Things to do & places to visit in State of Pernambuco, Brazil

State of Pernambuco #8 destination in Brazil 2023. The average rating score is 4.46 based on 203.6k traveler reviews, of 610 attractions. Timezone: America/Recife, current date and time: Monday, May 06, 2024, 11:25.

Top things to do (14)

Top destinations in State of Pernambuco 100

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Top places to visit (30 attractions) view more »

5.0 Ricardo Brennand Institute (9.766 reviews)
- It is a must!
Monday: Speciality Museums

Beautiful place and a great art collection. The arms collection is probably one of the largest in the world. See more..
5.0 Baia do Sancho (8.754 reviews)
- Best Beach in the World
Monday: 6:00 AM - 6:00 PM Beaches

Considered by some to be the best beach in the world, this is certainly my favorite. The beach can only be reached by a walk through a wooded area along a boardwalk, followed by a descent down a long ladder through a rock crevice. Access to the beach is restricted, and is never crowded. Indeed, there are few people and if you go early in the morning, the beach is all yours. One needs to purchase a pass to obtain entrance to the national park beaches on the island of Fernando de Noronha. I felt it was certainly worthwhile to support the conservation efforts and maintenance of Noronha’s many beaches. Your pass gives you access to all the beaches in the park system. See more..
5.0 Baia dos Porcos (1.907 reviews)
- Our favorite beach in FDN
Beaches

This was our favourite beach in FDN. You can come with the groups in the morning and it is limited to a certain number of people and they all have to wear a hard hat on the trail due to falling rocks. We went in the afternoon by swimming from Praia do Cacimba. Took us about 10 min with fins and also checking out the fishes while snorkeling. Since access in the afternoon is by swim only, we had the beach to ourselves which was amazing! At the far end, if you go up the rocks, you will see a protected tidal pool with coral growth. Make sure not to go in which will damage the corals and also get you fined steeply. See more..
4.5 Muro Alto Beach (16.0k reviews)
- Great beach
Beaches

Muro Alto is an extraordinary beach, almost private for those who are at the resorts in the area. The water is warm, however you should be careful with the coral reefs, because of the sea urchins that are very common there. Almost at the end of the beach there´s a very nice area in front of Nannai Resort Hotel where you can swim or ride in kaiaks. It's worthed the visit. See more..
4.5 Vila de Porto de Galinhas Beach (13.9k reviews)
- Fun night life
Beaches

It's such an experience to walk in Porto de Galinhas. There are several places to eat, from fast food to upscale dinner, and shop from drugstores to boutiques. There's live music at every other restaurant or street corner. Although we came here three nights in a row, the people trying to sell us tours, necklaces, painted tiles, henna tattoos and braids are extremely annoying. See more..
4.5 Praia dos Carneiros (10.8k reviews)
- Most Beautiful Beach
Spent More than 3 hours Beaches

My husband and I drove here from Porto de Galinhas for the day. It was about an hour and a half ride. Beautiful ride too. We went to a restaurant/park called Bora Bora for the day. We took a private boat ride that was about 2 hours long to some of the popular stops. The area was absolutely beautiful. Well worth the trip. We did the boat ride, ate lunch then walked the beach and natural pools. One of the best days of our trip See more..
4.5 Recife Antigo (7.368 reviews)
- The historic heart of Recife
Historic Walking Areas

Cobbled streets and stunning colonial architecture make this recently-restored area special. Although bustling with life at weekends, particularly late evening, take care because during the week it can be deserted and unsafe. Head here late Sunday afternoons for the huge, busting street market, with crafts, food, music..... and caipirinhas! See more..
4.5 Praça do Marco Zero (6.331 reviews)
- Like they say, Marco Zero is where Recife begins.
Spent 2-3 hours Points of Interest & Landmarks

Marco Zero and the Recife Antigo in general are one of my favourite places in the city. Old Dutch and Portuguese colonial architecture. Sundays are probably the best day to visit, where groups of a folk music style called “Maracatu”practice in the streets, and you can visit arts and crafts sellers at the Bom Jesus street. See more..
4.5 Piscinas Naturais de Porto de Galinhas (5.767 reviews)
- Clear waters
Spent 2-3 hours Bodies of Water • Reefs

Very beautiful natural pools with clear, warm waters where you go to by nice "jangadas". You can enjoy it all year long. I've been there in the winter and there were blue, warm days. See more..
4.5 Pontal de Maracaipe (5.222 reviews)
- Simply Amazing
Beaches

