Itamaracá is an island and a city in Pernambuco, Brazil, in the Atlantic Ocean. The name means 'singing stone' in Tupi. Itamaracá has a total area of 65.41 square kilometers and had an estimated population of 15,858 inhabitants in 2005 (IBGE). It is located in the metropolitan area of Recife, the capital city of Pernambuco state.
The main activities of the population are fishing and tourism, and it is regarded by some as the last tropical island on the planet where you can invest in property for less than it cost to build it (2007).
The main tourist attractions are:
Forte Orange, first built by the Dutch in 1631 and rebuilt by the Portuguese in 1654
Vila Velha, seat of the former Itamaracá Hereditary Captaincy (Church of Our Lady of the Conception, colonial houses, magnificent views of the island )
Sao Joao and Amparo "engenhos" (historic sugar mill and plantation complexes)
