3 Best Sights in The Northeast, Brazil

Originally constructed from mud in 1630, the "Fort of Five Points" was rebuilt in 1677 with stone and mortar; even though it now has only four sides, the fort has retained its original name. One of the last buildings built duing the era of Dutch dominance, this military fort now houses the Museu da Cidade, where an array of maps and photos illustrates Recife's history.

Built by the Dutch in 1649, this fort was originally baptized Forte Schoonemborch. In 1655 it was seized by the Portuguese and renamed after the city's patron saint, Nossa Senhora da Assunção. It was rebuilt in 1817 and is now a military headquarters. The city took its name from this fortress (fortaleza), which still has the cell where the mother of one of Ceará's most famous writers, José de Alencar, was jailed. Guided tours are led by the soldiers themselves, although few speak English.

Natal owes its existence to this impressive five-sided fort, which juts out into the sea on an artificial spit. It was built by the Portuguese in 1598, one year before the founding of Natal, and controlled by the Dutch between 1633 and 1654. Visitors can see the old quarters, the chapel, and rusted cannons; there is an impressive viewing point of the sea, especially when the tide is coming in.