Caruaru Caruaru

Caruaru

Amid the typical vegetation of the wild Northeast, Caruaru attracts thousands of visitors who seek to experience a little the local cultural events and meet this important artistic center of Pernambuco.

Declared a historical and intangible heritage site by Instituto do Patrimônio Histórico e Artístico Nacional [National Institute of Historical and Artistic Heritage] (Iphan), Feira Livre de Caruaru is the largest open air market in the world and occupies an area of 90,000 square meters. In this traditional shopping center, you can find great variety of typical crafts such as leather and ceramic-based products, clothing and accessories, in addition to regional foods such as Brazilian jerked beef and couscous.

At a distance of just 7 km from the center , Alto de Moura is the most famous district of the city. The artistic community has become a world reference and is considered by Unesco a being the biggest center of figurative arts of the Americas. There, you can be surprised with amazing handcrafted works made with clay.Alto do Moura gained international notoriety thanks to the artisan Vitalino Pereira dos Santos, better known as Mestre Vitalino. The artist used to dip his hands in clay to produce scenes of life and dolls, which now can be appreciated in the Museu Casa do Mestre Vitalino.

Another interesting tour is the visit to Morro do Bom Jesus, the highest point in the city, which sits at 630 meters. From there it is possible to have an incredible view of the region.

The city also hosts one of the largest and most traditional and typical events of the country, the São João de Caruaru. Throughout June, the Parque de Eventos Luiz Lua Gonzaga hosts parties and everyone dances to the rhythm of forró and xaxado (a typical, northeastern musical styles).

The event has attractions ranging from quadrilha (a typical dance of the June festivals) to giant food parties, where several delicacies are cooked and shared with the community in generous amounts. The São João de Caruaru festival is also a good way to experience the unique delicacies of the Northeast such as sarapatel, a dish prepared with pork offal and blood.