Olinda
Introduction
Olinda is a historic city on Brazil's northeastern Atlantic coast, in the state of Pernambuco. It sits within the Metropolitan Region of Recife, the state capital, and has been inhabited since 1535.
Olinda is noted as one of the best-preserved colonial cities in Brazil, which is the main draw for a visit.
Before you go
Olinda was founded by the Portuguese in the sixteenth century and grew quickly on the wealth of the sugarcane plantations around it. From that period onward, religious missions built churches and convents across the settlement, though the Dutch pillaged and burnt the city in the seventeenth century; the Church of São João is one of the few buildings to survive that destruction. The Portuguese returned later in the same century, and most of the buildings you see today date from the 1700s, so expect a colonial streetscape shaped as much by fire and rebuilding as by faith and sugar.Getting there
Olinda sits about 7 km north of central Recife, and the nearest airport is Recife's Guararapes Airport. A taxi from the airport is one option for the final leg; taxis from the centre of Recife to Olinda take roughly 20 minutes.
Plenty of local buses run between Recife and Olinda. The main bus stop in Olinda is at Praça do Carmo, which is easy to miss, so keep an eye out for it.
Getting around
The most practical way to experience Olinda is on foot. The historic center is compact, and its colonial buildings, churches, and viewpoints are clustered together rather than spread out, so walking suits the city's character. Because the center sits on hills, expect steep streets and uneven surfaces, and wear comfortable, sturdy shoes. Walking is also the natural way to enjoy Olinda's culture: during Carnival, the festivities fill the streets with no bleachers or roping, and the whole celebration is experienced on foot among the crowds.
Olinda has no rail, metro, or tram network of its own, so public transport here means buses. The city lies just north of Recife and forms part of the greater Recife metropolitan area, and plenty of local buses run between the two, making the bus a straightforward option for connecting with the state capital. The main bus stop in Olinda is at Praça do Carmo, but it is easy to miss, so keep an eye out rather than assuming a large, obvious terminal. Taxis are readily available and are a convenient way to move between Olinda and Recife; a taxi from the center of Recife takes about 20 minutes. Taxis are also the usual choice for airport transfers from Guararapes Airport, the nearest airport, while a cheaper option is to connect into Recife and then take one of the frequent local buses north to Olinda, arriving near the Praça do Carmo stop.
Where to stay
Olinda offers a wide range of lodging, from hostels and pousadas to private rooms and whole apartments or houses. Standards vary greatly among the private rentals, and they are hard to book ahead, though they are often cheaper than the alternatives. Reservations are wise in January and February, and during carnival prices triple and you will have to pay for the five nights from Friday to Wednesday no matter what; if you arrive on Thursday, there is still time. For budget stays, Albergue de Olinda and Pousada d'Olinda both offer dorm beds and doubles. Pousada Alquimia is a charming pousada with slightly worn but very clean rooms, an excellent location close to the main square, a friendly owner named Djair who makes a great included breakfast, a small book-exchange with a few non-Portuguese titles, and cool decorations. Pousada dos Quatro Cantos occupies a former colonial weekend house and is described as a delightful place to stay. Casa do Hilton, Pousada do Fortim, Pousada de Amparo and Pousada Olinda Bela Vista are further options. Cama e Café Olinda has a ventilated room with a view of Olinda, Recife and the Atlantic, plus Wi-Fi, a refrigerator, TV, independent entrance and proper bathroom, and the owners speak Portuguese, English and German. For mid-range, Hotel 7 Colinas sits on Rue de São Francisco.Food & drink
