Olinda

Olinda was founded in 1537 by the Portuguese Duarte Coelho Pereira. It owed its rapid rise to the sugar cane cultivated in the Pernambuco area. From the 16th century onward, religious missions built many churches and convents. The city was, however, pillaged by the Dutch in 1631. One of the few surviving buildings is the Church of São João. The Portuguese returned in 1654. Most of the buildings at Olinda date from the 18th century.

By plane

The nearest airport is Recife Guarapes Airport. A taxi to/from the airport will cost some R$ 40.

By bus

Olinda is approximately 7 km from the center of Recife, with plenty of local buses running in between. The main bus stop in Olinda is Praça do Carmo, which is easy to miss.

By taxi

Taxis from the center of Recife to Olinda take about 20 minutes.

The historic center is compact and can be explored on foot.

Olinda's beautiful scenery and architecture make for a pleasant sightseeing all around. Colonial architecture, belvederes and the blue sea paint a relaxed environment that is second to none among Brazilian traditional cities.

Churches

• Igreja Nossa Senhora do Carmo

  address: Praça do Carmo

• Convento São Francisco

  address: Praça do Carmo
  The Mosteiro de São Bento (1582) and Convento São Francisco (1585) are very important buildings of baroque Brazil. The Convento São Francisco is a large building containing the convent proper, the Capela de São Roque chapel and the Igreja de Nossa Senhora das Neves church.

• Igreja Nossa Senhora da Graça and Seminario de OlindaBuilt in 1549.

• Igreja da Sé

  address: Alto da Sé (Cathedral Heights)
  Also known as Church of São Salvador do Mundo, this was the first church built in Brazil. It was built in 1540 and was briefly a Protestant church during the Dutch occupation in the 17th century.

• Igreja Nossa Senhora da Conceicao

• Igreja da MisericórdiaBuilt in 1540, with fine azulejos (ceramic tiles) and gilded carvings.

• Igreja Nossa Senhora do Amparo

  address: Rua Saldanha Marinho
  Restored church dating from 1613.

• Mosteiro de São BentoThis huge monastery was built in 1582 and housed Brazil's first law school. In the chapel are exceptional woodcarvings. Holy mass is celebrated on Sun at 10:30AM with Gregorian chant.

Museums

• Contemporary Art Museum of Pernambuco

  address: Rua 13 de Maio, 149
  The museum's collection includes works by famous Brazilian artists, including Portinari, Di Cavalcanti, Cícero Dias, João Câmara, Telles Junior, Eliseu Visconti, Djanira, Wellington Virgolino, Guinard, Adolph Gottielib, Burle Max and Francisco Brennand. The historical building in which the museum is located dates from 1756 and was the only ecclesiastical prision in Brazil during the Inquisition.

• Olinda Regional Museum

  address: Rua do Amparo, 128
  The museum recreates scenes of domestic and social life of the residents of Olinda in the 1700s. Displays include colonial furniture, decorative arts, painted ceramic tilework, pictures and Brazilian and Portuguese sacred art.

• Puppet Museum

  address: Rua de São Bento, 344.

• Sacred Art Museum of Pernambuco

  phone: +55 81 3184-3154
  address: Rua Bispo Coutinho, 726 - Alto da Sé.
  Former city hall (1535) and Episcopal palace (1676), nowadays the building houses a rich collection of religious art with pieces dating back to the 16th century.

Others

• Belvedere Alto da Sé, located at the yard of Church of Alto da Se. To the east, one can see the Atlantic Ocean; to the west, the urban scenery.
• Mercado da Ribeira is an 18th century building which now houses art galleries and souvenir shops.
• Rua do Amparo - restaurants, museums, hotels and art studios.
• Serenades - groups of singers and musicians play old traditional songs through the city streets on Friday evenings.

Outside of Carnaval season, Olinda boasts a lively culture, featuring mostly forró and maracatú in the clubs and town squares, as well as year-round, Saturday night serenades.

• Angola Mae Capoeira School

  address: Rua Ilma Cunha 243

Carnaval

Quite different from those of Rio and Salvador this is a lively street party, where blocos parade accompanied by frevo and maracatu music. There is a certain activity during the weeks before (and some after), but the party itself explodes on the official dates, from Friday evening until Wednesday morning. Its most famous representative are the giant dolls carried on the shoulders of the people. The parties are non-stop, 24 hours, but the bulk of the crowd fills the streets daytime. When looking for accommodation, bear in mind that the most central streets get very noisy.

Beaches

The beach in Olinda proper is polluted. Local buses can take you north to Pau Amarelo and Maria Farinha.

