Experience the best of João Pessoa

João Pessoa is among the oldest cities in Brazil, founded in 1585 near the mouth of the Paraíba River. The historic upper town keeps colonial buildings, among them the church and convent of São Francisco, a baroque ensemble with tiled walls and gilded interiors. Pockets of Atlantic forest remain inside the city limits, which gives it a leafy feel.

The seafront runs for kilometres from Cabo Branco to Tambaú and Manaíra, with coconut stands, cafés and a promenade. At the headland of Ponta do Seixas the sun rises first over the mainland of the Americas, and offshore at low tide the Picãozinho reef forms warm natural pools. South of the city, the cliff-backed beaches of Conde, such as Coqueirinho and Tambaba, are a short drive away.

Tapioca crêpes filled with cheese or coconut and cuscuz, the steamed corn cake, make a typical breakfast in Paraíba, followed by sun-dried meat, fish stews and sugar cane juice sold on the beach. The sea and air stay warm all year, with showers mostly between April and August.