What to Do in Recife, Brazil: Best Beaches, Historic Sites & Cultural Landmarks

Founded merely as a port for the colonial capital of Olinda, Recife has grown to become one of the largest cities in Brazil’s northeast. With an urban landscape of small islands separated by rivers and tributaries and connected by bridges, the city offers a wonderful mix of natural beauty, history, art and culture, and culinary delights. Read on for a guide to exploring Recife.

Boa Viagem

The upscale district of Boa Viagem is a perfect place to stay during your visit. Located on the city’s southern coast, the neighborhood is filled with great restaurants, lovely cafes, and a beautiful stretch of beach as well. Unfortunately, though, the Praia de Boa Viagem can only be enjoyed from the sand, as the waters are totally off-limits due to an infestation of tiger sharks caused by the opening of a massive port complex 25 miles (40 km) south of the city.

This is no joke—the waters are considered some of the most dangerous in the world for swimmers, and you shouldn’t go in under any circumstances. Nevertheless, the beach is still a lovely place to spend time on the sand and sunbathe. If you’re looking to swim, I recommend heading south out of the city to Porto de Galinhas or Praia dos Carneiros (below) for a couple of days.

For restaurants, I recommend enjoying a sumptuous rodízio (all-you-can-eat meat) experience at Ponteio Churrascaria or some traditional northeastern cuisine at Bode de Nô or Restaurante Parraxaxá. For coffee, try Borsoi Café or Versado Café. And, for some unbelievable Italian sandwiches at a gourmet bakery and specialty grocery store, head to Augusta Padaria Artesanal.

Recife Antigo

The city’s historic center is located on the island of Recife, where the Portuguese established a settlement in the 1530s around the port, just south of the regional capital of Olinda. In those days, the island was home to fishermen and mariners who worked at the port, from which the sugarcane grown across the coastal areas of Pernambuco was shipped to Portugal for sale and distribution.

When the Dutch invaded Pernambuco in 1630, looking to gain a foothold in the lucrative sugar trade of Brazil’s northeast, they destroyed much of Olinda and decided to establish their capital at Recife instead, which they called Mauritsstad. Although the Portuguese regained control 24 years later, the legacy of Dutch rule is still visible today, notably in the Sinagoga Kahal Zur Israel, the oldest synagogue in the Americas. The synagogue was founded by Jews who had taken refuge in the Netherlands after being expelled from the Iberian peninsula during the Inquisition; when the Portuguese took back control of Recife, the Jews were expelled again, and many headed north to the newly-established Dutch settlement of New Amsterdam (present-day New York).

Recife Antigo is centered around the Praça do Marco Zero, the figurative heart of the city. The plaza looks out on the Parque das Esculturas, a sculpture garden floating in the bay with works by local artist Francisco Brennand. On the side of the plaza, you can find the wonderful Centro de Artesanato de Pernambuco, which showcases arts and crafts produced by regional artisans. If you need some refreshment from the hot and humid weather, grab an iced coffee from Frederik Café or an açaí from Açaí Concept on Rua do Bom Jesus.

Oficina Ceramica Francisco Brennand

In the far west of the city, in an area of lush tropical forest, the Oficina Ceramica displays the work of Francisco Brennand, Brazil’s most famous ceramicist and a native of Recife, in a unique and alluring space. In the 1970s, Brennand took over his father’s old ceramic tile and brick factory and turned it into an expansive studio and exhibition space.

The museum showcases his eclectic works in a place of great natural and architectural beauty, making for a wonderful visit. The Instituto Ricardo Brennand, an art museum founded by Francisco’s cousin in the same protected area of Atlantic Forest, is also close by, so you can spend a lovely afternoon exploring them both.

Fundação Gilberto Freyre

In the quiet, leafy neighborhood of Apipucos in the city’s northwest, the Fundação Gilberto Freyre owns and operates the Casa-Museu Magdalena e Gilberto Freyre, an 18th-century farmhouse belonging to an old sugar plantation that was the home of the renowned sociologist, anthropologist, and historian Gilberto Freyre and his wife.

Freyre dedicated his life to the study of the peoples of Brazil, in particular the complex interactions between the three groups that formed the foundation of the country—indigenous peoples, African slaves, and Portuguese colonizers. In Casa-Grande e Senzala (known in English as The Masters and the Slaves), his iconoclastic magnum opus, Freyre rejects the contemporary belief that racial mixing was harmful to Brazil, instead arguing that it was precisely this mixture of the three races that breathed new life into the country and gave it the distinct identity that Brazilians cherish today.

Freyre was a real Renaissance man with myriad interests, and this is evident in his fascinating home, whether from the large collection of objects from his travels or his kitchen, where he collected traditional Brazilian recipes prepared with some ingredients taken from his garden out back. Freyre’s family home offers a fascinating window into the life of this brilliant man, and a visit here will leave you with a feeling of inspiration and a deeper understanding into what makes Brazil such a compelling country to get to know.

Looking for more places to explore in the region? Visit our Pernambuco page here.