Q40942

Understand

Pernambuco was one of the first regions of Brazil to be settled by European colonisers, with its economic exploration concentrated in the Zona da Mata initially via pau-brasil (Pernambuco wood) logging and later via sugarcane plantations. The presence of indigenous Brazilians, Portuguese Catholic settlers, and African slaves led the state to form a strong and complex cultural heritage, which can be seen in the state's architecture (that can be admired in cities such as Olinda, Goiana and Igarassu), musical styles such as the frevo (a UNESCO cultural World Heritage) and maracatu, as well as a vast number of religious and non-religious celebrations. The state also was briefly colonised by the Dutch, which also left their legacy, and even after independence, Pernambuco maintained a strong geopolitical relevance despite the state's small size. From a traveller's perspective, Pernambuco offers a vibrant fusion culture, beautiful beaches and historical heritage similar to that of Bahia, but in a more compact form that's probably easier to navigate. The overwhelming majority of visitors to the state stay in the Grande Recife and Zona da Mata regions, due to convenience and the reputation of the state's beaches, but those who venture beyond will be certain to find Northeastern Brazilian traditions, friendliness and religiousness in their most authentic form, as well as the truly unexpected, such as the coziness and charm of Triunfo and the excellent wines and Japanese food of Petrolina. Far from the mainland, in the islands of Fernando de Noronha, due to rigorous (but necessary) environmental protection laws, visitation is limited and generally out of range of budget travellers. Those who can afford it, however, will be certain to find one of Brazil's (and maybe the world's) best-kept treasures.

Getting there

By road BR 101 is a main Brazilian Federal road who connects Recife with São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Salvador on the south leg; and Natal, Joao Pessoa on the north leg. The state also has BR232 and BR 408 which connects with another state cities and Campina Grande (BR408).

By plane Recife (REC IATA) has a large international airport with daily non-stop flights to Lisbon, Madrid, Miami, almost all Brazilian state capitals; and also has seasonal charters from Frankfurt, Milan, Paris and Buenos Aires. Caruaru (CAU IATA), Petrolina (PNZ IATA) and Fernando de Noronha (FEN IATA) have regional airports.

By sea You can arrive in cruise ships at the Port of Recife or at the Fernando de Noronha Archipelago. The cruises come from Europe (usually Lisbon and Malaga) or from the Americas (usually Miami, Buenos Aires and Santos).

By river You can arrive in Petrolina via the São Francisco River. The navigable part of the river covers the states of Minas Gerais, Bahia and Pernambuco.

See

Beaches

Pernambuco has the reputation of having many of Brazil's best beaches. Partly it is because of Fernando de Noronha, which contains unspoiled beaches with turquoise waters surrounded by lush greenery or limestone walls, such as Baía do Sancho, Baía dos Porcos e Praia do Leão. In the mainland, Porto de Galinhas in the municipality of Ipojuca is also one of the country's most famous beaches, due to its natural pools with crystal-clear waters, perfect for swimming, snorkelling or just admiring. Not far from it, the Carneiros beach in the municipality of Tamandaré is surrounded by forests of coconut trees and also forms natural pools during low tide. While not one of the state's most beautiful beaches, Boa Viagem in Recife offers a very authentic urban beach experience where local Recifenses far dwarf tourists in number, with affordable places to drink to eat.

Historical heritage

As one of the first regions in Brazil to be settled by Portuguese colonisers, and a former center of the sugarcane plantation economy during the Colonial era, it is not surprising the Pernambuco contains some of Brazil's most valuable historical heritage. The former state capital of Olinda (a UNESCO World Heritage site) together with Ouro Preto in the state of Minas Gerais, is certainly one of the country's most beautiful colonial towns. There are other pleasant colonial era towns such as Goiana and Igarassu, the latter containing the Igreja dos Santos Cosme e Damião, Brazil's oldest (1535) church. The Old Town of Recife (Recife Antigo), containing several XVII century buildings and the oldest synagogue of the Americas, is another beautiful (although unpolished) historical quarter. The Dutch-built Fort Orange in Itamaracá, built in 1631, is a popular day trip from Recife.

Nature and archeology The Catimbau National Park is Pernambuco's premium but quite unspoiled destination in both ecotourism and archeological tourism, being the second largest archeological park of Brazil. It

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Culture

As much of the Brazilian Northeast region, the culture of Pernambuco is characterised by music and dance, and by a rich folklore based on Catholicism with syncretic (African religion) elements. Certainly the most famous music and dance style originated in the state is the frevo, declared a cultural UNESCO World Heritage, which has evolved from music of military marches and the capoeira martial art. Another major tradition from Pernambuco is the maracatu, a performance based on (African) traditions and latter with added religious syncretic elements. Finally, the forró, a Northeastern music and "ballroom dance" style originally associated with the celebration of Christian saints, is also widely popular in the state.

Events

In February, while the Brazilian Carnival (Carnaval) is a nationwide event, Pernambuco hosts some of the most unique Carnaval celebrations. The frevo and maracatu music and dances often replace the samba as main rhythm. Some of the state's most famous Canaval celebrations include: In Triunfo, the partygoers dress up as Caretas, wearing colourful costumes and masks with "bad mood" facial impressions Olinda is nationwide famous for its parade of giant dolls (Bonecos de Olinda) Recife is one of the street Carnaval parties with most variety of parades in Brazil, the most famous being the Galo da Madrugada, which gathers more than 2 million people In June, Caruaru hosts one of Brazil's largest São João festivals, with about 1.5 million visitors annually. It is a combination of traditional festa junina dances and typical foods with live music from renowned forró, sertanejo and other artists. The second largest São João from Pernambuco, with similar format, is hosted in Gravatá In July, Caruaru hosts the Fenearte, the largest international handcrafts' fair from Latin America Paixão de Cristo (Christ's Passion) in Nova Jerusalém, during Easter break Missa do Vaqueiro (Cowboy Mass), in Serrita

Diving Fernando de Noronha is likely the best