Olinda

Just a few miles north of the center of Recife is the beautiful colonial town of Olinda, whose charming, quaint feel belies its former significance as one of the most important cities of colonial Brazil.

Background

As the capital of the prosperous Captaincy of Pernambuco, Olinda was at the center of the northeast region’s booming sugarcane production, which dominated the Portuguese colony’s economy for most of the 16th and 17th centuries. In those days, Recife was merely the port for Olinda, where slaves arrived from Africa to grow the sugarcane that would be sent to Europe, while the riches that accrued were sent up the coast to the capital. Even now, well after the cities’ fortunes reversed, Olinda’s aged opulence remains a testament to the great wealth of early Brazil.

The town was founded in 1535 by Duarte Coelho, a Portuguese nobleman who had been granted the title of donatário (lord proprietor) of the Captaincy of Pernambuco by the king in return for his exploits serving the crown in Asia. Tasked with creating a stable settlement in the new territory, Duarte traveled to Portugal to secure private investment to build a series of engenhos (sugar mills), which had already proved productive on the Portuguese island of Madeira off the coast of North Africa. These sugar mills relied upon large amounts of slave labor, at first by local indigenous people captured by the Portuguese but soon after by Africans brought from across the Atlantic. The large-scale production of sugarcane in Brazil’s northeast was extremely profitable, and it remained the colony’s chief export until the discovery of gold in the southeast in the 1690s.

What to see in Olinda

The Olinda that you see today dates mostly from the 18th century, when it was rebuilt by the Portuguese after it was destroyed by the Dutch, who looted and burned the city when they seized control of Pernambuco and its lucrative sugar plantations for two decades.

The cobblestoned streets are lined with brightly-colored colonial houses and a smattering of fabulous churches, namely the Catedral da Sé and Igreja do Carmo from the 16th century and the Mosteiro de São Bento, rebuilt in the 17th. Enjoy a quiet stroll around the town during the day, but be ready for a buzz of activity when the sun sets, especially if you visit during the weekend.

Olinda is home to a very active nightlife scene, centered around the intersection known as Quatro Cantos. The streets are filled with revelers and live music, from traditional Pernambucan styles like frevo, maracatu, and forró to reggae and rock.

When to visit

Those who want to see Olinda’s parties at their best should visit at Carnival, usually held in February according to the Christian calendar. Olinda hosts one of Brazil’s largest carnivals, and it has its own unique northeastern flair. In addition, the carnival is completely free of charge, which is different than in other cities. Those who visit during the rest of the year can still get a small taste of the carnival traditions by visiting the Casa dos Bonecos Gigantes, which showcases the giant papier-mâché puppets that are paraded through the streets during the celebration.