),cuscuz (corn flour), pumpkin, jerked beef, goat or lamb. Seafood is exotic and delicious. The regional food has some peculiarities likeCarne de Sol andbuchada, a dish prepared with the stomach of billy goat.
Recife is the gastronomic capital of the Northeast. There are more high-quality restaurants here than in any other city in Brazil north of Rio de Janeiro.
Fancy sitting around all day on the beach under a beach umbrella? Well, you can! The chairs and the guy that moves the umbrella are free. All they ask in return is that you buy your food and drink from them.
They all carry a menu and the food arrives quickly and freshly made on the beach. Try the seafood. The fish is usually caught locally and earlier that same day.
Apart from your own vendor, there will be a variety of vendors walking up and down the beach, selling a variety of things. Learning the language for these items is useful but unnecessary as the vendor will take the time to show you what he/she has on offer.
There are many many bars in Recife, most, if not all, serving food as well as drinks. The prices are cheap.
At the less classy end of the market, there are some great bars. They don't have great signage to tell you that it's a bar. Basically, if you see some plastic garden furniture in the street, you are looking at a bar. These are usually the most fun places with the loudest people and the best vibe. Be careful of the ice in places like this as it might not be made from bottled water. It also helps to have a good constitution of you are going to eat in these bars.
There are bars of varying quality up and down the streets of Recife. A few good picks include the following:
Many tourists stay along the beach inBoa Viagem, 10 km (7 mi) south of the center. The area ofBoa Vista just across the Ponte Velha from the train station has a number of budget and mid-range hotels.
Recife's reputation for safety is not one of the best. Robberies on streets and buses are fairly common. Do not be alarmed— odds are you will have a fabulous time here— but be aware of your surroundings and take the usual big city precautions.
The Policia Federal office for extending your visa or visa free stay is in the airport on the ground floor.
As elsewhere in Brazil, some beaches in Recife are not suitable for bathing, and conditions can change from day to day. On the day of your visit, check the map of the latest weeklybathing report (in Portuguese,informativo de balneabilidade) of the state's Environment Department (CPRH). There is also a website (in Portuguese) withinformation about beach water quality.
Operators Claro, TIM and Vivo have 5G coverage in practically all of Recife. Accommodations, shopping malls and the like often offer free Wi-Fi.
Routes through Recife |
João Pessoa←Olinda← | N ![]() | →Maceió→Aracaju |
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