Recife Tours &
Things to Do
Discover the best Recife tours and things to do in the “Venice of Brazil”: wander the colourful colonial streets of neighbouring Olinda, explore Recife’s bridges and old town, snorkel the natural reef pools, sail by catamaran and day-trip to the palm-fringed beaches of Porto de Galinhas. Compare top-rated experiences and plan the perfect trip.
rating
Explore Recife by interest
Whatever brings you to Recife — world-class museums, the river, or a long lunch — start with the experiences travellers love most.
Top attractions in Recife
The landmarks that define the city — and the tickets and tours that get you in, often skipping the line.
Olinda
Colonial hilltop.
Porto de Galinhas
Beach paradise.
Reef Pools
Natural snorkel.
Carneiros Beach
Palm-fringed.
Recife Bridges
Venice of Brazil.
Catamaran
River cruises.
Recife Antigo
Old town.
Olinda Churches
Baroque gems.
1 hr awayPorto de Galinhas
Beach paradise.
90 min awayCarneiros Beach
Palm-fringed.
Nearby awayOlinda
Colonial hilltop.
Coast awayReef Pools
Natural snorkel.
River awayCatamaran
City cruise.
City awayRecife Antigo
Old town.
Know before you go
Short, straight answers to the questions every Recife visitor asks before booking.
Dry (Sep–Mar)
Warm, dry and sunny — the best beach months.
Wet (Apr–Aug)
Warmer sea but more rain, especially May–July.
For Carnival
February or March for Recife and Olinda Carnival.
For beaches
The dry season for the calmest reef pools.
For reef pools
Go at low tide for the clearest snorkelling.
Best overall
September to March for warm, dry weather.
One day
The old town, Olinda and a cruise.
Two days
Add a Porto de Galinhas beach day.
Three days
Add Carneiros Beach and the reef pools.
For history
Olinda and the old town.
For beaches
Porto de Galinhas and Carneiros.
For snorkelling
The natural reef pools.
On foot
Olinda and Recife Antigo are best on foot.
By taxi
Taxis and apps are handy for getting around.
Tours & transfers
Tours reach Porto de Galinhas and Carneiros.
By boat
Catamarans cruise the rivers and coast.
Where to stay
Stay in Boa Viagem or near Recife Antigo.
Brazilian real
Brazil uses the real; cards widely accepted.
Olinda
Visit in the morning for cool air and views.
Reef pools
Go at low tide for the calmest snorkelling.
Porto de Galinhas
Take a jangada raft to the offshore pools.
Beaches
Swim within the reef line at Boa Viagem.
Food
Try tapioca and northeastern seafood.
Combo tours
Some tours pair Olinda and the old town.
Olinda tours
Historic tours fill up — book ahead.
Beach trips
Porto de Galinhas trips fill up — reserve early.
Reef tours
Snorkel tours fill up — book ahead.
Carneiros trips
Beach trips fill up — reserve early.
Catamaran cruises
Cruises fill up — book ahead.
Carnival
Carnival tours sell out — book far ahead.
Olinda tour
Around $25–50 for an Olinda historic tour.
Porto de Galinhas
About $89–140 for a Porto de Galinhas day trip.
Reef tour
Roughly $34–70 for a reef pool snorkel tour.
Carneiros trip
Around $86–130 for a Carneiros beach day.
Catamaran
About $46–90 for a catamaran cruise.
How to save
Join group tours to save over private ones.
Recife through the seasons
What's best, how busy it gets, and one booking tip for each time of year.
- Best for
- Beaches.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Peak.
- Best for
- Fewer crowds.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Rainy.
- Best for
- Frevo & Carnival.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Lively.
- Best for
- Snorkelling.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Clear.