Recife, Brazil

Recife stands out as a major tourist attraction of Brazil's Northeast, both for its beaches and for its historic sites. It has a vibrant cultural, entertainment and gastronomic scene, an intriguing historic center, an impressive coastal setting and a fabulous Carnaval. It takes its name from the offshore recifes (reefs) that calm the waters of its ports and shoreline.

Dubbed the "Venice of Brazil" for the abundance of picturesque waterways that sliver throughout the city, Recife is the fourth-largest urban area in Brazil with 4.054.866 inhabitants, the largest urban area of the North/Northeast Regions, and the capital and largest city of the state of Pernambuco. The population of the city proper was 1.653.461 in 2020.

From the picturesque canals and brightly painted colonial buildings of its old town to its skyscraper and palm-fringed beaches, Recife's skyline reflects its personality, a bold blend of traditionalism and modernism whose free spirit shines during its legendary Carnival celebrations.