A Brazilian metropolis with coral reefs and emerald seas – an expert guide to Recife

Why go?

Recife, with more than four million inhabitants, is Brazil’s fourth-biggest metropolis. Named after a nearby reef and sprawling over several islands, it is nicknamed, somewhat fancifully, the "Venice of Brazil". Neighbouring Olinda is much prettier and one of the highlights for cruise visitors – along with emerald-hued seas, coral reef and beautiful beaches.

Cruise port location

The port is in Recife Antigo (the old town), which occupies its own island on the Capibaribe river. The cruise terminal, separated from the cargo area, was opened in 2013 and has room for three large vessels. There’s a welcome lounge in a flashy glass-walled prism-shaped terminal building, which is decorated and themed for special occasions such as carnival.

Can I walk to any places of interest?

Yes, the island on which Old Recife sits has some nice streets which preserve their colonial architecture, as well as shops, restaurants, coconut-water kiosks and bars. On Sundays the 22-mile Ciclofaixa – bike circuit – opens with many roads closed to motor vehicles, making it especially pleasant.

Getting around

You can walk around Recife Antigo and along the rua de Aurora, just opposite, and the Santo Antônio district, but head south and tower blocks soon take over. Taxis or buses are your best bet for getting round. One novelty is to get a boat from the square known as Praça do Marco Zero (Ground Zero Plaza, from which all roads in Pernambuco are measured) to the Parque das Esculturas Francisco Brennand (Sculptures Park), which occupies its own reef-island.

Hotels

Some repositioning cruises and the new Argentine-owned Pampas Cruises currently embark from Recife. Imbiribeira is the district just south of Recife Antigo and it is along the beach strip here that many of the better chain/business hotels are found, including a Grand Mercure, Radisson and Ramada – all are on the Avenida Boa Viagem, the coast road and all are more than satisfactory. Expect to pay £80-£100/night. One or two blocks inland and the prices go down to around half that. In Olinda are some stylish boutique hotels such as the very elegant Pousada do Amparo, Pousada dos Quatro Cantos – in a beautiful 19th century house – and modern Hotel 7 Colinas, which has a pool and lovely gardens. Recife Antigo tends to have hostels and budget guest houses, rather than hotels

What to see and do

The fun thing about Recife is a short stop allows you to see two very contrasting cities – Recife has skyscrapers and a metropolitan character as well as its tiny historic centre; Olinda, a Unesco World Heritage site, is old world, peaceful, green and romantic and full of quiet backstreets and colonial churches.

What can I do in four hours or less?

Recife and the surrounding state of Pernambuco grew to prominence with the 17th century sugar-cane boom and the wealth generated by trade built much of what you’ll see on a city tour.

The city is busy and big, so a guided excursion is recommended. Costa’s four-hour tour combining Recife and Olinda – with quite a bit of walking – is typical, ticking off Praca Republica/Republic Square, Pernambuco House of Culture (a former prison) and Boa Viagems beach and district in Recife and the Alto da Sé viewpoint, Monastery of Sao Bento and Church of Sé in Olinda. In the church courtyard, Pernambuco governor Duarte Coelho is alleged to have declared, "Oh, linda situação para construir uma vila” – an enchanting place to build a city – hence the name Olinda. At the Alto da Sé viewpoint, you get a view over Olinda with Recife in the distance.

Azamara offers its passengers three creatively curated excursions, including a visit to a ceramics workshop, a catamaran cruise of the city’s canals and and an enticing gastronomy-themed tour visiting the São Jose market with a local chef, buying ingredients (and checking out the medicinal herbs) and cooking up a Brazilian seafood dish.

If you are embarking at Recife, then you might also want to spend some time on Boa Viagem, the city's most popular beach. Large pools form in the reef at low tide to the delight of bathers.

What can I do in eight hours or less?

With more time, you can trip out to one of the many beaches south of the city, a scenic drive passing sugar-cane plantations, palm orchards, rural communities and fishermen’s villages.

P&O Cruises offers its passengers an excursion to Porto de Galinhas, formerly a disembarkation port for slaves, today one of Brazil's most desirable beaches – with ultra-clear waters, palm trees and natural seawater swimming pools. The drive, by coach, is one and a half hours each way (approx 60km or 37 miles). It’s about 700 metres from the coach drop off point to the beach.

Eat and drink

Like the rest of the Northeast (“Nordeste” in Potuguese), Recife’s gastronomy fuses Dutch, Spanish, Moorish, African and Indian elements – many dishes feature coconut on one way or another, and corn, cassava, fresh seafood, and native fruits are common ingredients. You’ll find great food, especially seafood stews, around Olinda; Oficina do Sabor , with views across the Unesco-listed town, is one of Brazil’s loveliest restaurants.

Don’t leave Recife without...

Crafts are good here, especially traditional painting, giant puppets, fabric prints, carnival masks and woodcuts. Ignore the malls and aim for the Pernambuco Handicrafts Centre (Centro de Artesanato de Pernambuco) next to Marco Zero Square: 500 craftsmen and women from across the region display their wares.

Need to know

Flight time

There are no direct services from the UK. Air Europe flies to Recife via Madrid and TAP Portugal via Lisbon. With the layover, the journey takes upwards of 14.5 hours.

Safety 

Recife doesn't have a particularly bad reputation, but crime in northeastern Brazil can be an issue, especially low-level street crime such as pickpocketing and ATM scams. The FCO does advise, “Shark attacks are a danger particularly on the beaches around the north eastern city of Recife. You should pay attention to the warning signs and consult lifeguards if unsure.”

Best time to go

The cruise season is November to April, the austral summer. Carnival tends to see the city filled with tourists and hotel room rates will go up.

Closures

Museums usually close on Mondays. Sundays sees the smaller shops closed – but not the Pernambuco Handicrafts Centre.