Recife, the capital of Pernambuco, is one of the largest cities on the northeast coast of Brazil. The city itself is brimming with culture, while the much smaller city of Olinda, just a short bus ride away, has some of the best colonial architecture in the country. Many tourists stay in Boa Viagem along the beach 10 km (7 mi ) south of the center.

Understand

Recife is located at the mouth of Capibaribe River, with the downtown core built on the island of Santo Antônio, which is connected by several bridges with the mainland as well as Isla do Recife to the north.

Get in

By bus

Recife's long-distance bus terminal is way out in the suburbs, and connected to the city by train (around 15 minutes). Some of the bus companies have booths at the train station in town, so at least you don't have to trek out just to buy advance bus tickets.

See

Churches

• Santo Antônio do Convento de São Francisco, Rua Imperador Pedro II. One of the city's biggest attractions, a convent containing the ostentatious Capela Dourarda ("Golden Chapel"), which certainly lives up to its name.

Museums

• Museu do Homem do Nordeste [1] Av. 17 de Agosto, 2187, Casa Forte, (081) 3441.5500 (take the "Dois Irmãos" bus in front of the post office, and ask the driver to let you off). Part of the Fundação Joaquim Nabuco, this fantastic museum depicts the various folk arts, traditions, and history of Northeast Brazil. The displays are divided among three sections, focusing on sugar, folk arts, and anthropology. It's located in the suburbs, but well worth the ride out.

Buy

• Casa de Cultura de Pernambuco, across from the train station. Once the city prison, it's now a warren of small shops (one in each cell) selling regional arts and crafts.

Eat

Pernambuco has a multicultural gastronomy with afro influence, indian influence, and others. The regional food has some peculiarities like the "buchada", a dish prepared with stomach of billy goat.

• London Pub - Rua Bom Jesus, 207 - Bairro do Recife -- Stopped in for a buffet lunch. The food was plentiful, but not particularly good. Four people with sodas cost R$66,00 including the automatic 10% tip.

• Do try the snacks on offer from beach vendors. Little chicken and beef kebabs, oysters, prawns and grilled cheese. Just be aware that some of the vendors may have been carrying them around for hours-- if it doesn't look fresh, it probably isn't.
• Away from the beach, the churrascarias ( barbeque ) are plentiful and cheap, as are the pizzerias.

Drink

Sleep

The area of Boa Vista just across the Ponte Velha from the train station has a number of budget and mid-range hotels.

• Hotel São Domingos, Praça Maciel Pinheiro 66, 231-1388. Mid-range hotel with good buffet breakfast.

Stay Safe

• Robbery in street buses is fairly common.
• While entering or leaving Olinda at dusk or dawn, you have a elevated risk of being ambushed.
• Beware of the unlicensed guides. Make sure you have the travel itinerary planned out and a price (including meals, gas, etc.) agreed upon before starting out.

Get out

• Olinda
• Porto de Galinhas