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Cabo de Santo Agostinho is a coastal city in the Recife metropolitan region of Pernambuco, famous for the volcanic headland that gives it its name, thought by many historians to be the first landfall in Brazil, and for beaches such as Calhetas, Gaibu and Itapuama on the way to Porto de Galinhas.
Settlement began in the 16th century, when sugar mills spread along the fertile river valleys, and the cape was fought over during the Dutch invasion of the 1630s. Today the city also hosts, with Ipojuca, the Suape industrial port complex, one of the largest in the north-east of Brazil.
Visitors swim and surf at Gaibu and Itapuama, ride the zipline at Calhetas and explore the ruins of the fort and church at Nazaré on the headland. To the south lie the reef pools of Muro Alto and Porto de Galinhas, the island of Santo Aleixo and the palm-lined estuary of the Praia dos Carneiros.
Praia de Calhetas is a small beach on the north face of the headland of Cabo de Santo Agostinho, the spot where the Spanish navigator Vicente Yáñez Pinzón is said to have landed in January 1500. Small and sheltered, it is also well known for its zipline, much sought after by visitors.
Praia de Gaibu is one of the best-known beaches on the coast of Pernambuco, in Cabo de Santo Agostinho, its Tupi name meaning valley of the spring. Its crystal-clear water is good for both swimming and surfing, and there are several natural pools along the shore.
Praia de Itapuama is a beach in Cabo de Santo Agostinho whose Tupi name means beautiful stone, with clear, warm water and volcanic rock formations at one end. A steady swell makes it good for learning to surf, and it hosts a national surf contest, the Surf Master.
Praia de Suape is a calm beach in Cabo de Santo Agostinho, between the Praia do Paraíso and the mouth of the Rio Massangana, surrounded by native forest and coconut palms. Its clear, still water suits swimming, windsurfing and jet skiing, and it has bars, restaurants and places to stay.
Santo Agostinho Cape is the volcanic headland that gives the city its name, thought by many historians to be where Vicente Yáñez Pinzón landed on 26 January 1500, three months before Cabral. Geologists see it as the last point where South America broke away from Africa.
Parque Metropolitano Armando de Holanda Cavalcanti is a protected park on the headland of Santo Agostinho. Within it lie the historic Vila de Nazaré and the ruins of the Forte Castelo do Mar, with its old powder house and troop barracks, all looking out over the sea from the cape.
Forte Castelo do Mar, once called Nossa Senhora de Nazaré, is a ruined colonial fort on the headland of Santo Agostinho that played a part in the Pernambucan Insurrection against Dutch rule. Its crumbling walls stand high above the Atlantic, with wide views along the coast.
Vila de Nazaré is a historic hamlet on the headland of Santo Agostinho, inside the metropolitan park. During the Dutch invasion of the 1630s the fighting on the cape began at its harbour, defended by a small fort, and the ruins of its old church can still be seen today.
Porto de Galinhas is a beach in the neighbouring town of Ipojuca, with warm natural pools among the coral reefs, white sand, mangroves and coconut palms. Popular with surfers and travellers from around the world, it was voted the best beach in Brazil ten times in a row by Viagem e Turismo.
Praia de Muro Alto is a beach in Ipojuca, between Porto de Galinhas and Suape, about 3 km long and lined with resorts. A long wall of reef runs along almost its whole length, creating an enormous natural pool of calm, warm and clear water, one of the largest in Latin America.
Ilha de Santo Aleixo is a privately owned island off the south coast of Pernambuco, between Porto de Galinhas and the Praia dos Carneiros, reached by boat. It has two beaches with natural pools, the lively Praia dos Pernambucanos and the quieter Praia da Holanda, reached by a short trail.
Praia dos Carneiros is a beach in Tamandaré, about 113 km from Recife, often called one of the most beautiful in Brazil. Tall coconut palms, fine sand and warm water meet the estuary of the Rio Formoso, and its small 18th-century Chapel of São Benedito is the best-known landmark.
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