Flanked on the west by the Capibaribe River and sheltered from the Atlantic Ocean by a wall of coral reefs on its eastern side, this natural port became known as Povo dos Arrecifes (Village of the Reefs) and later as Recife.
See looduslik sadam, mida lääne poolt piiras Capibaribe jõgi ning ida poolt kaitsesid Atlandi ookeani eest korallrifid, sai tuntuks kui Povo dos Arrecifes (riffide küla) ja hiljem kui Recife.