Must see attractions in Recife

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    Oficina Cerâmica Francisco Brennand

    Francisco Brennand, born in 1927 into an Irish immigrant family and now considered Brazil’s greatest ceramicist, revitalized his family’s abandoned tile…

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    Top Choice
    Paço do Frevo

    This strikingly red museum is a small and modern house of worship for frevo, the quintessential dance of the Recife Carnaval that is easily identified by…

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    Museu Cais do Sertão

    Inaugurated in 2014, this bold museum highlights the culture of the sertão (the interior of Pernambuco state), especially as it relates to the godfather…

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    Capela Dourada

    Built between 1696 and 1724, this gem of Brazilian baroque, part of the Convento de Santo Antônio, owes its name to the huge quantities of gold (said to…

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    Instituto Ricardo Brennand

    This scenic museum in Várzea, 11km west of central Recife, contains a huge collection of European and Brazilian art, swords, armor and historical…

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    Pátio de São Pedro

    This traffic-free square, lined with bars, restaurants and colorful 19th-century houses, is one of Santo Antônio's more peaceful spots and a good place to…

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    Praça do Arsenal

    Surrounded by many elegant colonial buildings, this square is at the heart of Recife Antigo. Colorful Rua do Bom Jesus, to the south of the square, was…

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    Marco Zero

    The Marco Zero, a small 'Km 0' marker in the middle of the broad waterside Praça Rio Branco, marks the place where the Portuguese founded Recife in 1537…

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    Embaixada dos Bonecos Gigantes

    Displays some of the giant fibreglass puppets that feature in the Olinda Carnaval. There's a host of national and international sports and musical stars…

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    Sinagoga Kahal Zur Israel

    The oldest synagogue in the Americas, Sinagoga Kahal Zur Israel is now a Jewish cultural center and has interesting murals (in Portuguese and English)…

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    Igreja Madre de Deus

    A striking example of formal baroque architecture, the Madre Deus church serves as a nice contrast to the nearby Paço Alfândega mall. The facade has been…

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    Memorial Chico Science

    Though the government could have (and should have) done so much more, the Memorial Chico Science pays brief homage to the work of former Nação Zumbi…

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    Museu da Cidade do Recife

    Recife's City Museum is housed in the Forte das Cinco Pontas (Five-Pointed Fort), originally built by the Dutch in 1630 and later reconstructed by the…

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    Paço Alfândega

    This 19th-century customs house has been converted into a glitzy shopping mall; it's worth dropping in for a coffee or a bite in its food court to check…

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    Praça da República

    Praça da República contains a formal park with tall trees and a pretty fountain, and includes the Palácio do Campo das Princesas, seat of the Pernambuco…

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    Caixa Cultural

    A well-run cultural center in the historic center hosting rotating high-quality exhibitions and films.

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    Memorial Luiz Gonzaga

    A small state-run museum dedicated to Luiz Gonzaga, the father of baião, a traditional music from the sertão (the interior of the Northeast). It has been…