Whereas elegant Rio de Janeiro and cosmopolitan Sao Paulo may be the best-known places in Brazil, the '''Northeast''', or ''Nordeste'' is one of the liveliest - a land of sunny beaches, colonial towns, vibrating street parties, music and friendly people.
States
Nine states comprise the Northeast region, counting along the coast from the south:
Bahia
Sergipe
Alagoas
Pernambuco
Paraiba
Rio Grande do Norte
Ceara
Piaui
Maranhao
Despite being grouped together, culturally and geographically speaking some of those states can be very far apart from each other.
Cities
Fortaleza - the pleasant capital of Ceara and close to several spectacular beaches
Joao Pessoa - the capital of Paraiba, with the easternmost point in the Americas
Juazeiro do Norte - One of Brazil's most famous pilgrimage sites, located in rural Ceara.
Maceio - the beautiful capital city of Alagoas, known as the "Waters' Paradise"
Natal - Founded on the 25th of december (Natal means Christmas in Portuguese), and the capital of Rio Grande do Norte
Olinda - a preserved colonial town with lots of great music
Recife - a major city and the capital of Pernambuco
Salvador (Salvador da Bahia) - the capital of Bahia, rich in African influence and colonial architecture
Teresina -- Considered by some to be the hottest city in Brazil, it is the capital of Piaui and a gateway to exploring the pre-historic remains in Serra da Capivara.
Campina Grande - a second city of Paraiba. Center tecnology of region.
Other destinations
Fernando de Noronha - A tropical island paradise in the middle of the Atlantic ocean. Is protected as a Marine National Park since 1997 and a World Heritage Site.
Understand
The Northeast is the sunniest of Brazilian regions. Although this may mean long periods of drought for the mainly agricultural inland of some states (and thus crop losses and widespread poverty), the climate also provides almost year-round opportunities for beach-going and other outdoor activities. Long favoured by Brazilian holiday makers, the Northeast has also become increasingly popular with European travellers, especially from Portugal, Spain and Italy due to language and cultural similarities.
The region was also the original site of European colonization in Brazil. The first Europeans landed in Bahia, set up the country's first capital in Salvador, and over the next centuries brought millions of slaves from Africa to the region. Added to the indigenous population, the result is a fascinating rich cultural mix that makes up some often unknown faces of Brazilian culture.
Talk
Get in
The largest airports are Salvador, Recife and Fortaleza, which provide easy access to most of Brazil. Some international flights too, but nothing compared to Rio or Sao Paulo.
Get around
See
Itineraries
Do
Eat
Drink
Stay safe
Get out