Armando de Holanda Cavalcanti Metropolitan Park

The Armando de Holanda Cavalcanti Metropolitan Park occupies the headland of Cabo de Santo Agostinho, the point of land jutting into the sea between Recife and Porto de Galinhas. It combines forest, lookouts and colonial-era ruins, plus Vila de Nazaré, with its old church. It is a cultural and scenic detour for anyone visiting the Cabo beaches, such as Calhetas and Gaibu.

A little history

The park was created in 1979 by State Decree No. 5,554/79, according to an undergraduate thesis from Faculdade Damas (2019). Movimento Econômico reports an area of 270 hectares, managed by Suape.

The headland played a military and commercial role in the early colonial period. The same academic paper describes the old anchorage of Nazaré, or Suape, and the construction of forts and batteries between the second half of the 16th century and the end of the 17th century. During the Dutch invasions, the area was defended from the Forte Real de Nazaré, built around 1632, and was taken by the Dutch in 1635.

What to see

Vila de Nazaré

In Vila de Nazaré stand the Church of Nossa Senhora de Nazaré and the ruins of the Carmelite Convent, both listed by IPHAN, according to the Faculdade Damas paper. Construction of the church reportedly began around 1597; the convent emerged around 1692 and was inaugurated in 1731, according to the same study. Wikivoyage gives another date for the church, 1579, so treat its origin as the late 16th century. The village also has an old cemetery.

Ruins and lookouts

The firm Natureza Urbana, which designed a project for the park, lists as its main structures Forte Castelo do Mar, the Old Barracks (Antigo Quartel), the Bateria de Calhetas (an old gun battery) and the Lighthouse Keeper’s House (Casa do Faroleiro). The same project describes nine trails of varying difficulty and lookouts over the Atlantic and the cliffs. Not all the trails and structures in the project have necessarily been built; confirm on site what is open.

The Faculdade Damas paper also highlights the headland’s geological value, formed by a granite described as unique in Brazil.

How to get there from Porto de Galinhas

Cabo de Santo Agostinho lies between Porto de Galinhas and Recife. The park is about 30 km south of Recife, according to Movimento Econômico. The exact distance from Porto de Galinhas was not confirmed by an official source. Vila de Nazaré sits at the top of the headland, near Calhetas and Gaibu beaches.

When to go and how much time to allow

Choose dry days: in the rain, trails and slopes get slippery. For Vila de Nazaré and one lookout, allow one or two hours. Adding a neighboring beach, the outing takes half a day.

Status of the park

In 2023, Suape opened a public consultation to grant 118 of the park’s 270 hectares to the private sector, with mandatory investments planned, according to Movimento Econômico. The same year, the Pernambuco State Prosecution Service held a public hearing in the Nazaré Church itself to follow the project. Progress on the concession was not confirmed by an official source in Oct 2026. Hours, fees and facilities may change; confirm before you go.

Practical tips

• Bring water, sunscreen and a hat: the ruins and lookouts are in the open.
• Respect the church and the listed ruins.
• Follow the advice in Porto de Galinhas safety and avoid isolated areas.

How to fit it into your itinerary

The park pairs well with a day at the Cabo beaches: a morning at Calhetas or Gaibu and the climb to Vila de Nazaré afterward. You can also stop on the way to the airport. Another cultural stop in the same municipality is Engenho Massangana. See the overview in beaches near Porto de Galinhas.