Pernambuco is located in Northeastern Brazil. One of the first regions colonized by the Portuguese (and actually discovered initially by the Dutch), the state of Pernambuco has endless beautiful beaches and an amazing fusion of cultures colored by European, African and indigenous influences. Whether you want to soak up some sun on the beach, eat delicious food, snorkel in crystal clear waters or stroll around colorful colonial towns, Pernambuco in Brazil’s Nordeste has it all.
RECIFE
Recife is the capital of Pernambuco and is a beautiful urban city located on the beach. It gets its name from its shoreline rocky reefs which run parallel to the beach. Only swim in designated areas in natural pools at low tide as the waters have unfortunately become popular with sharks.
*Take a stroll down Avenida Boa Viagem, a boulevard stretching along the city’s best beach lined with kiosks selling snacks and coconut waters, complete with bike lanes, outdoor exercise stations and packed with locals enjoying the Brazilian sunshine. Towards the northern end, across the street from the beach, you can find numerous beach bars and restaurants worth checking out.
Visit Casa da Cultura de Pernambuco: An old jailhouse transformed into a handicrafts market. Super cute little shops set up in old prison cells with lots of handmade goods. A fun place to spend the afternoon! $
Visit Marco Zero: The heart and starting point of historic Recife. Right on the water at the junction of the Capibaribe river and the Atlantic Ocean, come here for photos and to start your exploration of Recife. Here you’ll also find the Centro de Artesanato de Pernambuco, displaying a wide array of arts and crafts all handmade by local artists. The streets projecting from Marco Zero are in the shape of a hand with its five fingers leaving from the city’s origin.
*Eat @ Le Chef: A beautiful restaurant with a great atmosphere. Plenty of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options! The salmon with maracuja (passion fruit) sauce was delicious and so was the truffle burrata appetizer. High quality restaurant, you can’t go wrong with any of the dishes! $$$
Eat @ Churrascaria Ponteio: A very good traditional Brazilian steakhouse. They have a humungous, delicious sushi/salad bar with tons of options and you will be brought fresh cuts of grilled meats to your table. Service is exceptional! $$
Eat @ Bargaço: A great choice for trying all sorts of amazing locally caught seafood. Sample various Brazilian classics such as moqueca (an African-influenced seafood stew slowly cooked in coconut milk and spices) or casquinha de caranguejo (a mix of minced crab meat with fresh herbs in spices and topped with farofa, served in the crab’s shell itself)!
Eat @ Entre Amigos Praia: Located on the beach boulevard and serving a wide range of delicious plates from fish, steak, pasta and more.
Shop @ Salinas: Super cute, high-quality swimsuit chain in Brazil. Mix and match your favorite combination and styles. This is where my favorite swimwear is from.
PORTO DE GALINHAS
Spend the weekend in Porto de Galinhas! About 45 minutes outside Recife, Porto de Galinhas is a beautiful beach and resort town with some of the prettiest waters we have swam in. Unlike Recife, where swimming is not recommended due to the relatively recent influx of sharks, Porto de Galinhas is blessed with beautiful, clear, warm and safe water for swimming. Spend the day lounging under an umbrella on the sand as vendors pass by offering everything from boiled peanuts to cocada (shredded coconut sweets) to caldinho da feijao (hot bean soup cooked in a mixed meat broth).
You can spend the whole day sipping on some coconut water, munching on Brazilian snacks, and jumping in and out of the calm waters. One of our favorite beaches in the world. Rent some snorkel gear or take one of the boats out to snorkel in the reef’s natural pools. Just approach the area with the boats and the guides will get you set up. Scuba diving experiences and lessons are also available in town.
*Eat @ Munganga Bistrô: Breezy oceanfront restaurant in the heart of the beach town. Come to enjoy a variety of gourmet Northeastern Brazilian specialties. Try the moqueqa, local Brazilian seafood stew. Or anything else, it’s all delicious!
Eat @ Domingos: Super cute restaurant covered in hanging shells. Aside from being an incredibly photogenic spot, the Brazilian menu is massive with tons of options. Food and service were both excellent.
Eat @ Restaurante Beijupirá: Seafood restaurant with lots of lobster options. Everything is good. Try their lagosta tropical, a lobster dish served inside of a pineapple.
*Eat @ FriSabor: Might be the best coconut ice cream we’ve had in the whole world! Frisabor is a chain located across the Northeast which still uses some golden recipes from 1957. Go with a fruit flavor, as they have all sorts of exotic ones you’ve probably never even heard of!
Shop @ Litoraneus: You will often see Dr. S and I sporting these long sleeve sun shirts in our videos. They are simply the best. They offer sun protection with built in UPF 50, keep you cool in the heat, warm in the cold and are super fast drying. We have tried many other brands, but this Brazilian company is hands down the highest quality we have found. Try one and you’ll be converted for life.
*Stay @ this amazing Baobá AirBnB: With an absolutely fantastic location right on top of the beach and just a 5 minute pleasant beach walk into town, this is where we always stay when we come to Porto de Galinhas. The apartment is modern, cozy, located on the top floor of the Baobá Residence building and has everything you need. Fall asleep to the sounds of crashing waves and enjoy breakfast on their lovely balcony seating. The most perfect set up in the most perfect location. 10/10
OLINDA
Olinda is a beautifully colorful and historic town about 20 minutes from downtown Recife. Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, you’ll find colorful colonial buildings, historic Portugues and Dutch churches, and THE BEST tapiocas: crepes made from a ground starchy root called mandioca. They are crispy on the outside, gooey on the inside, and usually stuffed with coconut and melted cheese, but other varieties exist as well! Each vendor has their own spin on how to make them.
Head to Alto da Sé for nice views of Recife, their famous tapiocas and local handicrafts.
Eat @ Oficina do Sabor: Situated on a hillside with views of Recife, the food here is outrageously good. Try the shrimp or fish slow cooked in coconut milk, served inside a pumpkin. You won’t regret it I promise.
FERNANDO DE NORONHA
Possibly Pernambuco’s most spectacular place is the archipelago and national park Fernando de Noronha. The protected region has protected waters full of marine life for world class diving and snorkeling, incredible beaches, surfing and some of the clearest waters in all of Brazil.
You can fly here from Recife, as it’s located just off Pernambuco’s coast. Be aware though that the island is significantly more expensive than the rest of the Northeastern region.
MAP
Here is a Google map with all of our Pernambuco recommendations. You can also access it for free here.
