The imposing Igreja da Sé was originally built in 1537. Burnt in 1631, it has been reconstructed four times since, most recently from 1974 to 1984 in a Mannerist style that attempts to re-create the original 16th-century look. Pass through the door to the right of the main altar and continue past the original Portuguese tiles to reach the patio, which offers great views over the town to the brilliant blue sea and Recife in the distance.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
Oficina Cerâmica Francisco Brennand
8.95 MILES
Francisco Brennand, born in 1927 into an Irish immigrant family and now considered Brazil’s greatest ceramicist, revitalized his family’s abandoned tile…
-
3.61 MILES
This strikingly red museum is a small and modern house of worship for frevo, the quintessential dance of the Recife Carnaval that is easily identified by…
-
3.48 MILES
Inaugurated in 2014, this bold museum highlights the culture of the sertão (the interior of Pernambuco state), especially as it relates to the godfather…
-
3.85 MILES
Built between 1696 and 1724, this gem of Brazilian baroque, part of the Convento de Santo Antônio, owes its name to the huge quantities of gold (said to…
-
Concatedral de São Pedro dos Clérigos
4.21 MILES
The 18th-century baroque Concatedral de São Pedro dos Clérigos has been totally renovated and contains incredibly fine stonework and wood carvings…
-
0.28 MILES
The Museu do Mamulengo has a unique and surprisingly interesting collection of more than 1000 pieces devoted to the traveling puppet shows called…
-
8.66 MILES
This scenic museum in Várzea, 11km west of central Recife, contains a huge collection of European and Brazilian art, swords, armor and historical…
-
4.19 MILES
This traffic-free square, lined with bars, restaurants and colorful 19th-century houses, is one of Santo Antônio's more peaceful spots and a good place to…
Nearby attractions
0.12 MILES
This is a large structure containing the 16th-century Igreja NS das Neves and two later chapels, with rich baroque detailing and lovely azulejos …
0.22 MILES
Igreja da Misericórdia and the adjacent former hospital buildling stand on the site of a larger church built in 1630 that was burnt to the ground by the…
0.24 MILES
This small upstairs gallery displays a collection of the giant puppets used in Olinda's Carnaval. Unlike some more commercial galleries in Recife, almost…
0.24 MILES
Praça do Carmo is overlooked by Igreja NS do Carmo (1580), which has been restored in part, although the faded frescoes beside and above the altar on the…
0.24 MILES
This colonial church built in the 18th century was closed in 2015 due to risk of collapse and – much to the chagrin of locals – has yet to reopen.
0.28 MILES
Located in a classic house that was formerly inhabited by the local clergy, this museum houses a small collection of colonial-period furniture and…
0.28 MILES
The Museu do Mamulengo has a unique and surprisingly interesting collection of more than 1000 pieces devoted to the traveling puppet shows called…
0.33 MILES
Head down Rua Saldanha Marinho to look at the restored 1613 Igreja NS do Amparo, which was partially destroyed by the Dutch before being rebuilt in 1644…