Bohemians, beaches, the Rio Carnival and soccer are the building blocks of what has become the modern-day Brazil. Bikini is still part of the country’s national costume. Although Rio de Janeiro remains Brazil’s top tourist attraction, an easier, more laid-back way to relish the Brazilian vibe is through Recife, Brazil’s fourth-largest cosmopolitan city. Considered as the Venice of Brazil for its many canals, bridges, and narrow one-way streets, Recife is also one of the country’s premier financial districts.
Although football, samba, and Capoeira (Brazilian martial arts), remains to be the passion of many in Recife, industrialists have turned their attention on its tourism industry. Major ports have been established to welcome travelers through Recife’s long and protective coastal reefs. It has only recently become a tourist destination, so visitors are often a novelty for its inhabitants. High rise buildings, colonial churches and markets quilt the city with a mix of old and new. Clay figurines, wood sculptures, leather goods and woven straw are just some of its handicrafts that tourists find attractive.
Much of Recife's nightlife is in Boa Viagem, which has the city’s finest beach. A wealth of fine-dining restaurants can be found offering Afro-Bahian food and drinks or improvised African, Indian, Portuguese and native Brazilian dishes that include seafood, fish and fruits. From Boa Viagem, the city can be explored starting from the Praca da Republica, where the 19th-century Teatro Santa Isabel and the Catedral de Sao Pedro dos Clerigos are located. After passing through the colorful Mercado do Sao Jose or Saint John's Market, visitors can pay homage at the Basilica de Nossa Senhora da Penha.
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