Francisco Brennand, born in 1927 into an Irish immigrant family and now considered Brazil’s greatest ceramicist, revitalized his family’s abandoned tile…
Must see attractions in Recife
- OTop ChoiceOficina Cerâmica Francisco Brennand
- PTop ChoicePaço 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…
- MMuseu 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…
- CCapela 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…
- CConcatedral de São Pedro dos Clérigos
The 18th-century baroque Concatedral de São Pedro dos Clérigos has been totally renovated and contains incredibly fine stonework and wood carvings…
- IInstituto 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…
- PPátio 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…
- PPraça 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…
- MMuseu de Arte Moderna Aloisio Magalhães
In a lovely historical house, this museum was the first gallery in Pernambuco and has three floors of changing exhibitions of interesting contemporary art…
- MMarco 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…
- EEmbaixada 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…
- SSinagoga 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)…
- IIgreja 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…
- MMemorial 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…
- MMuseu 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…
- PPaço 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…
- PPraça 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…
- CCaixa Cultural
A well-run cultural center in the historic center hosting rotating high-quality exhibitions and films.
- MMemorial 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…
- CCentro Cultural dos Correios
Hosts changing exhibitions and films but the quality of offerings is inconsistent.