Fortaleza

Fortaleza, a huge city of more than 2 million inhabitants in the northeastern state of Ceará, does not stand out precisely because of its beaches, many of them unsuitable for bathing due to water pollution. The main attraction of Fortaleza in terms of beaches, is to be the starting point to access some of the best beaches in northern Brazil, such as Jericoacoara(310 kilometers to the northwest) and Canoa Quebrada(160 kilometers to the south, in the municipality of Aracati).

Playa Iracema

photo by deltafrut - CC 2.0 by

Something closer to the capital Cearense, in the municipality of Paraipaba , 124 kilometers north of Fortaleza, it is recommended to visit the beautiful and still preserved Lagoinha beach( See on satellite map ); and only 37 kilometers from Fortaleza, between dunes, lagoons and forests of palm trees, Cumbuco beach( View on satellite map ), essential walk for those They visit the city.

Praça do Ferreira

photo by deltafrut - CC 2.0 by

Among the urban beaches of Fortaleza the best options are the central Iracema Beach, for its Cultural Center, its bridge dos Ingleses and its waterfront, and the Praia do Futuro for being one of the few with proper sea to bathe.

playa de Lagoinha - 124 Km de Fortaleza

photo by JR Borges - CC 2.0 by

Cultural and historical attractions typical of Fortaleza:

Dragão do Mar Cultural Center ( View on map )

Praia do Futuro

photo by mauricio mercer - CC 2.0 by

Modern cultural complex located on the beach of Iracema, which combines Museum of Contemporary Art, Art Workshop, Planetarium and Cearense Culture Memorial.

Centro Cultural Dragão de Mar

photo by mauricio mercer - CC 2.0 by

Fortaleza Nossa senhora de Assunção ( View on map )

It is the fort(or fortress) that originated the city and gave it its name, built during the Dutch occupation in 1649, and then rebuilt in the year 1817

Faro de Mucuripe ( View on map )

Baroque style lighthouse originally built in 1844, currently houses the museum do Faro and a viewpoint. It has been declared a National Historical Heritage.
 
Church of the Rosary ( View on map )

Oldest Church of Fortaleza, originally built in a precarious way by slaves in the year 1730 and then rebuilt with stone and lime in the year 1755.

Casa Jose de Alencar ( View on map )

House of the important natural writer of Fortaleza, José de Alencar, now converted into a museum. Inside there are documents about the writer and the collection of indigenous pieces from Ceará that belonged to the anthropologist Arthur Ramos, with thousands of samples of original Ceará culture and pieces of African origin. 15 kilometers from the center of Fortaleza.
 
Carnival out of season

Those who travel to Fortaleza in the austral winter(or summer in the northern hemisphere) can enjoy their carnival out of time called Fortal, during the month of July this street party takes place similar to the Bahian carnival, with trios elétricos (traveling scenarios mounted on trucks) on which important artists from all over Brazil.

How to get there

Via Aérea: Fortaleza receives flights from all over Brazil and from abroad through Pinto Martins International Airport( View on map )

Via Terrestre: It is possible to reach Fortaleza via bus from the most important cities of Brazil; Due to its remote northeast location, distances are great and trips usually last about two full days from Rio or São Paulo.

The company Itapemirim operates regular services from Terminal Tiete in São Paulo(current price 347 reais in conventional service) and from the Novo Rio in Rio de Janeiro(357 reais in conventional service).

The company Viação Nordeste , has services that interconnect Fortaleza with other Northeast capitals such as Natal and João Pessoa.

Distances and travel times by bus

From Natal: 533 Km - About 9 hours
From João Pessoa: 688 Km - About 11 hours
From Recife: 799 Km - About 12 hours
Salvador de Bahia: 1,403 Km - About 22 Hours
Rio de Janeiro: 2,838 Km - About 46 hours
São Paulo: 3.144 Km - - About 50 hours

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