One of the oldest cities in Brazil, Joao Pessoa was founded by the Portuguese in 1585 as "Filipéia”  The current name was adopted as recently as 1930 in tribute to murdered local politician João Pessoa Cavalcanti de Albuquerque. 

The historic centre includes churches, palaces and houses from the colonial and imperial past including the Casa de Pólvora (a former arsenal which is  now a museum),  the Convent of Santo Antonio and the church of São Francisco and the Monastery with it’s beautiful façade.  Construction of the "baroque area" began in 1589 and took almost 200 years to complete.

With its parks and avenues lined with fruit bearing and ornamental trees, João Pessoa is one of the greensest cities in the World and parts of the original Atlantic forest are still preserved  in the central parks of the city, such as the Parque da Bica and the Mata do Buraquinho.

João Pessoa is a coastal city, and most of its beaches are in the outlying districts. Among them are Tambaú, 7 kilometres from the city centre, where the postcard views are usually taken, Penha, only two kilometres away, a small fishing village; and some 48 kilometres away , Tambaba, the only beach in the North East of Brazil devoted entirely to naturalism.

South of João Pessoa, 14 kilometres from the centre, is the easternmost point in the Americas, Ponta do Seixas; nearby is Cabo Branco, a popular beach for the beauty of its 50 metre high cliffs and the lighthouse of the same name.

Near João Pessoa, there are good places for boat strolls, as the natural pools of Picãozinho and on the island Areia Vermelha. Many operators offer also buggy tours along the beaches of the State.

The sunset on the beach at Jacaré (about 10 km north of João Pessoa) became a famous attraction, after major Brazilian TV programs featured it.  There are six small restaurants, all overlooking the sea and  everyday at sunset, a sax player on a boat performs Bolero, by Ravel!