Fortaleza.

Avenida Beira-Mar (Meireles & Mucuripe)

The central heartbeat of Fortaleza. A wide 4-kilometer oceanfront promenade lined with coconut palms, bicycle tracks, outdoor fitness parks, and beachfront kiosks. Every evening from 5:00 PM, the Feirinha da Beira-Mar hosts hundreds of artisan stalls selling delicate labirinto and bilro lace embroidery, leather sandals, hammocks, and jars of roasted cashew nuts. (Note: Water along urban Meireles is often not recommended for swimming; residents use this shore for walking, running, and sunset watching).

Praia do Futuro: World-Class Mega-Barracas

An expansive 8-kilometer stretch of white ocean sand with clean, emerald Atlantic waves. Praia do Futuro is world-famous for its colossal barracas de praia—sprawling beachfront entertainment complexes (such as Crocobeach, Chico do Caranguejo, and Terra do Sol) that feature swimming pool complexes, children's waterparks, live stages, massage spas, and seating for thousands of diners under palm thatch.

Praia de Iracema & Ponte dos Ingleses

The bohemian quarter named after José de Alencar’s iconic indigenous heroine Iracema. Dominated by the soaring metallic pier of Ponte dos Ingleses (English Bridge) and the historic Espigão de Iracema, it is Fortaleza's premier sunset meeting point where travelers watch surfers catch evening waves while the equatorial sun dips into the sea.

1. Jericoacoara: The Oasis in the Dunes

Located 300 kilometers west of Fortaleza inside an environmentally protected National Park, Jericoacoara (Jeri) was once an isolated fishing hamlet reachable only by 4x4 vehicles across endless dunes. Today, with unpaved sandy streets and strict environmental protection prohibiting streetlights and cars, Jeri is a world-renowned destination for barefoot luxury and world-class kitesurfing.

Key highlights include lounging in woven hammocks suspended directly over the turquoise waters of Lagoa do Paraíso, hiking to the natural stone arch of Pedra Furada, and climbing the massive Duna do Pôr do Sol (Sunset Dune) at 5:30 PM with hundreds of travelers to watch the blazing sun sink directly into the Atlantic ocean.

2. Canoa Quebrada & Morro Branco (East Coast)

Located 160 kilometers east along the Sunrise Coast (Costa do Sol Nascente), Canoa Quebrada was discovered by French and Brazilian hippies in the 1970s. Famous for towering red sandstone cliffs carved with the iconic crescent moon and star symbol, buggy rides across the dunes, and lively nightlife along the pedestrian avenue Broadway.

En route, stop at Morro Branco to walk through the Labirinto das Falésias—a natural canyon labyrinth of multicolored sand cliffs spanning twelve distinct shades of red, ochre, white, and violet, which local artisans use to create intricate layered bottled sand landscapes (silicografia).

Baião de Dois

The national culinary anthem of Ceará. Black-eyed peas (feijão-de-corda) and white rice cooked together with clarified butter (manteiga de garrafa), cilantro, green onions, and cubes of salty, squeaky queijo coalho cheese melted throughout the grains.

Caju & Cajuína

Ceará produces the majority of Brazil's cashews. Don't miss tasting the fresh fleshy fruit (pseudo-fruit) of the cashew tree (caju), available as refreshing tart juices, homemade jams, or Cajuína—a clear, amber-colored, clarified and pasteurized non-alcoholic cashew nectar immortalized by composer Caetano Veloso.

Can you swim at the urban beaches of Fortaleza?

The beaches directly along Avenida Beira-Mar (Meireles, Iracema) are primarily used for strolling, sports, and sunset gazing due to water quality fluctuations. For swimming and beach clubs, head to Praia do Futuro (15 minutes east by Uber) or day trips to Cumbuco, Morro Branco, and Porto das Dunas.

How do I travel from Fortaleza to Jericoacoara?

Options include: 1) A daily public air-conditioned coach (Expresso Guanabara) to Jijoca de Jericoacoara (approx. 5 hours), where you transfer to a 4x4 open-air jardineira truck across the sand dunes (45 minutes); 2) Direct 4x4 private or shared transfers picking you up at your Fortaleza hotel; or 3) A 50-minute domestic flight from Fortaleza airport (FOR) directly to Jericoacoara Regional Airport (JJD) via Azul or GOL.

What is Beach Park, and is it worth visiting?

Located in Porto das Dunas (25 km south of Fortaleza), Beach Park is the largest water theme park in Latin America. It features family-friendly wave pools, lazy rivers, and extreme adrenaline water slides like Insano (41 meters high, equivalent to a 14-story building). It is ideal for families and thrill-seekers spending a full day.

The Renda de Bilro & Labirinto Tradition

Introduced by Portuguese settlers in the 18th century, lace-making became the artistic domain of coastal fishermen’s wives waiting for their husbands to return from the sea.

