Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
THE LEGEND OF LAMPIÃO: BRAZIL'S ROBIN HOOD
Lampião was born Virgulino Ferreira da Silva in 1897 in the Northeastern state of
Pernambuco. As Virgulino grew up, he and his family got involved in local feuding and they
ended up on the wrong side of the law. Virgulino's father was killed in a police raid on his home,
turning Virgulino, only 25 years old, into a bandit gang leader - one of the region's “cangaceiros”
- and a deadly threat to the local establishment for the next fifteen years. The Robin Hood of
Brazil image he cultivated belies the reality of a complex, vain and brutal man. It is perhaps his
boldness that made him stand out, often fighting battles when his gang was outnumbered
more than three to one (though his elaborate handmade costume must have helped).
The law finally caught up with Lampião in 1938. The police detachment that shot him, his
wife, Maria Bonita, and his closest lieutenants preserved their heads in alcohol so that they
could be shown in market towns in the interior, the only way to convince people he really had
been killed - even today, the Brazilian media occasionally publish pictures of an old man who
died in 1996 and bears a striking resemblance to Lampião.
Casa da Patrimônio and Fundação Pierre Chalita
Casa da Patrimônio Rua Sá e Albuquerque 157 • Tues-Sun 11am-5pm • Free • T 82 3551 5295 Fundação Pierre Chalita Praça
Manoel Duarte 77 • Mon-Fri 8am-11am & 2-5pm, Sat 8am-11am • Free
he Casa da Patrimônio is an old sugar warehouse at the end of Rua Sá e Albuquerque,
artfully converted to display eight hundred pieces of the eclectic Tânia de Maya Pedrosa
collection of folk art, carvings, puppets, masks and ex-votos. The nearby Fundação
Pierre Chalita has also taken over two huge warehouses to display the larger, vibrant
canvases of patron Pierre Chalita (see p.258).
4
Pajuçara and Ponta Verde beaches
The main Maceió resort area begins at Pajuçara , whose curving road and wide mosaic
promenade are studded with palm trees. Though there are always plenty of umbrellas
and chairs for rent, cold beers and tasty snacks on offer, the water is not always the
cleanest here - to swim, head out to the main reef offshore (see box opposite). The only
attraction as such is the craft market, the Ferinha de Artesanato , and its twin across the
road, the two floors of Pavilhão do Artesanato at Avenida Silvio Carlos Viana 1447.
Pajuçara curves into the Ponta Verde , which continues around the headland and north
to Jatiúca, where things get slightly less crowded.
Litoral Norte
Ponta Verde and the neighbouring beach of Jatiúca are the beginning of the Litoral
Norte , a series of fine sands to the north of Maceió. The best way to get to them is to
take buses marked “Mirante” or “Fátima” from the centre, which take you along the
coast as far as Pratagi (also called Mirante da Sereia), 13km north, where there are
coral pools in the reef at low tide. You can get off the bus anywhere that takes your
fancy; the main beaches, in order of appearance, are Cruz das Almas (surf beach),
Jacarecica (surf beach), Guaxuma (swimming beach), Garça Torta (swimming beach)
and Riacho Doce (surf beach, but also famed for its locally made sweet coconut treats).
All these beaches are less crowded than the city beaches during the week, but very
popular at weekends. South of Maceió is Praia do Frances (see p.262).
ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION
MACEIÓ
By plane Maceió's Zumbi dos Palmares airport ( T 82 3036
5200) is 20km north of the city. Pay for a taxi in the terminal
with cash or credit card (fixed-rate R$65 to the beaches).
Buses labelled “Aeroporto-Ponta Verde” run to the beach
districts every 45min (R$2.50). The visitor information
booth in the airport (daily 8am-11.30pm) has English
information, maps and English-speakers.
By bus The rodoviária ( T 82 3221 4615) is 4km north of the
centre on Av Leste Oeste. Buses marked “Ouro Preto” connect
it with the old town; to carry on to the Pajuçara and Ponta
Verde beaches from there, take the “Ponta Verde”, “Jardim
Vaticano” or “Jatiúca” bus. Alternatively, a taxi to either the
 
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