Holiday in João Pessoa

About João Pessoa

João Pessoa is the third oldest city in Brazil and the easternmost point of the Americas — here the sun rises first on the entire double continent. The capital of the state of Paraíba offers a relaxed alternative to the more famous beach towns of the Northeast with lush vegetation, reef-protected beaches, and a charming old town. Ponta do Seixas — the easternmost point of the Americas — is marked by a lighthouse at the place where the sun first shines over the American continent. Tambaú Beach and Cabo Branco Beach offer kilometers of golden sand with natural reef pools at low tide. The old town Centro Histórico houses the baroque monastery of São Francisco — one of the most opulent baroque ensembles in Brazil with gilded altars, painted azulejos, and a cloister full of flowers. João Pessoa has more tree cover per inhabitant than any other capital in Brazil and the nickname "Cidade Verde" (Green City). Jacaré Beach on the Paraíba River is famous for the "Bolero de Ravel" ritual: Every evening a saxophonist plays Ravel's Bolero at sunset while dozens of catamarans drift in the golden light — one of the most romantic rituals in Brazil.