For casual eating, Sargação near Praça do Carmo and the beachfront serves sandwiches and burgers late into the night, while Mourisco on Praça João Alfredo offers self-service at a reasonable price. In the early evening, the food vendors of Alto da Sé draw a lively crowd. If you want to splurge, Oficina do Sabor on Rua do Amparo pairs a privileged view of Recife with dishes such as baked pumpkin stuffed with shrimp or fish in coconut sauce. For nightlife, check the monthly guide published by Olinda's prefeitura, available at tourist offices and hotels. Mercado Eufrasio Barbosa often hosts cultural presentations and live music, and Xinxim da Bahiana on Avenida Sigismundo Gonçalves, near Praça do Carmo, has live bands and DJs through the week, with forró on Wednesday and Saturday nights standing out. Every other Saturday, the neighbourhood of Amparo, next to the Historic Center, throws a street party centred on the local rhythm of samba de coco. Further out in Cidade Tabajara, reachable by bus or taxi, Casa da Rabeca do Brasil holds a forró party every Saturday night, and maracatu nations often open their rehearsals to the public throughout the year.What to see and do
Olinda rewards wandering: colonial architecture, belvederes and the blue sea together create a relaxed atmosphere you won't find elsewhere among Brazilian traditional cities. Start at the Alto da Sé, where the Belvedere offers views of the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the urban scenery to the west. The churches here are the heart of the historic centre. The Olinda Cathedral, also known as the Church of São Salvador do Mundo, was the first church built in Brazil and briefly became a Protestant church during the Dutch occupation. The Mosteiro de São Bento and Convento São Francisco are important buildings of baroque Brazil; the latter is a large complex containing the convent proper, the Capela de São Roque chapel and the Igreja de Nossa Senhora das Neves church. The Mosteiro de São Bento housed Brazil's first law school and holds exceptional woodcarvings in its chapel. Other churches worth seeking out include the Igreja da Misericórdia, with its fine azulejos and gilded carvings, and the restored Igreja Nossa Senhora do Amparo.
For museums, the Contemporary Art Museum of Pernambuco holds works by famous Brazilian artists in a building that once served as Brazil's only ecclesiastical prison during the Inquisition. The Olinda Regional Museum recreates domestic and social life of the 1700s with colonial furniture, decorative arts, tilework and sacred art, while the Sacred Art Museum of Pernambuco, in a former city hall and Episcopal palace, displays religious art dating back to the 16th century. Browse the Mercado da Ribeira, an 18th-century building now housing art galleries and souvenir shops, and Rua do Amparo, lined with restaurants, museums, hotels and art studios. Outside Carnaval season, the city stays lively with forró and maracatú in clubs and squares, Saturday night serenades, and Friday evening serenades of singers and musicians playing old traditional songs through the streets. Carnaval itself is a street party quite different from Rio or Salvador, with blocos parading to frevo and maracatú and giant dolls carried on shoulders; the party runs non-stop, though the crowds mostly fill the streets during the day. If you want to swim, note that the beach in Olinda proper is polluted — local buses run north to Pau Amarelo and Maria Farinha.
Three days in Olinda
Day one: Base yourself in Olinda, in Pernambuco, and spend your first hours on foot in the historic centre. Walking is the best way to take in the steep streets and the views out over the Atlantic, and it lets you find your bearings among the churches and colourful houses. Look for the Church of São João and the Praça do Carmo, and note how the Portuguese and Dutch past shows in the architecture around you. If you arrive at Guararapes Airport, you are in the Metropolitan Region of Recife, and taxis can bring you up to Olinda.
Day two: Give the day to the town's cultural life. Olinda is known for its Carnival, and in January and February the streets fill with music and crowds, especially from Friday to Wednesday. Outside those weeks, the same streets are quieter and easier to wander. Plenty of places to stay sit in the centre, including Pousada Alquimia, Pousada Olinda Bela Vista, Albergue Quatro Cantos, Casa Hilton and Pousada Djair. Standards vary, so it is wise to make reservations ahead, particularly in the Carnival season.
Day three: Head down to Recife, the neighbouring city, and see how the two fit together. The Fortim do Amparo and the Carmo area are worth a look before you leave Olinda. Because the two cities are so close, you can move between them easily by taxi. If you are flying out, Guararapes Airport is the departure point for the region.