Your Travel Experience with Finest Journeys
Colonial Coastline
Today will allow for both Recife and Olinda to be discovered. Your guide will meet you at the hotel and take you on a walking tour through the historic centre of Olinda, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with breathtaking vistas of the Atlantic Ocean and neighbouring Recife. Highlights include the lavishly decorated São Bento Monastery, which was built in 1582 and played home to Brazil’s first law school, and the Igreja da Sé with its sumptuous gold interior. After taking in the vibrant houses and vivid artists’ studios, your guide will also provide insight into the town’s darker past with a visit to the former slave market. After sampling a delicious regional lunch, the afternoon will be spent exploring the rich heritage of Olinda’s twin city Recife. The first stop will be the islands, rivers and bridges of the historic centre, which have inspired comparisons between Recife and Venice. With part of the port area originally founded by the Dutch, Recife brought together multiple cultures, which is reflected in the architecture of its important sites. Starting at the Praça da República, with its elegant buildings, the tour will wind through the old town, visiting gilt-clad churches and pleasant plazas before reaching Rua do Bom Jesus, formerly known as “Jews’ Street”, the location of the first synagogue in the Americas, which is now a Jewish museum. From here, it’s only a short walk to the nearby quayside, where former warehouses have transformed into restaurants, craft centres and museums dedicated to Recife’s cultural expressions, including frevo, the region’s unique carnival dance.