How to get to Olinda

There are no airports or bus stations in Olinda; visitors arrive in Olinda via Recife (read more about arriving in Recife).

Going from Recife to Olinda

By car.
Check out this page with maps of Recife and Olinda.
Recife and Olinda are neighbour cities, Olinda is to the north. The cities are connected by expressways, making it easy to drive between them.
Because many drivers take this route, it is one of the few well signalized routes in Recife.

From Boa Viagem to Olinda, the easiest route is: follow Av. Boa Viagem northwards (it's a one way avenue) until the end; turn left and then keep going on for about 6 km, along a busy avenue called Agamenon Magalhães; at the end of Agamenon, right past the Convention Center, there is an exit to the right, towards Olinda; then keep going on until the Historic Center.
From downtown Recife: keep going North; the main avenues (Cruz Cabugá, Olinda) have signs indicating the way to Olinda.

By taxi.
Expect to pay between R$ 30 and R$ 40 (approx. US$ 15 - US$ 20) for a trip between Boa Viagem and Olinda.

By bus.
Because many people commute from Olinda to Recife, there are many bus lines, with a short waiting time. Buses are not comfortable, but are safe.
Most buses serving the Historic Center of Olinda have a final stop in a neighbourhood called Rio Doce, in the northern end of the city.
From Boa Viagem, the only direct bus is Piedade - Rio Doce. Take the bus at any bus stop along the Avenida Conselheiro Aguiar (this is the first parallel to the beach boulevard, where buses are prohibited); in Olinda, ask the driver to get off in front of the Correios (Post Office - see map), the best place to start walking around the Historic Center.
From Recife downtown, the best bus is Princesa Isabel - Rio Doce. Take the bus in a stop across the street from the City Hall. In Olinda, again, ask to get off at the Post Office Station.

During carnival.
During the days of carnival, the transit in Olinda becomes chaotic.
The best way to reach Olinda during carnival is going to the Shopping Tacaruna (take a bus and get off there or drive your car and leave it there) and take the special carnival bus, which operates only during the carnival.