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| Maceió | |||
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| — Municipality — | |||
| The Municipality of Maceió | |||
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| Nickname(s): "The Paradise of Waters" | |||
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  Maceió
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| Coordinates: 9°39′57″S 35°44′06″W / 9.66583°S 35.735°W | |||
| Country |  Brazil |
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| Region | Northeast | ||
| State |  Alagoas |
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| Founded | December 5, 1815 | ||
| Government | |||
| - Mayor | José Cícero Soares de Almeida (PP) | ||
| Area | |||
| - Total | 511 km2 (197.3 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation | 7 m (23 ft) | ||
| Population (2006) | |||
| - Total | 922,458 | ||
| - Density | 1.800/km2 (4.7/sq mi) | ||
| - Metro Density | 210.9/km2 (546.2/sq mi) | ||
| Time zone | UTC-3 | ||
| Postal Code | 57000-000 | ||
| Area code(s) | +55 82 | ||
| HDI (2000) | 0.739 – medium | ||
| Website | Maceió, Alagoas | ||
Maceió (Portuguese pronunciation: [mah-say-oh]) is the capital and the largest city of the coastal state Alagoas, Brazil.
The city is located between Mundaú Lake and the Atlantic Ocean. The city proper has a total population of 922,458 inhabitants (year 2006) living under a tropical climate with average temperature of 25°C (77°F).
Around 1,180,000 people live in its Metropolitan Region of Maceió (year 2005). The city began in an old sugar mill and plantation complex around the 19th century. Its development started with the arrival of ships taking wood from Jaraguá bay.
With the installation of the sugar mills, Maceió started to export sugar, then tobacco, coconut, leather, and some spices. Prosperity made it possible for the settlement to become a village on December 5, 1815. Thanks to its continued growth, Maceió became the capital of the Alagoas Province on December 9, 1839.
Maceió is also a port city and due to its port development about 200 years ago it changed from a village into a city.
The new Zumbi dos Palmares International Airport connects Maceió with many Brazilian cities and also operates some international flights.
The city is home to the Federal University of Alagoas.
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Maceió has a typical tropical climate, specifically a tropical wet and dry climate, with warm to hot temperatures and high relative humidity all throughout the year. However, these conditions are relieved by a near absence of extreme temperatures and trade winds blowing from the ocean.
January is the warmest month, with mean maximum of 32°C (89.6°F) and minimum of 22°C (71.6°F) and more sun; July experiences the coolest temperatures, with mean maximum of 27°C (80.6°F) and minimum of 17°C (62.6°F) and more rain.
Maceió has a Tropical forest. Rainforests are characterized by high rainfall, with definitions setting minimum normal annual rainfall between 2,000 mm (about 78 inches or 2 meters) and 1700 mm (about 67 inches). The soil can be poor because high rainfall tends to leach out soluble nutrients.
There are several common characteristics of tropical rainforest trees. Tropical rainforest species frequently possess one or more of the following attributes not commonly seen in trees of higher latitudes or trees in drier conditions on the same latitude.
One substantial local industry is based on chemical products from brine pumped from deep wells on the outskirts of Maceió. Another substantial industry is the fabrication of ethanol and sugar from sugarcane grown in the region. In the last thirty years the tourist industry has transformed the coastal areas of the city into vibrant centers of entertainment for Brazilian and foreign tourists (Americans, Italians, French, Germans, Argentinians, etc).
These coastal neighborhoods include coconut palm trees, playgrounds, squares, open-to-the-public football, volleyball, and basketball fields, residential buildings, bars, nightclubs, tourist-oriented shops, restaurants, banks, hotels, and gambling houses (slot machines and bingo only, since casino games are illegal in Brazil).
The GDP for the city was R$ 6,114,507,000 (as of 2005);[1] The per capita income for the city was R$ 6,768 (as of 2005).[2]
Portuguese is the official national language, and thus the primary language taught in schools. But English and Spanish are part of the official high school curriculum.
Top high schools of the city are Colégio Contato, Colégio Santíssimo Sacramento, Inei, Colégio Santa Úrsula, Colégio Anchieta, Colégio Marista de Maceió, Colégio Santa Madalena Sofia,Colégio Santíssima Trindade and others.
