Rio Grande do Norte · Brazil
Where to stay in Natal
Natal is a city in Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, home to about 751,000 people.
- Nearest airport
- NAT18 km · Rio Grande do Norte/São Gonçalo do Amarante–Governador Aluízio Alves International Airport
- Currency
- BRLBrazilian real
- Time zone
- America/Sao Paulo
- Language
- Portuguese, Brazilian Sign Language
About
About Natal
Natal is a Brazilian municipality and the capital of the state of Rio Grande do Norte, located in the Northeast Region of Brazil. Situated 2,227 kilometers from Brasília, the federal capital, it is the second smallest Brazilian state capital in area, covering an area of approximately 167 km2 (64 sq mi).
Natal was founded on 25 December 1599, hence its name (Natal means Christmas in Portuguese). Unlike other Northeastern capitals, it did not quite benefit from the economic boom resulting from the region's sugar cane production. Instead it grew moderately and more organizedly, burgeoning on the state's cattle-raising activities and salt and oil extraction. Nowadays Natal is one of the 8 most visited cities of Brazil. Unlike other large cities of the Northeast of Brazil, like Recife or Salvador, Natal does not have a fascinating Historical Center or a vivid nightlife.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Natal
See
- Forte dos Reis Magos
- Ponte Newton Navarro
- Parque das Dunas
- Parque da Cidade
- Memorial Câmara Cascudo
- Igreja de Santo Antônio
- Teatro Alberto Maranhão
- Solar Bela Vista
- Palácio Felipe Camarão
- Rua Chile
- Centro de Turismo de Natal
- Ponta Negra
Do
- Forró com Turista
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Which part of Natal to stay in
Most tourist lodgings are in Ponta Negra, heaps and heaps of them. Posted prices are negotiable in low season.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Hotels in Natal
37 hotels within 25 km of the centre, as recorded in Wikidata. Each name links to its encyclopedia article where there is one.
| Hotel | Opened | From centre |
|---|---|---|
| Grande Hotel | 1939 | 1.9 km |
| Apart Hotel Serantes | 10.4 km | |
| Aram Natal Mar Hotel | 8.3 km | |
| Arituba Park Hotel | 1.4 km | |
| Atol das Rocas Hotel | 10.2 km | |
| Best Western Premier Majestic Ponta Negra Beach | 9.0 km | |
| Chalet Suisse | 10.5 km | |
| Comfort Hotel & Suites Natal | 10.1 km | |
| Coral Plaza Apart Hotel | 9.1 km | |
| Divi-Divi Praia Hotel | 9.5 km | |
| Holiday Inn Natal | 3.4 km | |
| Hotel Água Marinha | 6.9 km | |
| Hotel Alimar | 10.3 km | |
| Hotel Belo Horizonte | 8.5 km | |
| Ibis Natal | 3.4 km | |
| Ilusion Hotel | 9.9 km | |
| Kristie Resort Natal Hotel | 10.5 km | |
| Manary Praia Hotel | 9.4 km | |
| Mirador Praia Hotel | 10.0 km | |
| Moriah Natal Beach Hotel | 10.2 km | |
| Natal Dunnas Hotel | 10.3 km | |
| Ocean Palace All Inclusive Premium | 8.3 km | |
| Paradise Flat | 9.7 km | |
| Pizzato Praia Hotel | 9.8 km | |
| Pontalmar Praia Hotel | 8.6 km | |
| Pousada Laranja | 10.3 km | |
| Pousada Lisboa | 9.1 km | |
| Praiamar Natal Hotel & Convention | 9.3 km | |
| Rede Andrade Bello Mare Comfort | 10.1 km | |
| Rifóles Praia Hotel & Resort | 8.6 km | |
| Safari Natal Beach Hotel | 10.0 km | |
| Serhs Natal Grand Hotel & Resort | 7.4 km | |
| Soleil Garbos Hotel | 9.7 km | |
| Valencia Hotel Natal | 8.7 km | |
| Villa Park Hotel | 1.6 km | |
| Vogal Luxury Beach Hotel & SPA | 8.5 km | |
| Yak Beach Hotel Ponta Negra | 9.4 km |
When to go
The best time to visit Natal
Natal has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. February is the warmest month, with average highs of 32 °C; June is the wettest, with about 218 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Natal: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Rio Grande do Norte/São Gonçalo do Amarante–Governador Aluízio Alves International Airport (NAT), about 18 km from the city centre in a straight line.
Getting around
For finding local bus connections, Moovit covers the city. (As of June 2021) a bus ticket in Natal is R$4 and you don't need a bus card. Without a bus card you don't need to find a way to get and to recharge it. With a bus card it's possible to get a second bus without paying if this is done in less than one hour after the first one. From the shopping centres Midway Mall, Via Direta and Natal Shopping you can find a bus to almost everywhere in the city.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
NAT · Rio Grande do Norte/São Gonçalo do Amarante–Governador Aluízio Alves International Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Natal
Eat
Plenty of seafood restaurants with outdoor seating can be found along the beaches. The most typical beach food is "ginga com tapioca" and the best is served at Redinha Public Market. (Don't go there on Sundays as it's very crowded.)
Drink
Ponta Negra nightlife has concentrated along Rua Dr. Manoel Arauju, aso known as Rua da Salsa, a few blocks inland from the beach at kiosk 11. A lot of holiday prostitutes blend in. Near the city center is the Ribeira district with quite a few options. A nighttime cab to Ponta Negra runs close to R$ 50. Buses 46 and 54 do the stretch in about 45 minutes.
Stay safe
The main tourist areas, as in other Brazilian tourist destinations, are relatively safe. It is Brazil, so you should be aware of the recommended safety precautions: watch your belongings, travel well lit streets at night, don't go wandering off to deserted places you don't know and try to avoid walking around alone. If you are driving and following the GPS, pay close attention to where you are going to make sure you aren't entering a slum of sorts. Tourists should be particularly careful in the beaches of the East Side and North Side - in particular, one should never walk alone from Praia do Forte to Forte dos Reis Magos - the area is scarcely policed.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Natal: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Natal?
Natal has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. February is the warmest month, with average highs of 32 °C; June is the wettest, with about 218 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Natal?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Rio Grande do Norte/São Gonçalo do Amarante–Governador Aluízio Alves International Airport (NAT), about 18 km from the city centre in a straight line.
What currency is used in Natal?
Brazilian real (BRL).
Nearby
Destinations near Natal
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.