Recife

Introducing Recife

Recife (‘heh-see-fee’), capital of Pernambuco, is the Northeast’s most exciting city after Salvador, with a vibrant cultural and entertainment scene, an intriguing coastal setting and a fabulous Carnaval. It’s a very urban place of glassy high-rises, crowded commercial areas, thundering traffic and sprawling suburbs, both wealthy and poverty-stricken. It will take a little time to negotiate your way round the city and unlock its secrets. There are no must-visit beaches, but if you like your cities gutsy, gritty and proud, and can bear a whiff of putrefaction from the waterways, Recife is for you. It takes its name from the offshore recifes (reefs) that calm the waters of the city’s ports and shoreline.

The charming and far more tranquil historic town of Olinda lies on Recife’s northern edge, just 6km from the city center, and many visitors opt to stay in Olinda and visit Recife during the day, or venture in for the animated nightlife.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009