Olinda's beautiful scenery and architecture make for a pleasant sightseeing all around.

Colonial architecture, belvederes and the blue sea paint a relaxed environment that is second to none among Brazilian traditional cities.

Churches

• Churches - Mosteiro de São Bento (1582) and Convento de São Francisco (1585) are very important buildings of baroque Brazil.
• Church of Alto da Se. Central square. Also known as Church of São Salvador do Mundo, this was the first church built in Brazil. It was built in 1540 and was briefly a protestant church during the Dutch occupation in the 17th century. Mo-Fr, 8AM-5PM. Free entrance.

Museums

• Museum of Sacred Art, 726, Rua Bispo Coutinho. Former house of the senate, nowadays is a rich exhibition of religious art with pieces dating back to the 16th century. From Tue-Mon, 8AM-6PM. R$ 1.00.
• Museum of Contemporary Art of Pernambuco, Rua 13 de Maio, Carmo. Phone (81) 3429-2587. Open Tuesday to Friday, from 8:30am to 12:30pm; Saturdays from 9am until noon; Sundays from 2 to 5pm. Entry: R$ 1,00
• Museum of Olinda, 128, Rua do Amparo. Displays colonial furniture and pictures. Free entrance.
• Museu do Mamelungo

Beaches

The urban beach in Olinda is not appropriate for swimming. While the beaches south of Recife are more touristic, the beaches north of Olinda are also worth a visit. Local buses can take you as far as Pau Amarelo and Maria Farinha.

Others

• Belvedere Alto da Se, located at the yard of Church of Alto da Se. To the east, one can see the Atlantic Ocean; to the west, the urban scenery.
• Rua do Amparo - restaurants, museums, hotels and art studios.
• Serenades - groups of singers and musicians play old traditional songs through the city streets on Friday evenings.

Olinda is approximately 7km from the center of Recife. Local buses connect both towns, and taxis are widely available.

The Historic Center is compact and can be explored on foot.

• Local crafts and artwork. Be wary of making your purchases in or near Alto da Sé, as prices there tend to be inflated due to the constant flow of tourists. The Mercado da Ribeira houses a variety of shops.
• Musical instruments, such as those used in maracatu and forró.

• The Rua do Amparo street has many restaurants serving regional cuisine.
• Tapioca (crepes made from manioc root flour) with grated coconut is a popular snack, especially in Alto da Sé.
• Sargação, near Praça do Carmo near the beachfront, serves sandwiches and burgers until the late night hours.
• Alto da Sé hosts a variety of food vendors, with a lively environment in the early evening.
• Mourisco, near the Praça do Carmo, offers a very good self service at a reasonable price.
• If you wish o splurge, Oficina do Sabor (rua do Amparo, 335) is one of he best options. It offers a priviledged view of Recife.

• Cachaça: Popular all over Brazil, and Olinda is no exception. The preferred brands are 51 and Pitú.
• Caldo de Cana: The "juice" extracted from raw sugar cane.
• Beer: Also popular all over Brazil, brands include Skol, Nova Schin and Antartica, among many others.