Top Recife Historical Tours

Compare past and present with a tour of modern Recife and colonial-era Olinda. Take a panoramic ride through Recife, crossing graceful bridges in the old town areas and on the way, you will drive along the scenic shoreline through Boa Viagem, passing the imposing colonial-era Governor’s Mansion and Santa Isabel Theater. Arrive in charming Olinda and begin exploring. Founded in 1534 and named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982, historic Olinda retains many fine examples of colonial-era architecture, despite the Dutch burning down much of the city in the early 17th century. Visit Sé Cathedral and admire its Portuguese tiles and gilded carvings. Stop for a photo of the picturesque views of Recife and Boa Viagem, and enjoy a refreshing beverage before returning to your Hotel.

The Institute has a permanent collection of historical and artistic objects of various origins with a strong emphasis on historical and iconographic documentation related to the colonial period and Dutch Brazil, including the world's largest collection of paintings by Frans Post, who was the first landscape painter. Brazil and the first landscape architect of the Americas. The Institute also houses one of the largest collections of white weapons in the world, with over 3,000 pieces, mostly from Europe and Asia, produced between the 14th and 21st centuries. The Institute's library has more than 60,000 volumes from the 16th century onwards, highlighting the collections of brasiliana and rare works.