Things to see and do Natal

Nowadays it is a cultural centre under the supervision of Sesc. Built by the merchant Colonel Aureliano de Medeiros who designed this residence surrounded by gardens. He had the ironwork brought from Germany and the crystal, carpets and porcelain from France. He brought many decorative objects from across the Atlantic to show the owner's wealth. Years later, the building housed the Court of Justice and, in the 1930s, it became the Bela Vista Hotel, one of the most refined hotels in Natal at the time.

The neoclassical Potengi Palace dates from 1865. The Maranhão Theatre dates from 1904. The Palácio Potengi cultural space, or simply Palácio Potengi or Palácio da Cultura, is an imposing historical building dating from the 19th century located in Praça Sete de Setembro (September Square). The building, in neoclassical style, was the seat of government until the 1980s, and previously housed the State Assembly. The building is classified in the IPHAN. Today, it houses the Pinacoteca of the State of Rio Grande do Norte.

Completed around 1714 (the exact date of its construction is unknown), it was built on the heights, from where one has a superb view of the Potengi River. It is one of the oldest churches in the city, built by slaves. The original form was probably more modest; the sacristy, tower and side aisle were added later. Around it, the original paving, of the Moleque pe type, can still be found. Mass in Latin is still celebrated on Sundays, according to the most traditional ritual of Catholicism

It served as the starting point for the cable car that connected it to the Fort of the Three Kings. The place where this church is located today was originally occupied by the first chapel of the city, built in 1619, of which some walls still exist. It has undergone several modifications: it was transformed into a Calvinist temple during the Dutch invasion, in 1786 it received the baptistery and in 1862 its tower was completed. In 1994 it underwent a major restoration, during which the added elements were removed.

It is a former prison, now occupied by small craft lodges. The building, which dates from the 19th century, was once an orphanage, then a residence, before being transformed and restored to house the tourist centre. It is one of the best places in the city for shopping. Shirts, dresses, hammocks, home decor, lace fabrics and souvenirs. On Thursday evenings, the center becomes a very lively place. This is the Forró do turista, a highlight of the Potiguar night.

This fort was built in January 1598. Isolated in the middle of the sands, at the mouth of the Potengi River, it is shaped like a star. It was built to defend the city against the French and pirate attacks. Known as Fortaleza dos Reis Magos, the fort was the first building in the city. It was begun by the Portuguese on January 6, 1598 (the day of the Three Kings), hence the origin of the name. The star-shaped fortress is the origin of the city's construction and is its main historical and cultural monument.

The beaches that stretch from the tip of the city southwards, Praia do Meio and Praia dos Artistas, are the best. The avenue is lined with lively bars. The water is clean, but the beach is polluted by buggies.

Forte. Protected by reefs, with small natural pools; 10 minutes by bus from the centre.

Meio. Lined with buildings and hotels; unsuitable for swimming. You can eat a crab at Cigarino, on the beach

Artistas. Lined with buildings, hotels and bars; good waves for surfing.

Areia Preta. Strong waves, unsuitable for swimming.

This church is shaped like a slide and was inaugurated in 1988. Made of concrete, it is supposed to represent the strength and dynamism of Brazilian and Northern Catholicism. It took over the function of the former cathedral of the same name, which was partly built in the 17th century. This modern temple of the Catholic faith is not without resemblance in some respects to the Cathedral of San Sebastian in Rio... with the addition of a convention centre. The choir is elevated.

This museum is attached to the UFRN (Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte). It is named after its first director and one of the founders of this remarkable museum, the anthropologist and folklorist, Lui da Camara Cascudo. For 60 years, out of two, this interesting museum offers many pieces, sometimes unique of ethnology, archaeology, paleontology, folk art, sacred art Anthropology, folklore of the Amazon Indians, fossils, skeletons. A sambaqui (tumulus) is reproduced in a room and a room is dedicated to the sugar cycle.

Brazil, unlike its Andean neighbours, has few old stone monuments carved by human hands. The oldest monument in the country is a Corinthian column that is said to come from the Capitol of Rome, donated by Mussolini in 1928 to commemorate the flight of two Italians, Carlo del Prete and Arturo Ferrarin, on board the Savoia, which linked Rome to Natal without a stopover. On July 5, 1928, these pilots reached the coast of Potiguar from Rome, after a non-stop flight of more than 49 hours, covering a distance of more than 7,000 kilometers.