This is a Simply Amazing place to experience especially during the low tide when the ocean goes out and small pools being to form where you snorkel or just relax in the warm waters of the oceans. There is lots of coral out there so I would recommend wearing some kind of foot wear so you can walk around more comfortably and enjoy the experience. At the height of Low Tide you can walk out almost 2km See more..
4.5 Baia do Sueste (4.554 reviews)
- SWIM WITH TURTLES!
Beaches

Its definetely a MUST DO if you are in Fernando de Noronha, it was the best place to see sea life. We recommend that you hire a guide to do snorkelling, they can help you to see much more(about R$ 150 for couple) You will have to hire a life jacket for R$ 20. Bring your own snorkelling mask. You will see a lot of BIG turtles, a lpt of fishes, maybe some arrays or small sharks. It was very nice. Go for it! Please follow us on instagram: @mapamunditravel See more..
4.5 Cupe beach (4.505 reviews)
- Busy Beach
Beaches

This beach is busier than Muro Alto and has the weekend warriors. There are waves to jump. You should know how to swim if you go in the water here. See more..
4.5 RioMar Recife Mall (4.056 reviews)
- Best shopping mall ive been in brazil
Monday: 10:00 AM - 10:00 PM Spent More than 3 hours Shopping Malls

Great stores, food, space and service. Not very cheap though, but still worth visiting, specially if its raining. Huge games area for kids, and besides the food court there is an area with upscale restaurants. See more..
4.5 Praia De Maracaipe (3.580 reviews)
- great for photos
Beaches

This has golden sand for miles here and the ocean is so warm to swim in. There are places to eat and places to sit down. great beach See more..
4.5 Cacimba do Padre Beach (3.421 reviews)
- Nice beach and snorkelling!
Beaches

A 2015 Travelers’ Choice winner, Cacimba do Padre is famous for seashells and soft sand. Jutting out from the sea is the Two Brothers (Morro Dois Irmaos) rock formation. See more..
4.5 Oficina Ceramica Francisco Brennand (3.054 reviews)
- if art comes before food, it's a must to visit
Monday: Speciality Museums • Educational sites

The place is difficult to find but you'll be rewarded many times if you love arts..It was a revelation to me as I didn't expect to find anything new in the world of ceramics..But instead I was thrilled to enter the world of an artist with a sensitive soul and open mind...Magnificent, impressive, his imaginary creations touch your heart, reach out your nerves..It was lonely, rainy and very overwhelming but certainly worth a visit to Recife in low season to discover the world of Francisco Brennand for a small fee and fall in love with his sculptures for the rest of your life.... See more..
4.5 Centro Historico de Olinda (2.903 reviews)
- A must-visit in the northeast of Brazil!
Historic Walking Areas

This wonderful city dates back to 1535 when it was founded by the Portuguese. It is a hilly town is full of baroque houses, churches and monasteries and is close to the capitol city of Recife in the northeast of Brazil. The city is famous for their Carnaval, with giant puppets and frevo music, but it’s incredibly crowded if you visit during that time of year. If you come any other time, you have a wonderfully preserved colonial town pretty much all to yourself. It’s full of wonderful restaurants and great views with charming bed & breakfasts located throughout the town. You really can’t go wrong visiting this charming town and I highly recommend it! See more..
4.5 Conceicao Beach (2.790 reviews)
- Best sunset in Noronha
Beaches

This is a great beach to see the sunset. You can see very clearly the Morro do Pico, the highest mountain in Fernando de Noronha. The water is blue and warm. Its good for bathing, after you pass the wave zone. On the right coner you can see another beautifuk rock formation, which is the best olace.to see the sunset. There are basically two places to eat and drink. Please follow us on instagram:@mapamunditravel See more..
4.5 Museu Cais do Sertão (2.576 reviews)
- Wonderful
Monday: Speciality Museums

A wnderful place. It seems to be expanding. It worths the visit even if you are not interesting in this kind of stuff! Excellent place! See more..
4.5 Se Cathedral (2.445 reviews)
- Church of St Saviour of the World....
Monday: 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM Churches & Cathedrals