American jazz and rock and almost all Brazilian styles and dances are played all over the city in bars, pubs, restaurants, nightclubs, street festivals, concerts, private gatherings, and churches all the year round. Some classical music in concerts in the University, in the theater, and museums can also be heard.
Movie theaters can be found in the Maceió Shopping, Pátio Maceió and Farol malls.
Spetacles can be seen at the Deodoro Theatre and Gustavo Leite Theatre.
Théo Brandão Museum (folk and primitive arts), Museum of the Historical and Geografical Institute of Alagoas (fine arts and historical objects), Pierre Chalita Museum (fine arts), Museum of Image and Music (photographic, cinematographic, and sound exhibitions and archives), Museum of sport, Museum of natural history UFAL(museum which serves as the search for the Federal University of Alagoas).
Folk art in the Théo Brandão Museum, and in outdoor markets at Pajuçara Beach and Pontal da Barra where one can buy works by local folk artists.
Festa Junina was introduced to Northeastern Brazil by the Portuguese for whom St John's day (also celebrated as Midsummer Day in several European countries), on the 24th of June, is one of the oldest and most popular celebrations of the year. Differently from what happens on the European Midsummer Day, the festivities in Brazil do not take place during the summer solstice but during the tropical winter solstice. The festivities traditionally begin after the 12th of June, on the eve of St Anthony's day, and last until the 29th, which is Saint Peter's day. During these fifteen days, there are bonfires, fireworks, and folk dancing in the streets (step names are in French, which shows the mutual influences between court life and peasant culture in the 17th, 18th, and 19th-century Europe). Typical refreshments and dishes are served. It should be noted that, like during Carnival, these festivities involve costumes-wearing (in this case, peasant costumes), dancing, heavy drinking, and visual spectacles (fireworks display and folk dancing). Like what happens on Midsummer and St John's Day in Europe, bonfires are a central part of these festivities in Brazil.
The four-day period before Lent leading up to Ash Wednesday is carnival time in Brazil.
This is a typical Alagoas revelry that resulted from the union of Reisado (an Epiphany celebration), Auto dos Caboclinhos (Caboclinhos' Play), Chegança (public folk play depicting a naval battle) and Pastoril (outdoor folk play). Its choreography and costumes with colored ribbons and beads reproduce the cathedral's façades on the monumental hats covered with mirrors.
This is a dramatic dance motivated by the sea. It tells the sea adventures of the first navigators in its songs accompanied by guitar and ukulele.
Boi do Carnaval is a popular culture display derived from Bumba-Meu-Boi. It is always presented together with La Ursa (The Bear), Vaqueiro (Cowboy) and a percussion band whose rhythm captivates everyone that hears it.
Gogó da Ema was a famous palm tree with a crooked trunk roughly shaped like a curvilinear letter N. The tree fell on July 27, 1955 at 2:20 in the afternoon.[3] It has become a symbol for Maceian culure and tourism, and there is a beach named after the celebrated tree. The tree also appears in folkloric art and music throughout northeastern Brazil.
Zumbi dos Palmares International Airport located outside Maceió serves the area with international connections to Milan in Italy and Buenos Aires in Argentina, as well as cities throughout Brazil.
The number of visitors grew steadily throughout 2004, from January through November the number of passengers jumped 25% over the same period in 2003. When the updated comfort and security features of the new passenger terminal are completed, Zumbi dos Palmares Airport will truly be ready to receive the new flights expected.
In the new terminal Infraero will also bring to Maceió "Aeroshopping", a concept that is transforming the country's airports into centers for leisure and high-quality products and services. The entire building will be air conditioned, with 63 commercial spaces that will be occupied gradually by public tender. The parking area will be expanded from the current 143 spaces to 600. Demand will be able to grow to 1.2 million passengers a year, since the new passenger terminal will have 24,000 square meters, triple its current size. The present 12 check-in counters will be doubled to 24 and can reach 48 without any structural remodeling. The building will be "intelligent", meaning controlled by a computerized system that regulates factors ranging from the lighting level to air temperature and even the speed of the escalators. This system will also control access to restricted areas and the fire protection system, among others.
Maceió is connected to the main cities of Brazil by the BR-104, BR-101, and AL-101 highways.
