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Recife

Recife is Brazil's fourth largest city and and one of the country's most historic ocean cities. It also has the distinction of not having been founded by the Portuguese. In fact, it was the Dutch Prince Maurice of Nassau who founded Recife in 1637 on reclaimed land after his troops had burned Olinda, the original capital. Recife is an exotic fusion of ancient and modern, threaded by the rivers Capibaribe, Beberibe and Pina, Canal Tacaruna and edged by the scenic Boa Viagem beachfront. Although much of the city center is given over to modern skyscrapers and office buildings, there are still a few quiet squares with a number of impressive churches and lovely public buildings as well as several interesting museums.