• Local crafts and artwork. Be wary of making your purchases in or near Alto da Sé, as prices there tend to be inflated due to the constant flow of tourists. The Mercado da Ribeira houses a variety of shops.
• Musical instruments, such as those used in maracatu and forró.

• Sargação, near Praça do Carmo near the beachfront, serves sandwiches and burgers until the late night hours.
• Alto da Sé hosts a variety of food vendors, with a lively environment in the early evening.
• Mourisco, Praça João Alfredo, offers self service at a reasonable price.

• Oficina do Sabor

  phone: +55 81 3429-3331
  address: Rua do Amparo 335
  If you wish to splurge, Oficina do Sabor offers a privileged view of Recife. Try the baked pumpkin stuffed with shrimp or fish, cooked in coconut sauce (R$18).

Olinda's prefeitura (mayor's office) publishes a monthly nightlife guide, available in tourist offices and hotels.

• Mercado Eufrasio Barbosa often hosts cultural presentations and live music shows.
• Xinxim da Bahiana (Avenida Sigismundo Gonçalves, near Praça do Carmo) hosts live bands and DJs throughout the week. Especially interesting are forró on Wednesday and Saturday nights.
• Every other Saturday, the neighborhood of Amparo (adjacent to the Historic Center), hosts a street party featuring the local rhythm of samba de coco.
• Casa da Rabeca do Brasil (Rua Curupira, 125), in Cidade Tabajara(outside of town, accessible by bus or taxi), hosts a forró party every Saturday night.
• Maracatu nations often hold open rehearsals throughout the year.

Olinda has a wide range of options when it comes to lodging. Reservations could be wise in January and February. During carnival prices triple (literally!!!) and you will have to pay for the five nights from Friday to Wednesday no matter what. Private rooms (R$ 500-1000/5 nights) and apartments/houses (R$800 and up) are mostly cheaper, but standards vary greatly, and they are hard to book ahead. If you arrive on Thursday, there is still time.

Budget

• Albergue de Olinda

  phone: +55 81 3429-1592
  address: Rua do Sol, 333
  Hostel.

• Pousada Alquimia

  phone: +55 81 3429-1457
  address: Rua Prudente de Morais, 292
  Charming pousada with a bit worn, but very clean rooms. Excellent location close to the main square! The owner, Djair, is a very friendly sailor-like guy who makes a great breakfast (included). Small book-exchange (a few non-portuguese) and cool decorations.

• Pousada d'Olinda

  phone: +55 81 3439-1163
  address: Praça Conselheiro João Alfredo, 128

• Pousada dos Quatro Cantos

  phone: +55 81 3429-0220
  address: Rua Prudente de Moraes, 441
  Former colonial weekend house, a delightful place to stay.

• Casa do Hilton

  address: Rua do Sol, 77

• Pousada do Fortim

  address: Rua do Sol, 151

• Cama e Café Olinda

  phone: +55 81 3493-2617
  address: Rua da Bertioga, 93
  A ventilated room with a view of Olinda, Recife and Atlantic. Owners speak Portuguese, English and German. Internet Wi-Fi, refrigerator, TV, independent entrance and proper bathroom.

• Pousada de Amparo

  phone: +55 81 3439-1749
  address: Rua do Amparo 191

• Pousada Peter

  phone: +55 81 3439-2171
  address: Rua do Amparo 215

Mid-range

• Hotel Sete Colinas

  phone: +55 81 3439-6055
  address: Ladeira de São Francisco, 307 - Centro

See list of foreign consulates in the page for the neighboring city of Recife.

• Tourist Information

  phone: +55 81 3305-1048
  address: Praça do Carmo 100

• Prontolinda Medical Services

  phone: +55 81 3431-8000

• Post Office

  address: near Praça do Carmo

• Telemar telephone office

  address: Praça do Carmo

• Olinda Internet Cafe

  address: Praça do Carmo 5-B
  Internet access.

• Olind@.com

  address: Praça Joao Pessoa 15
  Internet access.

• Banco do Brasil

  address: Av Getulio Vargas

• Visit Recife, only 7km away, worth a visit.
• Take a local bus to Igarassu and visit the oldest church in Brazil.
• Take a bus through Igarassu to Ilha de Itamaracá. There are beautiful beaches, as well as the Centro Cultural de Lia, a cultural center that specializes in the local rhythm called ciranda. If in Itamaracá, do not miss the famous Coroa do Avião (a small, beautiful, sandy island), the IBAMA Centro Peixe Boi (a center for the preservation of the manatee) and the Forte Orange (a 17th century Dutch fortress).
• Local buses also make the trip to beaches north of Olinda, including Pau Amarelo and Maria Farinha.