Aracaju in Brazil
Founded in 1855, this state capital stands on the south bank of the Rio Sergipe, about 10 km from its mouth and 327 km north of Salvador. The river itself is pleasant enough and lined with handsome buildings, but the city centre is tawdry and unpleasant, especially at night, and there is very little to see. Most visitors stay at Praia Atalaia, south of town.
Overlooked by most international visitors, Aracaju has a lively off-season carnival immediately prior to the one in Salvador, with the same music and floats. The commercial area is on Rua Itabaianinha and Rua João Pessoa, leading up to Rua Divina Pastora and Praça General Valadão.
Getting thereSanta Maria airport
, receives flights from Maceió, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Recife,
Salvador, and other towns. Interstate buses arrive at the
rodoviária
old bus station
at Praça João XXIII. Look for routes written on the side of buses and at bus stations in tow
n.
The principal tourist office,
Bureau de Informaçães Turísticas de Sergipe
has town maps and staff speak some English.
Emsetur
, www.emsetur.se.gov.br, also has information. There is a tourist booth on the seafront on
Praia Atalaia
,www.visitearacaju.com.br
, but staff do not speak English and information is limited. There are other branches at the airport and the
rodoviária
.
Private tour operators offer trips around the city, including rafting on the Rio São Francisco and the river delta. The best is
Brisamar Tur
, www.brisamartur.com.br
, English spoken.
Praia Atalaia
is the nearest beach to Aracju and a much better place to stay. Although it can't compete with Bahia or Alagoas, there is a long beach of fine white sand, lined with
forró
clubs, restaurants and bars. The beach is lively with families and smooching couples who wander along the esplanade at sunset and the entire area feels as safe and old fashioned as a British Butlins seaside resort. There's even an artificial lake in a tiny theme park where you can hire pedal boats.
Continuing south along the Rodovia Presidente José Sarney, is a long stretch of sand between the mouths of the Rio Sergipe and Rio Vaza Barris; the further you go from the Sergipe, the clearer the water. One of the best beaches is the 30-km-long
Nova Atalaia
, on Ilha de Santa Luzia across the river. It is is easily reached by ferry from the
Terminal Hidroviária. Boats cross the river to
Barra dos Coqueiros
. Services are more frequent at weekends, when it is very lively with with fishing and pleasure craft.
By far the most interesting excursion is to the canyons and beaches of the
Rio São Francisco
. The blue waters course their way through the hills of Minas Gerais and the desert backlands of Bahia before cutting through a series of dramatic gorges near the
Xingó
dam, and subsequently through fields of windswept dunes before washing out into the deep green Atlantic in northern Sergipe.
Brisamar Tur
runs day-trips down the river
stopping at deserted beaches along the way.
About 23 km northwest from Aracaju is
Laranjeiras
, a tiny and sleepy colonial town with a ruined church on a hill. It is reached by taking the São Pedro bus from the old
rodoviária
in the centre of Aracaju. The town was originally founded in 1605 and has several churches dating back to the imperial period, when it was an important producer of sugar. The 19th-century
Capela de Sant'Aninha
has a wooden altar inlaid with gold.
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This is edited copy from Footprint Handbooks. For comprehensive details (incl address, tel no, directions, opening times and prices) please refer to book or individual chapter PDF
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