CUSTOMIZED RECIFE VACATION PACKAGES

THE RECIFE & OLINDA ADVENTURE

The capital of the State of Pernambuco, Recife, became an important city during the Dutch occupation (1631-1654), as it was the capital of their colony New Holland. Today Recife is a modern city, with more then 1.5 million inhabitants and it is the economical heart of the State of Pernambuco. Despite all (relatively) recent developments, Recife maintains a rich traditional side, producing some of Brazil's best folk art and cultural manifestation, including painting and sculpture, dance, music and festivals.

Olinda, Recife's sister city, is less then 10 km away and the two are separated by swamps and a river. Both cities are generally considered as one destination. Olinda is one of the best conserved colonial cities in Brazil, perched on a hill overlooking Recife and the Atlantic Ocean. Ambling through Olinda's winding streets is like stepping back into the 17th century. The city boasts a vast wealth of colonial buildings and churches. Olinda was founded in 1537 as the capital of the then province of Pernambuco. During the Dutch occupation (1630-1654) of North East Brazil the whole city was burnt down and Recife was installed as the new capital of Pernambuco, and the latter became the economic heart of the region, complete with multitudes of commercial offices and modern buildings. Olinda nowadays is an important cultural center, with a high concentration of artists.

Olinda's Carnival is world famous; hundreds of thousands of visitors are attracted by its dancing crowds in the historical streets and the city’s signature musical style known as Frevo. Olinda has featured on the UNESCO world heritage list since 1982 and a series of serious restoration works of the historical buildings have been carried out since that time. Olinda is easily explored on foot, as the city is not very big, however, one should be prepared for steep sidewalks.

Accompanying you on this trip of a lifetime, Brazil For Less offers the very best in guided tours, excursions and hotel accommodations, suited for all travel requirements and catering for every budget.

An enjoyable visit to these two very different towns bound together by history, boasting both contemporary and colonial architecture as well as marvelous beaches is made easy with Brazil For Less. We are proud to offer everything you need to build magical memories that will last forever.

RECIFE FACTS

* Recife has been called the "Venice of Brazil" because it is divided by numerous waterways and connected by over 50 inner-city bridges.

* Recife is thus called due to the presence of large coastal reefs that line the shores of many of the beaches – recife means reef in Portuguese. When the tide is low many natural swimming pools are formed.

* The first Synagogue ever to be built in the Americas, the Kahal Zur Israel Synagogue, is located in Recife Antigo, on Rua do Bom Jesus (Good Jesus street), former Rua dos Judeus (Jews Street).

* Readers of Brazlian tourism magazine, Viagem e Turismo (Voyage and Tourism), have voted Porto de Galinhas the best beach in Brazil a total of 6 times.