The Port of Jaraguá is a Brazilian port located in Maceió. The commercial and economic development of the Port of Jaraguá, next to the margins of the Mundaú lagoon, was responsible for the emergence of an important settlement that received the name of Maceió and later became the present capital of Alagoas. The Port of Jaraguá is situated in a natural port area that facilitates the ships docking. During the Brazilian colonial period, the most important products exported from there port were sugar, smoke, coconut and spices.
There are today about 53 boroughs in Maceió, the following is the list:
Maceió provides visitors and residents with various sport activities. There are several soccer clubs based in Maceió, such as CRB, CSA, and Corithians Alagoano.
Pepe- Real Madrid footballer
Coordinates: 9°39′49″S 35°44′15″W / 9.6637°S 35.7375°W
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Redirecting to Maceió
Maceió[1] is the capital of Alagoas, in Northeast Brazil.
Maceió has a great coastal ambiance and stands out for its beauty - embedded in palm trees, mangroves and the bright green sea. It also has a remarkable culture, reflected in its arts and crafts, cuisine and customs. Like many places in North-east Brazil, the city has initially thrived on the sugar industry. Nowadays, it has a very good tourist infrastructure with excellent hotels, and has become an important destination for national and international tourists.
Maceió's climate is tropical - hot and humid during most of the year. The best time to go depends on your weather preferences. Summer extends from December through March, when temperatures are very hot. May through September is mildly warm, but rains a lot.
Portuguese as in all Brazil is the official language. If adressed in Spanish or Italian locals may be able to understand. English is not always spoken by those in contact with tourists, specially those in simple jobs. There is a portuguese language school Fast Forward [2] 300 meters away from the beach.
Maceió's airport is named Zumbi dos Palmares International (IATA: MCZ; Tel. 82 214-4000) receives flights from every large Brazilian city as well as some international flights. There are plenty of taxis at the airport's arrivals area. Some travelers on a tight budget prefer to take the bus to the downtown area, then a cheaper taxi ride to their final destination.
Taxis are everywhere and you'll have no problem finding them. It first will cost you R$3 to get in the taxi, then it depends how far you go.
The bus system is widely used. The current price is R$2.00 for a single trip. There are no transfers though so each bus you take will require you to pay again.
Approximately 140Km south from Maceió there is a verysmall town called Piaçabuçu, where you can get on a boat and sail through the São Francisco River and see where it meets the Atlantic Ocean. There are vans that can take you there or you can rent a car. The boat ride costs R$30,00 and is absolutely amazing.
Maceió is surrounded by beaches. There is no problem finding a nice beach to relax. You can choose between those with a lot of people or the empty ones.
Concerts are very common.
There are many, many restaurants to choose from. The restaurants on the beaches alone will be more than enough for your stay. There are many different types of food to choose from. Fish and vegetables from the sea, a wide selection of fruits, and authentic Brazilian cuisine are very common. Make sure to try a Tapioca, a pancake made of tapioca flour that can be filled with anything from ham and cheese to chocolate. They are sold all along the beach at lunchtime.
There are plenty of bars all along the beach. An area of Maceió called Jatiuca has a good bar scene. It has two famous places, Skyy nightclub and MaiKai. Another famous nightclub is Middo located in the Pajuçara section of Maceio.
There are many different hotels to choose from in terms of price. There are many large hotels to find tour guides and most of the hotel staff have a good grasp of English and other languages like Italian. Here are just a few:
Temporary apartments are usually the best if your plan to stay more than a week. They are the cheapest and you don't need a lease or pay any utility bills. Many will allow you to stay less than a month. Each temporary apartment is different though. Not all include furniture, a stove, or a refrigerator. Prices can be as low as R$255 per month.
Maceió is one of the most violent cities in Brazil, together with Recife (PE) and Vitória (ES)[3]. There are many poor people wandering around on the street and if you stop for a second, either to look at a map or admire the landscape, they will approach you asking for money. In this case you should say no and start walking away from them, they are mostly harmless. There are less people begging for money in Jatiúca and Ponta Verde, but there are so many in Pajuçara that eating a Tapioca by the beach can become an annoying activity.
Maragogi a place with the most beautiful beaches with white sand, palm trees and famous natural swimming pool, only few km from Maceio.
| Routes through Maceió |
| João Pessoa ← Recife ← | N  S |
→ Aracaju → Vitória |
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