Recife (‘heh-see-fee’) is the capital of the state of Pernambuco, in the north-east of Brazil and it is located at the meeting point of Beberibe and Capibaribe River. The city will be one of the host cities of the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
The name ‘Recife’ was derived from its surrounding coastal reef shoreline. When translated Recife is Portuguese for ‘reef’. The Portuguese rulers who first landed on Recife and ruled it for many years influenced its deep historical and cultural background.
The many rivers, small islands and over 50 bridges found in Recife city center characterize its geography and gives it the moniker of the “Brazilian Venice.”
The beaches are surely one of the most popular places for visitors to spend time whilst on holiday to Recife. With year round warm weather, the beaches allow for swimming, boating, fishing and many other water related activities including walking tours.
Recife’s Boa Viagem is the longest urbanized stretch of beach in Brazil, probably one of the world’s best with pristine white sands and an 8km of hotels and restaurants stretch.
The beach road wide walkway is dotted with huts selling food and drink, the traditional “água de coco” (coconut water) most popular. Vendors also sell t- shirts, hats, suncream and sunglasses.
Pina Beach, the first beach in Recife, originally housing a colony of fishermen is another popular one north of Boa Viagem Beach. Though it’s a little more relaxed, with weak waves just like the Brasilia Teimosa Beach,smaller and less frequented near the port.
World Cup accommodation in Recife is primarily made up of spacious apartments with sea views, many of which are set on the popular Boa Viagem Beach.
Recife has many quality 3, 4 and 5-Star International Hotels that include Amoaras Resort, Hotel Atlante Plaza, Blue Tree Towers Recife as well Pousadas (traditional Bed & breakfast) and Apart-Hotels totaling more than 11,500 bedrooms.
Five matches will take place in Recife during the World Cup, starting with Ivory Coast v Japan on 14th June.
Italy face Costa Rica on 20th, followed by Croatia v Mexico on 23rd. On 26th June, USA v Germany promises to be a highlight of the group stages. Three days later, the winner of group D will go head-to- head with the group C runner-up in Recife.
The five World Cup games will kick off at the Arena Pernambuco, a new state-of-the-art stadium built in Sao Lourenco da Mata in Recife’s metropolitan region. The newly built Arena Pernambuco, a 44,248 seater, is part of a major complex also featuring restaurants, shopping centres and cinemas.
Did you know : That Recife is home to former Brazilian professional footballer, Rivaldo Vítor Borba Ferreira (born 19 April 1972), known as Rivaldo.
He was named by Pelé as one of the 125 Greatest Living Footballers at a FIFA Awards Ceremony in 2004 and an inductee to the Brazilian Football Museum Hall of Fame.
The zenith of his national team career for Brazil came at the 2002 FIFA World Cup, hosted in South Korea and Japan. Featuring in an attacking trio with Ronaldo and Ronaldinho, dubbed “the three R’s”, Rivaldo scored in the first five games for Brazil, while Ronaldo scored in four matches.
The Brazilian, 41, won the World Cup in 2002 and also the Champions League in 2003, while he was named the best player on the planet in 1999 during an impressive five-year stint with Spanish club Barcelona.
Between 1993 and 2003, Rivaldo played 74 matches and scored 34 goals for the Brazil national football team and is the sixth highest goalscorer.
In 2009, Rivaldo became the first player in the world to score one, then two, then three, then four goals in four consecutive matches.
He scored one goal in the first match at Bunyodkor in Uzbekistan and two goals in the second match against Navbahor. In the third match on 25 June 2009, Rivaldo scored a hat trick against Metallurg, which was beaten 4–0 by Bunyodkor. In the fourth match Bunyodkor beat Sogdiana Djizak 5–0 and Rivaldo scored four in 17 minutes.
