Where to stay in Fortaleza

See

Quite an effort has been put into restoring colonial architecture over the last years. Still there is no area that is completely "clean", but the stretch from the beachfront of Praia de Iracema, via Dragão do Mar and to Praça do Ferreira is steadily improving and worth a walk. One thing worth seeing is the sunset, either from Ponte Metalica, Praia Iracema, or the beach by the fish market, Mucuripe.

• Theatro José de Alencar
• Metropolitan Cathedral of Fortaleza
• Estoril
• Mercado dos Pinhões
• Ponte dos Ingleses (Metálica)
• Iracema Statue
• Seminário da Prainha
• Fortaleza railway station
• Dragão do Mar
• Praça do Ferreira
• Praça José de Alencar
• Praça Portugal

Do

The monthly listing Olheiro can befound in the receptions of most large hotels, or downloaded as.pdf. There are two nice city beaches, Praia de Iracema and Meireles. Some people discourage bathing here (see Stay healthy), although they are often rated green by authorities. Iracema is often the place for large events and gatherings, in particular the New Year celebrations. The whole stretch from the Ponte Metálica (aka Ponte Inglesa) pier to the fish market is paralleled by the Avenida Beira Mar, very nice for an evening stroll. A string of shacks line the beachfront, mostly good for drinking and people watching.

• Praia de Iracema
• Meireles
• Praia do Futuro
• Caça e Pesca
• Chandler Surf
• Aldeia Surf School
• Windzen
• Beach Park
• Fortal
• Vida e Arte
• Carnival
• Gay parade

Eat

A popular vacation destination, there is a wide variety of restaurants from steak houses (churrascarias) to pizzerias and fast food restaurants. Fortaleza is a fishing port, so fresh seafood is readily available in the restaurants. If you are a bit more courageous, buy your shrimp/lobster/squid/whatever, straight from the fish market stalls, and hit one of the nearby shacks to fry it for you. One kilo of mid-sized shrimps is about R$ 15; R$ 3 for frying; then plenty of beers! Thursday is crab day in Fortaleza, especially in the many shacks at Praia do Futuro.

Drink

Fortaleza is a forró-stronghold. Virtually any day of the week you can find a party with live music and this traditional dance, sometimes in quite modern variations (often referred to as forró universitário). On weekends you can choose from literally dozens of places. For a more genuine, tourist-free happening, you must move towards the outskirts of the city, paying up to R$ 30 by cab. Traditionally, Fortaleza nightspots have their dedicated day of the week, like Pirata (below) on Mondays. So, when asking around for a place to go, always be specific on when. For daytime drinking, which can be quite a party, specially on weekends, see the Beaches-section above.

Stay safe

Even though the police are working hard to make Fortaleza safer and the city is less dangerous than it used to be, it's still one of Brazil's most dangerous cities. Avoid showing valuable items in public, carrying huge bags (a plastic bag from a local supermarket can be a good substitute) and showing that you're a tourist. The tourist zone around Beira Mar is relatively safe, thanks to a constant police presence.