Stand on the Orla in the late afternoon and the São Francisco River opens up in front of you, with Juazeiro on the far bank and the sun dropping behind it. This is the moment most visitors remember from Petrolina: a riverfront city in the semi-arid Sertão, where the heat of the day gives way to a long, warm evening.
Petrolina suits travellers who are curious about the interior of Northeast Brazil rather than the coast, and who are happy to build a day around a river, a cathedral square and a museum. The city is closely integrated with Juazeiro on the opposite bank, so a boat crossing is part of the experience rather than a side trip.
This guide covers the sights and activities in and around the city, with practical notes on when to go and what to combine. Note that the climate is hot and dry for most of the year, with the rainy season running from November to April.
Top things to do in Petrolina
1. Orla
The Orla is the riverfront of Petrolina, facing the São Francisco River, and it gives you a clear view of Juazeiro on the opposite bank and of the sunset. It has a running and cycling track and scattered bars and restaurants, with the city's most expensive real estate on the other side of Av. Cardoso de Sá.
Walking or cycling here in the early morning is the most comfortable option, when the weather is fresh. Come back in the late afternoon for the sunset over the river.
2. Catedral Sagrado Coração de Jesus e Cristo Rei
The Cathedral of Petrolina is one of the city's most recognisable and attractive sights, built in Neo-Gothic style and inaugurated in 1929. It stands on Praça Dom Malan in the Centro.
In front of the cathedral is the O presente de Padre Cícero a Dom Malan sculpture, showing Padre Cícero giving the cathedral's clock as a gift to Don Malan, the first bishop of Petrolina. On the north side is the Concha Acústica, a Modernist acoustic shell built in 1973 that resembles an open bible and is used for public performances and events. When no event is being held there, avoid the Concha Acústica, as it is a hanging place for drug addicts.
3. Museu do Sertão
This free-entry museum covers the history of the Brazilian Northeast's Sertão region, with a collection of regional furniture and objects and personal belongings of regional figures such as Don Malan and Lampião. It sits on Rua Esmelinda Brandão in the Centro, near the River Shopping mall.
It opens Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 18:00, and Saturday, Sunday and holidays from 09:00 to 13:00. Pair it with a walk through the Centro while you are in the area.
4. Igreja Matriz Nossa Senhora Rainha dos Anjos
This is the city's first church and place of foundation, inaugurated in 1860 in Neo-Colonial style with Neo-Classical elements. It is dedicated to Our Lady Queen of the Angels, the patron saint of Petrolina, whose statue is inside the church.
You will find it on Praça do Centenario in the Centro. It is a short stop, but it gives context to the city's religious history alongside the cathedral.
5. Mãe d'Água statue
The statue stands at the São Francisco River near the ferry stop to Juazeiro. It depicts the orixá Iemanjá, a deity of a traditional African religion who, through syncretism with Catholicism, is associated with Our Lady of Sailors in the state of Bahia.
The best way to see it is from the water: take a boat ride to Juazeiro and enjoy the sight of the Mãe d'Água, as well as the Petrolina skyline, on the way.
6. Boat ride to Juazeiro
The main highlight of a visit to Petrolina is getting out of the city and exploring the São Francisco Valley region, either by car or by boat. The crossing to Juazeiro puts you on the river itself, with the Mãe d'Água and the Petrolina skyline in view.
Combine the crossing with time on the Orla before or after, since the ferry stop is on the riverfront.
7. Ilha do Rodeadouro
This island in the São Francisco River contains Petrolina's only beach, a popular place for bathing on weekends, with restaurants and bars around the small beach. To get there, take Av. Luís de Souza to the west of the city to the Juarez pier, then take a ferry.
You can reach the Juarez pier, where the ferries to the island leave from, by taking a van at the Grande Rio hotel. Weekends are when the beach is at its busiest.
8. Parque Aquático Ilha do Sol
A modest water park facing the São Francisco River, on Estrada da Tapera in the Zona Rural. It is a good way to refresh from the daytime heat and enjoy the city's abundant sunshine.
It is open Wednesday to Sunday from 08:00 to 17:00, so plan it for a day in the middle or end of the week rather than a Monday or Tuesday.
9. Petrolina Antiga
Rua Barbosa Lima in the Centro is the city's historical quarter, filled with early 20th century colourful houses. It once contained cafes, bars and restaurants, but it now appears abandoned, with buildings vandalised and in a state of disrepair.
Come for the architecture and the sense of the old city rather than for food or drink, and treat it as a walk-through on your way to other sights in the Centro.
10. Estação Ferroviária de Petrolina
Petrolina's rail station was inaugurated in 1923 and operated until 1977 as part of the Petrolina to Teresina and V.F.F. Leste Brasileiro rail lines, though the rails never actually reached Teresina. The Neo-Renascence style building has been declared a National Heritage site, and a funeral service operates there.
It is on Rua Governador Eraldo Gueiros Leite in the Centro. Note that it functions as a funeral service, so visit respectfully and only if the building is accessible.
11. Palácio Episcopal da Diocese de Petrolina
This mansion on Praça Dom Malan was inaugurated by Bishop Don Malan in 1929 as a home for Catholic clerics. It is no longer used and is not open to the public.
You can see it from the square while visiting the cathedral, but do not plan on going inside.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start early on the Orla, walking or cycling while the weather is still fresh, then continue into the Centro. Visit the Museu do Sertão when it opens at 09:00, and follow it with the Igreja Matriz Nossa Senhora Rainha dos Anjos on Praça do Centenario.
Afternoon: Spend the middle of the day on Praça Dom Malan, seeing the Catedral Sagrado Coração de Jesus e Cristo Rei, the O presente de Padre Cícero a Dom Malan sculpture in front of it, and the Concha Acústica on the north side. Walk Rua Barbosa Lima in Petrolina Antiga and pass the Estação Ferroviária de Petrolina and the Palácio Episcopal da Diocese de Petrolina, both in the Centro. If the heat is too much, head to Parque Aquático Ilha do Sol instead, which is open until 17:00.
Evening: Return to the Orla for the sunset over the São Francisco River and dinner at one of the bars or restaurants along the waterfront. If you have time before dark, take a boat ride to Juazeiro to see the Mãe d'Água statue and the Petrolina skyline from the water.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time of year to visit Petrolina?
The climate is hot and dry, classified as hot semi-arid. The rainy season begins in November and ends in April; after that it stays dry until October, and in many years there is very little rain even during the rainy season.
Do I need to cross the river to Juazeiro?
Juazeiro sits on the opposite bank of the São Francisco and the two cities form an integrated area. A boat ride across is one of the main ways to see the Mãe d'Água statue and the Petrolina skyline, and the ferry stop is on the riverfront near the statue.
Is the Museu do Sertão free to enter?
Yes, entry is free. It opens Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 18:00 and Saturday, Sunday and holidays from 09:00 to 13:00.
What should I know before visiting the Concha Acústica?
The acoustic shell on the north side of the cathedral is used for public performances and events. When it is not holding one, the place should be avoided, as it is a hanging place for drug addicts.
Start with the Orla at sunrise and the Centro in the morning, and you will have the shape of Petrolina in a single day.