Day trips

The 15 Best Day Trips from Recife

Drive times, distances, what to see, and a sample day plan for every place worth the trip.

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There are 15 good day trips from Recife, Brazil, led by João Pessoa, Jaboatão dos Guararapes, Campina Grande. The closest is Jaboatão dos Guararapes, about 25 min by car, and 7 of them fit into half a day. Below: drive times, distances, what to see, and a sample day plan.

Day trips from Recife at a glance

DestinationDistanceDrive timeBest as
João Pessoa104 km N1 hr 40 minFull-day trip
Jaboatão dos Guararapes16 km SW25 minHalf-day trip
Campina Grande143 km NW2 hr 15 minLong day or overnight
Caruaru123 km W1 hr 55 minFull-day trip
Cabo de Santo Agostinho31 km SW35 minHalf-day trip
Santa Rita105 km N1 hr 40 minFull-day trip
Vitória de Santo Antão46 km W55 minHalf-day trip
Igarassu25 km N40 minHalf-day trip
São Lourenço da Mata16 km W25 minHalf-day trip
Ipojuca43 km SW50 minHalf-day trip
Santa Cruz do Capibaribe146 km W2 hr 15 minLong day or overnight
Abreu e Lima16 km N25 minHalf-day trip
Bayeux103 km N1 hr 35 minFull-day trip
Gravatá77 km W1 hr 30 minFull-day trip
Goiana56 km N1 hr 5 minFull-day trip

Drive times are estimates from the distance. Check live traffic before you leave.

The best day trips from Recife

  1. 1

    João Pessoa, Brazil

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 40 min by car104 km north of Recife3 hr 20 min round trip

    Known for Fest Verão Paraíba.

  2. 2

    Jaboatão dos Guararapes, Brazil

    Half-day trip
    About 25 min by car16 km south-west of Recife50 min round trip
  3. 3

    Campina Grande, Brazil

    Long day or overnight
    About 2 hr 15 min by car143 km north-west of Recife4 hr 30 min round trip
  4. 4

    Caruaru, Brazil

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 55 min by car123 km west of Recife3 hr 50 min round trip
  5. 5

    Cabo de Santo Agostinho, Brazil

    Half-day trip
    About 35 min by car31 km south-west of Recife1 hr 10 min round trip
  6. 6

    Santa Rita, Brazil

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 40 min by car105 km north of Recife3 hr 20 min round trip
  7. 7

    Vitória de Santo Antão, Brazil

    Half-day trip
    About 55 min by car46 km west of Recife1 hr 50 min round trip
  8. 8

    Igarassu, Brazil

    Half-day trip
    About 40 min by car25 km north of Recife1 hr 20 min round trip
  9. 9

    São Lourenço da Mata, Brazil

    Half-day trip
    About 25 min by car16 km west of Recife50 min round trip
  10. 10

    Ipojuca, Brazil

    Half-day trip
    About 50 min by car43 km south-west of Recife1 hr 40 min round trip
  11. 11

    Santa Cruz do Capibaribe, Brazil

    Long day or overnight
    About 2 hr 15 min by car146 km west of Recife4 hr 30 min round trip
  12. 12

    Abreu e Lima, Brazil

    Half-day trip
    About 25 min by car16 km north of Recife50 min round trip
  13. 13

    Bayeux, Brazil

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 35 min by car103 km north of Recife3 hr 10 min round trip
  14. 14

    Gravatá, Brazil

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 30 min by car77 km west of Recife3 hr round trip
  15. 15

    Goiana, Brazil

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 5 min by car56 km north of Recife2 hr 10 min round trip

A sample day trip: Recife to João Pessoa

A realistic pace for João Pessoa, 104 km from Recife. Packy AI builds this for any place on the list, with a route, opening hours and timings you can edit.

  1. 07:30Leave Recife
  2. 09:10Arrive in João Pessoa (1 hr 40 min drive)
  3. 09:25Fest Verão Paraíba
  4. 11:25Lunch
  5. 12:40Explore the old town, markets and cafes of João Pessoa
  6. 15:10Head back to Recife
  7. 16:50Home in Recife

Good to know

Frequently asked questions

What are the best day trips from Recife?
The best day trips from Recife are João Pessoa, Jaboatão dos Guararapes, Campina Grande, Caruaru, Cabo de Santo Agostinho. The closest is Jaboatão dos Guararapes, about 25 min away by car.
What is the closest day trip from Recife?
Jaboatão dos Guararapes is the closest, 16 km south-west of Recife, roughly 25 min by car. Best as a half-day trip.
Where can I go within an hour of Recife?
7 places are within about an hour's drive of Recife: Jaboatão dos Guararapes (25 min), São Lourenço da Mata (25 min), Abreu e Lima (25 min), Igarassu (40 min), Cabo de Santo Agostinho (35 min), Ipojuca (50 min).
What is the biggest city near Recife for a day out?
João Pessoa is the largest city in day-trip range, 104 km north of Recife and about 1 hr 40 min by car. With that much to see, start early or stay the night.
How far is too far for a day trip from Recife?
Up to about two hours each way keeps the day relaxed. The farthest place on this list is Santa Cruz do Capibaribe at 146 km, around 2 hr 15 min by car, which is better as a long day or an overnight stay.

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