"Olinda" Top 5 Page for this destination Olinda by NedHopkins

Olinda Travel Guide: 71 reviews and 164 photos

The Beautiful

Olinda — its name means 'the beautiful' — was founded in 1535. A center of commerce early in its history, the town soon lost out to the port city of Recife (whose skyline, six kilometers away, can be seen in my photograph).

Olinda was occupied by the Dutch for several years early in the 17th century. Retreating before reinvigorated Portuguese forces, the Dutch burned most of the city in 1631.

Rebuilt after the Dutch defeat, Olinda now rivals Salvador da Bahia and Ouro Preto and other towns in Minas Gerais for its preservation of colonial architecture.

With a population today of 400,000 people, about a tenth of the city is protected as a national monument and a UNESCO 'Patrimony of Mankind.'

Pros and Cons

Pros:Beautiful architecture, good restaurants, friendly people
Cons:Old bones may ache climbing the many hills
In a nutshell:A fine place for a restful few days — or some vigorous walking about

Last visit to Olinda: Feb 2004
Intro Updated Oct 16, 2004
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Reviews (17)

Convento São Francisco & Igreja N S de... Things to Do (6)

Built originally in 1585 and partially burnt by the Dutch in 1631, São Francisco is made up of a convent, a chapel, and... more travel advice

São Bento Carvings Things to Do (6)

As you enter the nave of this beautiful church, these exquisite 18th century carvings are suspended from the right and... more travel advice

The Puppet Museum Off The Beaten Path (5)

The small Museu do Mamulenco exhibits scores of puppets used by traveling troupes to entertain children (of all ages),... more travel advice

Puppets in the Museum Off The Beaten Path (5)

This is a display of some of the smaller puppets on show at the Puppet Museum. more travel advice

Restaurants (2)
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Comments (3)

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Hosell Jan 25, 2007 at 1:58 PM

Olinda looks beautiful! I will go to Recife soon and I'd like to visit Olinda if I have the chance,thanks for your pics and info!!!!
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zlatiq Jul 29, 2005 at 6:34 AM

beaituful ! must see it next time i get to brasil; thanks for the superb info!
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pepples46 Mar 3, 2004 at 9:58 PM

Olinda, still beautiful...great infos, thank you for sharing