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Pernambuco Coast: Recife, Olinda & Porto de Galinhas: 4-Day Plan You Can Actually Drive

Last updated: 2026-09-23

The 4-day version for December: every day fits real transit, opening hours and daylight. Prefer more or fewer days? 3-day plan · 4-day plan · best time to go.

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4

days

70 km

distance

2.9 h

driving

13

curated stops

💡 Good to know for this plan

~12.5 hours of daylight in December.
Dry-season tide pools at Porto de Galinhas glow aquarium-clear — time visits to low tide — and Olinda's viewpoints stay rain-free for golden hour.

Before you go · check live details

This is a planning draft. Check these changing details for your dates before booking or travelling.

Arrange a suitable car for the complete road journey.
Confirm licence, insurance, tolls where applicable, fuel, parking and the one-way finish before departure.
Check source ↗
Check current roads, weather and public-site access.
Check DER-PE and municipal road information, urban traffic, beach conditions, tides, parking, cobbles and current public-site access. Boats, buggies, diving, flights, performances, festivals and wildlife sightings require separate arrangements.
Check source ↗

Day 1 Recife

1 curated stop

Transit: none
Finish: ~15:00
Temperature: 23.9°C–30.3°C
Rainy days: ~5
Daylight: 12.5h

09:00

Recife public riverfront-and-colonial-history circuit visit.recife.br map ↗

Use public Recife Antigo, riverfront and colonial-history spaces; boats, performances, sport and timed entertainment remain separate.

300 min · Recife · Public areas; confirm current admission and opening before entry

14:00

Armazém Guimarães armazemguimaraes.com.br map ↗

Delight in famous Italian pizzas in a cozy restaurant.

60 min · Recife

open: Mon-Sat 12:00-22:00, Sun 12:00-21:00

Overnight here

e.g. Hostel Boa Viagem · Piratas da Praia

Find a stay → Tours & tickets for the evening →

Day 2 Around Recife

6 curated stops

Transit: 0h43
Finish: ~16:00
Temperature: 23.9°C–30.3°C
Rainy days: ~5
Daylight: 12.5h

09:00

Kahal Zur Israel Synagogue visit.recife.br read more map ↗

Visit the oldest synagogue in the Americas, a Sephardic landmark.

50 min · Recife

10:00

Justice Palace tjpe.jus.br read more map ↗

See the elegant seat of Pernambuco's judiciary from 1930.

50 min · Recife

11:00

Museum of the Archeological, Historic and Geographic Institute of Pernambuco arqueologico.com.br read more map ↗

Explore extensive collections spanning prehistoric to colonial Pernambuco.

50 min · Recife

open: Mon-Fri 13:00-17:00, Sat 08:00-12:00

12:00

Military Museum Brum Fortress read more map ↗

View military equipment from colonial times to WWII in this historic fort.

50 min · Recife

13:05

Ricardo Brennand Institute institutoricardobrennand.org.br read more

Admire an impressive collection of Brazilian and European historical artifacts.

50 min · Recife

open: Tue-Sun 13:00-17:00

14:10

Nossa Senhora do Carmo read more

Behold the baroque altar adorned with gold engravings and precious stones.

50 min · Recife

open: Mon-Fri 07:00-19:00, Sat 07:00-12:00, Sun 08:00-12:00 and 18:00-21:00

15:00

Chica Pitanga chicapitanga.com.br map ↗

Savor regional dishes by weight in a cozy, per-kilo restaurant.

60 min · Recife

open: Mon-Fri 11:30-15:30 and 18:00-22:00, Sat 11:30-16:00 and 18:00-22:00, Sun 11:30-16:00

Overnight here

e.g. Hostel Boa Viagem · Piratas da Praia

Find a stay → Tours & tickets for the evening →

Day 3 Olinda

1 curated stop

Transit: 0h38
Finish: ~15:40
Temperature: 23.9°C–30.3°C
Rainy days: ~5
Daylight: 12.5h

09:40

Olinda public UNESCO-historic-centre circuit olinda.pe.gov.br map ↗

Use the public UNESCO historic centre and hilltop townscape; confirm steep cobbles, active religious-site access and mobility conditions.

300 min · Olinda · Public areas; confirm current admission and opening before entry

14:40

Oficina do Sabor search

Indulge in baked pumpkin stuffed with shrimp in coconut sauce.

60 min · Olinda · R$15-20

open: Tue-Sat 12:00-16:00, 18:00-00:00, Sun 17:00-00:00

Overnight here

e.g. Albergue de Olinda · Pousada Alquimia

Find a stay → Tours & tickets for the evening →

Day 4 Porto de Galinhas

1 curated stop

Transit: 1h33
Finish: ~17:45
Temperature: 24.7°C–29.2°C
Rainy days: ~6
Daylight: 12.5h

11:45

Porto de Galinhas public beach-and-coastal-community circuit ipojuca.pe.gov.br map ↗

Use public village and beach access when conditions allow; reef boats, buggies, diving, wildlife encounters and arranged activities remain separate.

300 min · Porto de Galinhas · Public areas; confirm current admission and opening before entry

16:45

Barcaxeira search map ↗

Enjoy baked mashed cassava with meat and cheese, a local specialty.

60 min · Porto de Galinhas

🚗 Rental cars for this trip →

🔍 Check before you book

Every stop is a real, sourced place, but opening hours change, roads close and businesses move. Check anything you're paying for before you book.

Sources (6)

Recife public riverfront-and-colonial-history circuit — visit.recife.brOfficial public source; original paraphrase
Wikivoyage — RecifeCC BY-SA 4.0 (facts extracted; prose not redistributed)
Olinda public UNESCO-historic-centre circuit — olinda.pe.gov.brOfficial public source; original paraphrase
Wikivoyage — OlindaCC BY-SA 4.0 (facts extracted; prose not redistributed)
Porto de Galinhas public beach-and-coastal-community circuit — ipojuca.pe.gov.brOfficial public source; original paraphrase
Wikivoyage — Porto de GalinhasCC BY-SA 4.0 (facts extracted; prose not redistributed)

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