Recife

wallpaper	maps	portuguese

 

RECIFE BRAZIL TRAVEL

Recife is the capital of the state Pernambuco, Brazil. The heart of Recife is formed by three small islands (Santo Antônio, Boa Vista en Recife proper). 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 (after many caipirinha’s and sitting hours in the sun, you might spot the similarities between the cities).

Boa Viagem beach in Recife near Hotel Aconchego

 

The city´s folklore, renowned as one of the richest in the world, is expressed in the frevo, maracatu, caboclinho, ciranda, and off course the celebration of Carnival in Recife and the Recifolia.

Recife is a historical city, distinguished by the opulence of its colonial buildings, with its colonization rooted in different nations; Portugal, Holland, France, England.

In the historical city center of Recife, formely Maurits-town (after John Maurice of Nassau), the influences of the Dutch are noticeable. In the short period the Dutch stayed in Recife, from 1630 until 1654, they played a significant role economically, cultural and socially. In several churches and buildings you will find influences of the Dutch and the West Indische Compagnie.

The city´s entire coast is surrounded by reefs (recifes), giving even more beauty to its white sand beaches filled with coconut trees. The most famous beach of Recife is Boa Viagem beach. Other beautiful beaches you will find a few miles outside the city.

Fast Facts

 

Visa and Entry Requirements:

You do NOT need a visa for Brazil if you’re a legal resident of these countries and if you’re staying for 90 days or less You will need a passport that’s at least 6 months valid after arriving in Recife. Important: take really good care of the ALL the papers you get when entering Brazil (entry documents) because you will need them when you leave the country! Losing the documents mostly results in a big fine and a “nice”, long chat.

Airport:

Recife Guararapes International Airport (airport code REC)
Information about: airline tickets.

Time Differences:

-3 uur (Greenwich Mean Time or GMT), to find out the time differences between your country and Recife, take a look at our folder about time zone differences and time zone maps.

Climate:

Recife has an Atlantic Tropical Climate with temperatures ranging from 21-30 degrees Celsius (70 – 86 degrees Fahrenheit) all year round. Take a look at a Recife Climate Graph.

Personal Belongings

Recife is a huge city with a couple of million inhabitants. Many people live on the streets and are to poor to buy even food. Just like in all other big cities in the world, you should take good care of your personal belongings. Below you will find some general safety tips for all big cities in Brazil.

• Ask people in the hotel where you can walk safely and what areas you should avoid.
• Never walk into a favela (slums) alone (it’s even better to avoid the favelas altogether.
• Never wear jewelry, expensive cameras or cellphones in plain sight.
• Do not take too much money and belongings to the beach, especially on crowded days.
• Never carry too much or too little money on you. (50 BRL = 20 US$)
• Do NOT give money to people (mostly children) on the streets. There’s a good chance 10 more children will come running after you. If you want to help the people on the streets, give them practical things like pencils or food or send money to organizations that help street children.
• Close windows and lock doors while driving in the city.
• Going out at night? Take a cab (cheap and safe)! Your hotel probably knows some good cabdrivers.

Boa Viagem Beach

Boa Viagem beach is the most beautiful and most famous beach in Recife. The coast of Recife is protected by large reefs (recifes). You can swim, relax and be entertained by all the people on the beach. It’s strongly recommended you do not climb over and swim behind the reefs because of strong, unpredictable currents and the possible presence of bull sharks.

Money:

Brazilian Real (Reais,), BRL or R$. Banknotes: 100, 50, 10, 5 en 1. Coins (in R$): 1, 0.50, 0.25, 0.10, 0.05, 0.01. 1 Euro (1.35 US$) = 2.55 R$. See also:

Try this currency convertor.

Or view a couple of Brazilian banknotes here.

Credit Cards:

Visa, Amercian Express and Mastercard are accepted in many hotels, restaurants, stores and banks. You can also use Traveler Cheques though you might encounter some unfavourable exchange rates. To get cash,you can also use an ATM. Take a look at the: VISA ATM Locator, American Express ATM Locator, or Mastercard ATM Locator.

Banking Hours:

Most banks are open from Monday until Friday between 09:00 and 16:00. Some banks are open Saturday morning.

Dial codes / useful numbers:

 

Brazil landcode: 55
Recife code: 81
Ambulance: 192
Fire department : 193
Police: 147

Electricity:

220 Volts

This travel portal about Pernambuco has been built with the help of our friends of Hotel Aconchego in Recife.