Caruaru is a city in Pernambuco, Northeast Brazil.
It is famous for its huge São João (St. John's) celebrations in June. The city claims to have "the world's largest São João festivities".
Along BR-232 - from Recife - travel by bus (about 1 hour 30 minutes) is simple and comfortable. I took the Caruaruense line and spent about R$20,00 each way.
Alto do Moura, recognized by UNESCO as the largest center for figurative arts in the Americas. Home to famous ceramist Mestre Vitalino and other artists
Casa-Museu Mestre Vitalino (Mestre Vitalino's House), open Monday through Saturday, 8am-noon and 2pm-5pm; Sunday, 8am-noon. At Rua Mestre Vitalino, Alto do Moura
Memorial Mestre Galdino, open Tuesday through Saturday, 8am-noon adn 2pm-5pm; Sunday, 8am-1pm; at Rua São Sebastião, 181, Alto do Moura
Museu do Barro e da Cerâmica (Clay and Ceramics Museum), open Tuesday-Saturday, 8am-5pm; Sunday, 8am-1pm; at Espaço Cultural Tancredo Neves, bloco B. Praça Cel. José de Vasconcellos, 100, Centro; tel.: (81) 3701.1533
Memorial de Caruaru, a multifaceted cultural center with three key components: the City Museum (Museu Celso Galvão or Museu da Cidade), Memorial da Feira de Caruaru and an exhibit on popular folk art. Open: Tuesday through Saturday, 8am-5pm, at Rua Duque de Caxias, 1000, Centro; tel.: (81) 3721.1039
Museu do Forró Luiz Gonzaga (Forró Museum)
Museu do Cordel (Cordel Museum). Museum dedicated to "Cordel" literature, a traditional pamphlet literature that was typical in Europe in the middle ages. Northeastern Brazil is one of the few place in the world where this type of literature is still alive.
Feira de Caruaru (Caruaru Street Market), Brazil's largest street market (handicrafts, lace and embroidery, leather products, traditional medicinal products, typical food, and almost anything you might want)
Feira do Troca-Troca (Exchange-Exchange Street Market), a street market in which you can exchange the most strange goods, such as chickens for a watch, a parakeet for a bicycle, and the like. Takes place on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Museu da Fábrica de Caroá (Caroá Factory Museum), installed in what used to be Fábrica Caroá (1935-1978), Brazil's first factory to produce fiber products from the caroá plant.
Pátio do Forró, where all the action is. Main attraction during São João (Saint John's) and Sao Pedro (Saint Peter's) festivals. Lots of forró dancing going on with live music on three stages.
-- Caruaru Virtual Tour (by Folha de Sao Paulo) [1].
Handicrafts (pottery art) from one of the 200 artists at the Alto do Moura neighborhood.
Feira de Caruaru: Brazil's largest street market (handicrafts, lace and embroidery, leather products, traditional medicinal products, typical food, and almost anything you might want)
Caruaru has a very active commerce downtown. It serves as a commercial and services hubs for an important part of the interior of Pernambuco. Outside the city center, Caruaru Shopping [3]] is a modern shopping mall with movie theaters and fast-food restaurants.
Local gastronomy includes several goat and bovine meat dishes, such as "buchada", "carne de sol" [4], "chambarril" and "sarapatel". Green beens and melted butter are also typical.
Restaurants (Typical Northeastern Food):
Bode Assado do Luciano, R. Mestre Vitalino, 511, Alto do Moura
La Carne, Av. Cícero José Dutra, s/n, Petrópolis
Mestre Vitalino, Rua Leão Dourado, 13, São Francisco
Mandacaru, R. São Domingos, 160, Pinheirópolis
Rei do Bode, Rua Mestre Vitalino, 570, Alto do Moura
Gostim de Feira, Caruaru Shopping
Restaurants (Other Food):
Bistrô do Chef Adolfo, Caruaru Shopping
O Nelore, R. Bogotá, 50, Divinópolis (feijoada)
Papillon, Av. Prof. José Leão, 425, Maurício de Nassau (local and international food)
