Recife is one of Brazil’s largest cities and is the capital city of the State of Pernambuco and is located in the north-east of Brazil. It is a vibrant city that has an exciting entertainment, cultural and restaurant scene. Recife is known for its...more
Recife is one of Brazil’s largest cities and is the capital city of the State of Pernambuco and is located in the north-east of Brazil. It is a vibrant city that has an exciting entertainment, cultural and restaurant scene. Recife is known for its fascinating historic center and for its stunning coastal setting as well as for its bridges, channels, churches, historical monuments and public markets. This port city is also a major tourist destination, one of the host cities of the 2014 FIFA World Cup and is home to a UNESCO World Heritage site. Recife is a renowned education hub, as the largest university in Pernambuco; The Federal University of Pernambuco, is located here. A tiny percentage of the population in the city is made up of Muslims. Therefore Muslim visitors will find it quite difficult to locate Halal-friendly facilities including Halal restaurants and mosques in Recife.
A must-visit, although approximately 70 kilomteres away from Recife, is the beach of Porto de Galinhas; known for its bright-water and natural pools. It is a major tourist attraction and has been voted ‘Best Brazilian Beach’ by the readers of the popular Brazilian magazine; Voyage & Tourism, eight times in a row. The beach in Boa Viagem is one of the most beautiful and popular urban beaches in Brazil. This stunning sandy beach has several facilities, including hotels and restaurants that surround it. Although it is a family-friendly beach, it may not be that Muslim-friendly. Muslim visitors looking for a quieter, less crowded beach will be able to find one quite easily, as there are several beaches suitable for all tastes.
The historic town of Olinda, located approximately 6 kilometres away from Recife’s city center, is a charming town and is considered one of the best-preserved colonial cities in Brazil. Its historic downtown area is a major tourist attraction as well as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This tranquil town is also home to several churches and cultural sites, colonial architecture and beaches and is a must-visit when in Recife. In fact, often enough, those visiting the area prefer to stay in Olinda and visit Recife during the day.
A must-see attraction when visiting with the family is the Dois Irmaos Park. This is a zoo and botanical garden located on a massive area; consisting of over 800 wild animals; around 127 native and foreign species, a Natural Science Museum and an Atlantic rain forest which surrounds the zoo that has several ecological trails. The park aims to educate visitors on the environment as well as on breeding animals in captivity. It is the ideal place to spend a fun day out with the entire family and is suitable for visitors of all ages.
If possible a visit to the largest water park in Brazil; the Veneza water park, is a must. This giant water park consists of numerous attractions including; a tower with eight slides of various shapes, huge wave pools, water games, the largest artificially slow river in Brazil, wading pools for kids, saunas and much more.
Visitors will also be able to find shops selling regional arts and crafts, souvenirs and other unique items. In addition to that, Recife also has several markets and shopping centers, home to numerous well known outlets and brands.
The nearest airport to Recife is the Recife/Guararapes–Gilberto Freyre International Airport, which is located approximately 13 kilometres from Recife’s city center. This airport has domestic as well as international flights and is one of Brazil’s busiest airports.
There are no known Halal restaurants in Recife. Muslim visitors will have to dine on vegetarian or seafood dishes from local non-Halal restaurants after ensuring that the dishes do not consist of any non-Halal items. Many dishes in the region are cooked with coconut sauce and palm oil and consist of yams, fresh seafood and corn. Dishes visitors must try when in Recife include; rice and beans, fish stew and crab. Because Recife has a small Muslim population, Muslim tourists may be able to obtain more information on the availability of Halal food in the area, at the local mosque. Muslim visitors must also be aware that most restaurants in Recife also serve alcohol.
One known mosque in Recife is the Islamic Center of Recife. This mosque is said to conduct daily prayers as well as Jumu’ah prayers on Fridays. Because it is not easy to locate other mosques in the city, Muslim tourists are advised to pray in their hotel room before setting out on any excursion, if possible.
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Prayer times for Recife,Brazil