| Reviews and photos of Olinda attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Olinda sightseeing. Olinda Map |
 | Olinda Things To Do | Tips 1 - 10 of 32 |  |
1.Sunset at " ALTO DA SE".
2."Tapioca" with cheese at "ALTO DA SE".
3.Celebrations in the evening at the Abacial Church of the "MOSTEIRO DE SAO BENTO",with Gregorian songs and the sounds of bells.
4.Cookies and spirits made at home by the priests of the "MOSTEIRO DE SAO BENTO".
5."Do nothing" at the "Alto Da Se".
6.Eat fresh fish,called "Agulha",in the coast pubs.
7.Drink sugar cane juice and feel like "superman".
8.Visit the corner called "4 Cantos".
9.Follow carnaval groups in the streets,even out of carnaval time.
10.Look at the beauty of the churches and monasteries.
11.Eat a "Roballo Al Cartoccio",in the Alto Da Se restaurant "Pimenta Rosa".
PICTURE:4 CANTOS STR. Leave a Comment
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Oh,this beautiful church is built on the hills in "Alto Da Se",has splendid ornamentations,very rich architecture!
Had to be almost totally rebuilt after the Dutches burned Olinda! Leave a Comment
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Get a map from the Tourist Office and start your church, convent and cathedral-hopping from Rua São Francisco uphill.
You might receive many offers from touts to be your guide (most likely in Portuguese only). Feel free to engage them. Many of them are teenagers who are trying to make a living.
There are many convents and cathedrals with interesting history. Some of them are even inter-connected by tunnels and dungeons. Many of them had been burnt down or partially destroyed during the Dutch invasion and so, most of them had been restored after... often, multiple times.
The one with the greatest view is Cathedral da Se which is located at the top of a hill, and behind, in the courtyard, there is a great view of Olinda. This was where the Portuguese looked out to the sea and the green vegetation and declared, “Oh… linda!” (Oh… pretty!). Hence, the name of this city - Olinda. Leave a Comment
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If you are here in Olinda on a Friday night, please do not miss this!!
From 10pm onwards, go down to Praça Jose Alfredo, a square in front of a church and wait. Although you might be enshrouded in darkness with only a few locals around, walking their dogs, or chatting away... wait and listen.
Soon, you should be able to hear the tinkling of a guitar and spot a small group on the steps in front of the church.
Now, the serenade begins.
The banjo player begins, to some small applause. And the group soon joins in playing musical pieces after pieces… little serenades of love songs. Soon, as the serenades go on and emotion runs high, the public joins in the singing as well, declaring ‘amor (love) this’ and ‘amor that’.
There are young, middle-aged and elderly people… some couples, others families and yet others alone, swaying to the gentle beat, singing with gentle love.
After an hour or so, the group would take a little walk around the streets. So, the serenaders take the lead and everyone follows right behind and around, singing, clapping, dancing. Smiling faces pop their heads out as the serenaders stop under their windows or balconies.
Gosh… can you imagine the scene? I felt as if I was in the middle of a musical where the extras milling around in the background suddenly gather behind the main actor and actress and all of them move in synchronised choreography, instinctly knowing the dance steps and song lyrics!! It felt absolutely surreal!! I was twirling around, looking at the faces of these people, bathing in their shared passion. I would not be able to translate actually how I felt now at all to paper. It was… er, for want of a word… just beautiful. Leave a Comment Address: Praça Jose Alfredo
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Many people and guidebooks say that Olinda is the best place to celebrate a peaceful and family carnaval... I've been there some days before carnaval, and it looked like true...
Beaucoup de gens et de guides disent que Olinda est le meilleur endroit pour vivre le Carnaval, dans une ambiance paisible et familiale... Je ne peux pas l'affirmer, mais ayant ete la quelques jours avant l'ouverture du carnaval, c'avait l'air d'etre vrai... Leave a Comment
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... look at Recife from the Lighter then eat tapioca with cheese in the Alto da Se, visit the corner called 4Cantos, drink juice of sugar cane (you will find everywhere), find a tourist guide to visit all the churches and Monasteries and if you still hungry eat fried fish (agulha) in the coast pubs and for the end a walk to Alto da Se to see the sunset! Leave a Comment
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As you enter the nave of this beautiful church, these exquisite 18th century carvings are suspended from the right and left walls. The largest of them is only about 2/3 of a meter in height.
(The relative sizes are skewed by the fact I had to shoot my pictures from just outside the doorway.) Leave a Comment Address: Rua São Bento, s/n
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Built originally in 1540 then renovated in 1584, the Catedral da Sé was burned by the Dutch in 1631 and restored in 1656-77.
Its gold-plated side altars are very beautiful as is the extensive tile work imported from Portugal. Leave a Comment Address: On Cathedral Hill (Alto da Sé)Directions: From Praça do Carmo, walk up Rua do Bomfim to Ladeira da Se; turn right up the hill to the Alto and Catedral da Sé.
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Built originally in 1585 and partially burnt by the Dutch in 1631, São Francisco is made up of a convent, a chapel, and a church. There's also a library for ordained clerics and acolytes.
The atrium and chapel are decorated with characteristic blue and white Portuguese tiles, these imported from LIsbon in the mid-1700s.
The high altar in the church is heavily gold plated and very beautiful.
The church and chapel both have elaborate ceiling paintings that date from the early 1800s. Leave a Comment Address: Off Rua do São FranciscoDirections: From Praca da Republica, up Rua São Francisco about 400 meters. The convent is on your right, just before the top of the hill.
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Climb up the hills of Olinda to discover Recife, so different, so close...
Montez les collines de Olinda et decouvrez Recife, si different, mais si proche... Leave a Comment
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