Olinda is the historic pretty part of town, It is very colourful indeed here and there is street art everywhere - and bougainvillea. The Catedral da Sé / Igreja de São Salvador do Mundo / Church of St Saviour of the World, is located on top of a hill, with stunning views from the panoramic outlook. There were men flogging paintings (we resisted) then we wandered through a little market which is worth a visit as well, en route to the transport. See more..
4.5 Praia de Calhetas (2.426 reviews)
- Paradise
Beaches

I love Calhetas!! It's about an hour's drive from Recife and is really the easiest of the "Postcard" beaches in Pernambuco to reach... further away is Porto de Galinhas... Calhetas has a couple of little barzino's with really fine food... it's a protected cove with pristine water, surrounded one side by huge boulders and on the other dramatic cliffs. You can hike up the cliffs and get an incredible vista overlooking the sea from the top. A great day trip. Beware that the last couple of miles of road is pretty rough! But, it's worth it. See more..
4.5 Praia do Cachorro (2.087 reviews)
- Easy to walk to and beautiful
Beaches

Cachorro is the closest beach to Vila dos Remedios, but it is one of my favorites. Go at low tide however. There is a natural pool in the rocks at the far end. Also go take a look at King (my name for him) who watches over everything. See more..
4.5 Paço do Frevo (1.840 reviews)
- In-depth Experience
Monday: Spent < 1 hour Speciality Museums

Paço do Frevo is a cultural resource center that gathers actions, projects and activities to enhance, protect, promote and convey frevo, a leading national tradition, recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Paço do Frevo is a public space for the diffusion, research, leisure, formation and support of frevo's music and dance, with the goal of spreading its practice through the future generations. It's a place to contemplate, study, create and experiment. We have built a popular and democratic environment where people can meet, learn, and discover the energy and vitality of frevo, an artistic expression that aggregates both the collective momentum and personal transgression. In this renovated building that combines preservation and modernization, you will find a whirlwind of images and emotions. A state of mind. A rich, complex and dynamic system of artistic expressions, traditions and crafts related to the Pernambuco and Brazilian popular celebrations. See more..
4.5 Leao Beach (1.685 reviews)
- picture beach
Beaches

This beach is perfect for picture like post card, crystal turquoise water, where you can spot turtle and shark. See more..
4.5 Atalaia Beach (1.650 reviews)
- A wonderful hike
Beaches

There are two options to visit the Atalaia natural pool: a short walk to the Atalaia beach that can be made without a guide (but you still need to reserve in advance) and a long one that after Atalaia leads you to two other natural pools through a wonderful landscape of cliffs. Snorkeling in the pools (they are aquariums) is an unforgettable experience. Do not miss it. See more..
4.5 Church and Monastery of Sao Bento (1.573 reviews)
- Worth a visit
Churches & Cathedrals

The original church and buildings were burned when the Dutch invaded in 1631, but the Benedictine monks managed to save many of the precious artifacts of the monastery. The Dutch withdrew from Brazil in 1654 and the Church and Monastery were completely rebuilt between 1688 and 1692. Further details to the façade were done in the late 1700’s. It is open to the public and for lovers of history, architecture or culture, and is free to visit. See more..
4.5 Fundação Projeto Tamar - Fernando de Noronha (1.514 reviews)
- Very interesting!
Monday: 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Speciality Museums

Great Project that shows to the world how important is to preserve the turtles around Noronha and also around the world. See more..
4.5 Fernado de Noronha Island (1.441 reviews)
- A must see island!
Beaches

The island is absolutely gorgeous, it has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. It is easy to go around the island and you will also find nice shops and good restaurants. The island is very safe and you can go snorkeling for hours without worrying about your bag on the beach. It is the perfect destination for someone who loves hot weather and beaches. I recommend 10 to 14 days to enjoy it properly. See more..
4.5 Parque da Jaqueira (1.388 reviews)
- Good urban park
Monday: 5:00 AM - 10:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Parks

This is a nice urban park in Recife. It provides an excellent spot for a person to go jogging and the track around it measures one kilometre. See more..
4.5 Porto de Santo Antonio Beach (1.387 reviews)
- Beautiful.
Spent 1-2 hours Beaches

Beautiful island for a get a way. Very rustic with not a lot of amenities. But a great place to unplug from the world. Love their green approach to their environment. Great sea life everywhere. Turtles, manta rays, reef sharks, colored fish. Glad we got to visit before the cruise ships come. Won’t ever be the same. Good luck. See more..