Two techniques reign supreme: Renda de Bilro (bobbin lace), where artisans rapidly manipulate up to 40 carved wooden pins around a firm cylindrical cushion, and Labirinto (drawn-thread embroidery), where threads are meticulously pulled from woven linen and re-stitched into delicate openwork floral geometries. Find the finest pieces at Mercado Central and the cooperative village of Prainha in Aquiraz.

Cumbuco: The Kitesurfing Mecca

Located just 30 kilometers west of Fortaleza, Cumbuco is globally recognized as the kiteboarding capital of South America. Consistent equatorial trade winds blow uninterrupted from July through January at 18 to 28 knots.

The town attracts pro riders from across Europe and North America who practice freestyle tricks in the flat, mirror-calm freshwater of Lagoa do Cauípe. Afterwards, take an adrenaline-fueled beach buggy tour over the colossal sand dunes, with drivers famously asking: "Com ou sem emoção?" ("With or without thrill?").

Meireles (Avenida Beira-Mar)

The premier tourist base. Lined with four- and five-star oceanfront hotels (Hotel Gran Marquise, Hotel Luzeiros), upscale restaurants, and direct evening access to the Feirinha da Beira-Mar artisan market. Excellent security and constant police presence.

Praia de Iracema

The bohemian and artistic quarter, home to boutique pousadas and historical colonial architecture. Ideal for travelers who want to walk to the Dragão do Mar cultural complex, indie bars, and sunset piers.

Varjota & Aldeota

Fortaleza’s upscale gastronomic district set slightly inland from Meireles. Concentrated around Rua Frederico Borges, Varjota is home to the city’s most sophisticated contemporary dining, craft cocktail bars, and international wine bistros.

Day 1: Colonial Abolition, Artisan Markets & Sunset Piers

Begin at the Centro Dragão do Mar de Arte e Cultura to explore Ceará’s abolitionist history and the Museum of Contemporary Art. Stroll into the four-story Mercado Central to browse hand-embroidered labirinto table linens and taste roasted cashews. In the late afternoon, head to Ponte dos Ingleses and Espigão de Iracema for sunset drinks, followed by an evening walk along the Feirinha da Beira-Mar in Meireles.

Day 2: Praia do Futuro Beach Day & Crab Feast

Take an Uber to Praia do Futuro. Spend the day lounging at Crocobeach or Terra do Sol, swimming in ocean breakers and enjoying fresh coconut water. In the evening, take part in the legendary Cearense tradition of Quinta do Caranguejo at Chico do Caranguejo, cracking fresh mangrove crabs with wooden mallets to the sound of live regional forró.

Day 3: Multicolored Sand Canyons of Morro Branco & Canoa Quebrada

Take a day excursion east along the Sunrise Coast. Stop at Morro Branco to walk through the labyrinth of multicolored sand cliffs where local artists create bottled sand landscapes. Continue to Canoa Quebrada for a thrilling dune buggy ride across the high sands, lunch at a clifftop oceanfront restaurant, and a stroll along the bohemian pedestrian street Broadway.

Day 4: Cumbuco Dune Buggy Adventure & Farewell Feasts

Head west to Cumbuco for a thrilling morning buggy safari over towering white dunes and swim in the tranquil freshwater of Lagoa do Cauípe watching world-class kitesurfers. Return to Fortaleza in the afternoon for a farewell feast of Baião de Dois with grilled queijo coalho in Varjota before catching your evening flight.

Forró: The Musical Soul of Ceará

Ceará is the modern epicentre of Forró—the infectious, hip-swaying partner dance born in northeastern Brazil. The music exists in two primary expressions: Forró Pé-de-Serra (the acoustic, traditional roots style powered by a three-piece battery of sanfona accordion, triangle, and bass zabumba drum) and Forró Eletrônico (the energetic modern stadium sound with brass sections and synthesizers).

Travelers seeking authentic dance halls head to Pirata Bar in Praia de Iracema—legendary since 1986 for hosting "A Segunda-Feira Mais Louca do Mundo" (The Craziest Monday in the World), where thousands dance under pirate sails—or the rustic wooden courtyard of Kukukaya in Benfica for traditional roots forró and northeastern delicacies.

The Mystic Sertão & Padre Cícero Pilgrimage

Inland from Fortaleza lies the mystical Sertão, immortalized in Brazilian literature and faith. In the southern Cariri valley (500 km south), the sacred city of Juazeiro do Norte draws more than 2.5 million pilgrims every year to pray at the colossal 27-meter white statue of Padre Cícero (Padim Ciço), the charismatic 19th-century priest revered as a miracle worker and saint of the poor.

The Cariri basin also hosts the Araripe UNESCO Global Geopark—the first designated geopark in the Americas—world-renowned for pristine 110-million-year-old Cretaceous fossil beds preserving three-dimensional pterosaurs, primitive birds, and fossilized fish so detailed that soft muscle tissue and scales remain visible.