Recife is the 4th largest city in Brazil, and it might be considered as the capital of the northeast with more than 2 million inhabitants. The city's name means "reef" and the explanation is simple; the city is protected by reefs.
The heart of Recife is formed by 3 small islands; Santo Antonio, Boa Vista and Recife. Between the islands are the rivers Beberibe and Capibaribe and the islands of Recife are connected by bridges. Because of the numerous bridges and (Dutch) canals, Recife is also known as "the Venice of Brazil".
The most famous city beach is 10 km long and named Boa Viagem (Good Travel), which is as much important for people in Recife as the Copacabana Beach is for people in Rio. Other beautiful beaches you will find a few km's outside the city. Recife is also one to the best spots for diving along the Brazilian mainland coast.
There is a mixture of old and new in Recife; an old town with ancient colonial buildings from the 16th century and a modern city with skyscrapers built by concrete, iron and glass.
In the historical city center of Recife, the influence of the Dutch is noticeable. In the short period the Dutch stayed here, from 1630 until 1654, they played a significant role economically, culturally and socially. In several churches and buildings you will find influences of the Dutch.
The people from Recife love to party and Carnival is a good example; normally the Carnival lasts 4 days, but in Recife it may last 1 month. Further the Carnival is quite different here as well, so if you have enjoyed the Carnival in Rio for instance, you will experience something really different during the Recife & Olinda Carnival. Olinda is a small charming town next Recife, only 7 km distance.
Both Recife and Olinda grew and prospered due solely to sugar. After the Portuguese subjugated the local Indians and developed vast sugar plantations and processing mills, the wealthy planters built mansions in Olinda, while Recife thrived as the port from which the processed sugar was exported. It was also where the merchants and workers lived. Olinda, meanwhile, became the first capital of Pernambuco state.
Tourists wandering around Recife should be particularly careful with their possessions and its best, too, to use taxis to get home after an evening out. Recife is one of Brazil's most violent cities, an unsurprising statistic given the immediately obvious disparity of wealth and stark poverty, and the large number of homeless people on the streets.
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