Fortaleza Practical Guide: Getting There, When to Visit, Neighborhoods, and Coastal Transport
The practical information for visiting Fortaleza covers the flight connections to the northeast hub airport, the seasonal choice between kite surfing and lagoon swimming, the beach neighborhood accommodation options, and the logistics of reaching the coastal villages by bus and 4x4.
Ceara Coastline: Kite Surfing, Lencois Maranhenses, and the White Dune Coast
The Ceara coast around Fortaleza is one of the finest adventure travel destinations in South America for wind sports, beach exploration, and natural spectacles including the extraordinary lagoon-filled dunes of Lencois Maranhenses and the open-sea delta of Parnaiba.
Fortaleza Arts and Culture: Dragao do Mar, the Iron Theater, Northeast Carnival, and Padre Cicero
The cultural life of Fortaleza extends from the landmark Dragao do Mar complex and the Victorian iron theater to the Fortal carnival celebration, the contemporary cinema tradition, and the powerful popular religious culture of the Padre Cicero pilgrimage city of Juazeiro do Norte.
Fortaleza History: The Dutch Fort, the Great Drought, and the Capital of Brazilian Abolition
The history of Fortaleza encompasses the Dutch colonial fort that named the city, the catastrophic 1877 drought that shaped the northeast's social history, and the remarkable distinction of being the first Brazilian province to abolish slavery.
Fortaleza Food and Culture: Carne de Sol, Cashew, Forro Music, and Northeast Crafts
The food and cultural traditions of Fortaleza and Ceara state express the distinctive identity of the Brazilian northeast through the sun-dried beef cuisine, the cashew fruit, the forró dance culture, and the extraordinary lace-making tradition of the coastal villages.
Fortaleza: Northeast Beaches, Kite Surfing, Jericoacoara, and the Culture of Ceara
Fortaleza, the capital of Ceara state, is the gateway to the finest beach coastline in Brazil, from the kite surfing paradise of Cumbuco to the car-free village of Jericoacoara, anchored by the city's own vibrant beach promenade and the cultural energy of the Dragao do Mar center.
Ceara Wildlife: Dolphins at Fernando de Noronha, Sea Turtles, Whale Sharks, and the Caatinga
The marine and terrestrial wildlife of Ceara state and the adjacent Fernando de Noronha archipelago includes spinner dolphins, sea turtles, whale sharks, and the unique endemic species of the caatinga dry forest ecosystem.
Ceara Natural Wonders: Stone Arches, Freshwater Lagoons, Cave Systems, and Cloud Forest
The natural landscapes of Ceara state extend far beyond the famous beaches to include the advancing dunes burying Tatajuba, the freshwater lagoons inland from Jericoacoara, the cave systems of Ubajara, and the cloud forest highlands of the Serra da Ibiapaba.