Although Joao Pessoa, capital of the small state of Paraiba, contains its share of interesting churches and cloisters, it is best known for the futuristic-looking hotel located seven kilometers to the east, in Tambau. The Hotel Tropical Tambau, a round structure with a tower set in the middle, bears a striking resemblance to a rocket launching pad. The architect, Sergio Bernardes, also designed the hotel in such a way that half of the structure sits directly over the water.

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Joao Pessoa is located not on the sea but rather on the banks of the Rio Parafba. Upon being founded in 1585 it was granted a town charter, making it the third-oldest city in Brazil. If they wish, early risers can be the first on the South American subcontinent to see the sun come up: beyond Cabo Branco (White Cape) lies Ponta do Seixas, the easternmost point in the Americas.

An appealing day-trip option is Cabedelo, a spit of land just north of Joao Pessoa. Visitors can sail from Praia do Pogo to Ilha da Areia Vermelha ("Island of the Red Sands") on jangadas but only in summer at low tide when the island emerges from the sea. Other superb beaches await visitors north of Joao Pessoa at Lucena and Tambaba (29 and 35 kilometers north respectively). Both of these locales feature cliffs, natural swimming pools, and - a rarity in Brazil - nude bathing.

Well worth taking time out for in the center of this town of 500,000 is a leisurely stroll through the Parque Solon de Lucena, which leads past an artificial lake and towering coconut palms to the Convento de Santo Antonio, a Franciscan monastery in Baroque style that through the years has been put to various uses: seminary, hospital, school, administrative building, and (today) Museu Sacro a de Arte Popular, a museum of religious and folk art.

The convent church of Sao Francisco, which was constructed between 1701 and 1734, is a magnificent edifice that features an ornate triangular farqade and a portico with five arches. The interior walls are decorated with azulejos, and there is a striking illusionistic ceiling fresco depicting the Mother of God and canonized Franciscans. The extensively gilded interior of this church has earned the adjoining Capela de Ordem Terceira de Sao Francisco the byname Capela Dourada, or "Golden Chapel."