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A city that charges nothing to be seen
Much of what makes João Pessoa special has no ticket: the sea, the seafront, sunrise and sunset, the historic centre and a street cultural calendar. Here is what you can do without spending anything beyond transport — with a note when somewhere needs its hours checked.
On the seafront and at sea
- Sunrise at Ponta do Seixas, the easternmost point of the Americas, with the Cabo Branco lighthouse on the cliff above.
- Walk, run or cycle along the promenade from Cabo Branco to Bessa. Every day from 5 to 8 am, Avenida Cabo Branco is closed to cars.
- The beach, of course: all beaches are public, and at low tide Manaíra and Bessa are shallow and calm.
- The Estação Cabo Branco, designed by Oscar Niemeyer, with exhibitions and a lookout over the sea — free entry.
- The Tambaú craft fair at night: looking costs nothing.
- Ponta do Seixas, where the sun rises first
- Estação Cabo Branco: Science, Culture and Arts
- João Pessoa tide table: how to read it and when to go
In the historic centre
The Museu de História da Paraíba, in the Palácio da Redenção, is free from Tuesday to Sunday — on Sundays, guided tours only, at set times. Praça Antenor Navarro with its colourful houses, the lake at Parque Solon de Lucena and the façade of the São Francisco church make a whole walk without spending a thing.
In the late afternoon, the terrace of the old Hotel Globo, in Varadouro, is one of the best places to watch the sun set over the Sanhauá river. Check the hours first, as the building operates as a cultural space.
Free music and culture
- Sabadinho Bom: every Saturday from 12.30 pm, live samba and choro in Praça Rio Branco, in the old centre.
- Som na Calçadinha: on Saturdays from late afternoon, music on the Bessa seafront — check the week's programme.
- Casa Hermano José, in Jardim Oceania: a university museum with a garden facing the sea, free on weekdays.
- Fundação Casa de José Américo, on Avenida Cabo Branco: the writer's house museum, Tuesday to Sunday.
The Jacaré sunset
At Praia do Jacaré, in Cabedelo, the sunset over the Paraíba river comes with Ravel's Boléro, played on saxophone from a boat. Watching from the bank has no ticket — you only pay for what you order at the bars.
MAREVI manages serviced flats and apartments on the João Pessoa seafront, from Cabo Branco to Bessa, with a full kitchen and our own team. Book directly on WhatsApp and you skip the platforms' fee.
