Marco Zero and Bairro do Recife
gratuitoMarco Zero is Praça Barão do Rio Branco, in Bairro do Recife, also known as Recife Antigo (Old Recife). From there you can walk to Rua do Bom Jesus, Praça do Arsenal and museums such as Paço do Frevo. It suits those who want to see Recife's historic center on a day trip, with family, as a couple or with friends.
Part of the guide Recife
Getting there from Porto de Galinhas
By car it is about 50 to 65 km, around 1 hour without traffic. By bus, lines 191 and 195 connect Porto de Galinhas to the Cais de Santa Rita terminal in central Recife in about 2 hours; the fare was R$ 14.80 to R$ 21.60 in 2025. Agencies in Porto sell full-day city tours of Recife and Olinda, Monday to Saturday, from R$ 142 per adult (October 2026); the catamaran and museum tickets are paid separately.
Hours and admission
The square and the streets are public and free. On Sundays, the Feira do Bom Jesus fair takes over the street from 10:00 to 19:00, with crafts and food. Torre Malakoff, a visual arts gallery with free admission, opens Tuesday to Friday, 10:00 to 17:00, and on Sundays, 14:00 to 18:00.
What to see
Set into the paving of the square is the compass rose designed by Cícero Dias, in quartz and granite, which marks the starting point for measurements in Pernambuco. There is also the bronze statue of the Baron of Rio Branco. The square is the main stage of Recife's Carnival. One block away is Rua do Bom Jesus, formerly Rua dos Judeus (Street of the Jews), with colonial and eclectic-style townhouses, the Sinagoga Kahal Zur Israel and the Embaixada dos Bonecos Gigantes. Praça do Arsenal has bars and Paço do Frevo. On the same avenue as Marco Zero, Armazém 11 houses the Centro de Artesanato de Pernambuco. From a pier below the square, boats leave for the Parque de Esculturas Francisco Brennand.
Before you go
Visit during the day if you can, and watch out for theft and robbery, especially at night. Sunday is the busiest day on Rua do Bom Jesus because of the fair, which gets most crowded in the afternoon.