Pernambuco: What Was Missing?

As this training session could not cover every corner of the State, which has many other important points of interest, we will at least mention them here:

Praia dos Carneiros: considered one of the most beautiful beaches in Brazil, it boasts excellent hotels. Boat trips are a highlight in themselves, taking visitors to small beaches and mangroves, including a mandatory stop for a clay bath.

Carneiros’s Beach, Pernambuco, Brazil: Vacation in the paradisiac beach with blue sky and crystal water

North Coast: day trips to this region are highly recommended. The main attractions are Itamaracá Island, home to Forte Orange and the Manatee Preservation Centre, as well as the beaches of Maria Farinha and Coroa do Avião.

São João: in June, the traditional “Festa Junina” takes place, and Caruaru, located 130 km from Recife, attracts thousands of people who dance, watch performances by traditional groups, and attend concerts by local and national artists in one of the biggest São João celebrations in the Northeast. Gravatá and Arcoverde also stand out during these festivities.

Religious festivals: less than 200 km from Recife, Brejo da Madre de Deus hosts Nova Jerusalém, the largest open-air theatre in the world. It becomes the stage for the Passion of Christ performance during Holy Week, drawing over 60,000 people to a 100,000 m² area.

Religious tourism: located 220 km from Recife, the village of Cimbres, in the municipality of Pesqueira, was the site of an apparition of the Virgin Mary.

Other Carnival celebrations: Bezerros is known for its “Papangus”, masked revellers who take over the town during the Carnival period. Meanwhile, Nazaré da Mata becomes the stage for the meeting of Maracatus, with the iconic “Caboclos de Lança” taking centre stage.

Wine Route: along the São Francisco River – one of Brazil’s largest rivers and enjoying more than 3,000 hours of sunshine per year – the city of Petrolina and its neighbouring towns produce vigorous, fruity red wines. Over 15% of Brazil’s wine originates in the São Francisco Valley. The region yields up to 2.5 harvests a year, thanks to advanced irrigation techniques. Around three thousand visitors arrive each month, placing the Valley firmly on the “World Wine Tours” map.

And if Pernambuco’s history began with the sugar cycle, it is only fitting to end this training by talking about it: sugar is deeply embedded in the State’s cuisine, especially in the interior, in the former sugarcane mill regions, where one can enjoy an extensive variety of sweets, preserves, cakes and liqueurs, all featuring sugar as the main ingredient.