Flights to Recife with Air France

What you need to know before boarding a flight to Recife

Located in north-east Brazil, on the Atlantic coast, Recife is one of the country's largest cities. Founded in 1537, the Pernambuco state capital is built at the meeting point of three rivers: the Capibaribe, the Beberibe and the Jordão. The water present throughout the city is reminiscent of Venice: Recife, like its Italian twin, offers several ports which simplify travel. The centre of Recife is spread over two islands. With an area of 217 km², Recife has over 1.5 million inhabitants. The city's equatorial climate makes the air hot and humid, with small variations in temperature according to the seasons, January and February being the hottest months of the year. The rainy season runs from June to August.

A much sought-after tourist destination, you can easily reach the city of Recife thanks to our wide

range of flights from the United Kingdom. On the Air France site, you can find all the London-Recife flights on offer, and also book a car and a hotel for a more pleasant stay.

What not to miss during a visit to Recife.

Relaxation or culture, there's plenty to do in Recife. To begin with, the architecture is dominated by Portuguese and Dutch influences. During your stay in Recife, don't miss a visit to the ruins of the Kahal Zur Israel synagogue, the first synagogue built in the Americas, in 1636. Recife also boasts several other baroque buildings:

• the Sao Pedro dos Clérigos cathedral
• the Nossa Senhora do Carmo Basilica
• the Golden Chapel

Museum lovers aren't forgotten in Recife. A visit to the Museu do Homem do Nordeste, for example, will allow you to better understand the regional culture via its costumes, day-to-day objects and typical dwellings. MAMAM, the Aloisio-Magalhães Modern Art museum is a reference in Brazil in the area of contemporary visual art. Over and above the wide range of cultural offerings in the city of Recife, it is famous for the annual Recife Carnival which takes place in February and brings the city streets to life for 3 days of partying. Another important date is June 24th. This is the annual São João, a festival during which you can taste typical regional dishes. If you just want to relax, Recife is ideal. Several warm-water beaches are within easy reach of the city for swimmers' delight. Finally, during your stay in Recife, make time for a visit to Olinda: just 7 kilometres from Recife, this is one of the oldest cities in Brazil. It was classified a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1982.

Things to know about Recife before you leave

Recife airport is roughly 11 kilometres from the city centre: you can easily get to your hotel in a taxi or a shuttle. The city of Recife offers two metro lines and a widespread bus network allowing you to reach the various points of interest in the city easily. With respect to London, there is a time difference of 4 hours: it is 4 PM in London when it is noon in Recife. As in the rest of Brazil, the currency in Recife is the Brazilian real: you will find foreign exchange offices in the city-centre tourist offices and at the airport. As far as possible, avoid using notes of more than 10 reals which can be hard to change in the street or in taxis. If you want to pay by credit card, check that the establishment accepts your card before shopping. Restaurants and hotels generally impose a 10% service charge, so there is no need to leave a separate tip. There is no need to tip a taxi driver, but round up the total.