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The Northeast

TRAVEL GUIDE

The Northeast

TRAVEL GUIDE

Like the whole of Brazil, the Northeast is a place of contrasts. Churches, villas, and fortresses in Recife, Natal, and Fortaleza tell the tale of Portuguese settlers who fought Dutch invaders and amassed fortunes from sugar. The beaches in and around these cities evoke Brazil's playful side and its love affair with sun, sand, and sea. West of the cities, the rugged, often drought-stricken sertão (bush) shows Brazil's darker side—one where many people struggle for survival. This warp and weave of history and topography is laced with threads of culture: indigenous, European, African, and a unique blend of all three that is essentially Brazilian.

Brazil's northeastern cities are experiencing a renaissance whose changes strike a balance between preservation and progress. Recif... Read More

Like the whole of Brazil, the Northeast is a place of contrasts. Churches, villas, and fortresses in Recife, Natal, and Fortaleza tell the tale of Portuguese settlers who fought Dutch invaders and amassed fortunes from sugar. The beaches in and around these cities evoke Brazil's playful side and its love affair with sun, sand, and sea. West of the cities, the rugged, often drought-stricken sertão (bush) shows Brazil's darker side—one where many people struggle for survival. This warp and weave of history and topography is laced with threads of culture: indigenous, European, African, and a unique blend of all three that is essentially Brazilian.

Brazil's northeastern cities are experiencing a renaissance whose changes strike a balance between preservation and progress. Recife remains a bubbling hub of northeastern creativity, while nearby Olinda is still a charming enclave of colonial architecture—though bohemians have long since replaced sugar barons. On Ceará State's 570-km-long (354-mile-long) coast, Fortaleza continues to thrive against a backdrop of fantastic beaches and timeless white dunes. Although smaller and with less-storied pasts, Natal and surrounding beach towns like Praia da Pipa have cemented their status as some of the country’s most beautiful and popular tourist destinations. Meanwhile little-known Alagoas, Brazil’s smallest state, is gaining recognition as the place where white-sand beaches and fisherman villages still remain gloriously underexplored.

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Language

Portuguese

Nearby Airports

REC, NAT, FOR, FEN

Electrical Outlets

The current in Brazil isn't regulated: in São Paulo and Rio it's 110 or 120 volts (the same as in the United States and Canada); in Recife and Brasília it's 220 volts (the same as in Europe); and in Manaus and Salvador it's 127 volts. Outlets take Continental-type plugs, with two round prongs.

Currency

Real

Language

Portuguese

Electrical Outlets

The current in Brazil isn't regulated: in São Paulo and Rio it's 110 or 120 volts (the same as in the United States and Canada); in Recife and Brasília it's 220 volts (the same as in Europe); and in Manaus and Salvador it's 127 volts. Outlets take Continental-type plugs, with two round prongs.

Currency

Real

Nearby Airports

REC, NAT, FOR, FEN

High season corresponds to school vacations (July) and the period between Christmas and Carnival (late December–mid-March). Prices are better...Read More

Discover the best neighborhoods in The Northeast with curated recommendations from our editors.

Explore All

High season corresponds to school vacations (July) and the period between Christmas and Carnival (late December–mid-March). Prices are better...Read More

Discover the best neighborhoods in The Northeast with curated recommendations from our editors.

Explore All

High season corresponds to school vacations (July) and the period between Christmas and Carnival (late December–mid-March). Prices are better...Read More

Discover the best neighborhoods in The Northeast with curated recommendations from our editors.

Explore All