A harbour city located in the eastern cost of Brazil, was founded in 1815. Its name – Maceió – originates from word Maçaió, which means marsh in Tupi language. In the beginning, main source of income in the city was sale of wood for ships. Nowadays, tourism is growing in strength. In Maceió there is a network of bike rental. On Sundays, the furthest lanes of roads, the ones closest to pavement, are dedicated only for use of cyclists; cars are not allowed.
As a seaside city, Maceió can boast having magnificent beaches. Many of them are popular among locals and tourists, like Praia de São Miguel dos Milagres with delicate, fair sand, but you will also find effortlessly some more low-key nooks. Along the entire shore there are located rentals of diving, sailing, sunbathing equipment and schools of windsurfing, wakeboarding or flyboarding.
When you get fed up with sun, take a walk through museums. Maceió have a few of them and each is more and more surprising. In the northern part of the city, close to airport, there is Museu Théo Brandão de Antropologia e Folclore. Recordings of folk songs, historical pictures of the region, clothes, decorations, paintings, sculptures and other pieces of local artists were collected there.
Pay a visit to Palacio Floriano Peixoto Museum in the city centre, close to the port. Peixoto lived in the second half of the 19th century, he was a soldier and the president of Brazil. In the eclectic palace there are furniture, paintings and other objects from time of his ruling.
Are you looking for souvenirs from Maceió? Go to a market by seaside at Avenida Doutor Antonio Gouveia. You will find there hand-made jewellery, sculptures or clothes. Local alcohols can be bought in Pavilhao Do Artesanato.
For feast in Brazilian style, go to Casa de Mainha, where you can choose dishes by the look of them. Dishes are placed on big tables, you just take what you fancy. Do you prefer Brazilian fast-food? Then visit Sanduba de Careca. This eatery’s specialities are original hamburgers with meat, ham, bacon and onion.
