Fortaleza is a vibrant coastal city located in northeastern Brazil. Known for its stunning beaches, lively nightlife, and rich cultural heritage, Fortaleza is a must-visit destination for travelers looking to experience the best of Brazil. Some of the city’s most popular attractions include the Praia do Futuro beach, the Dragão do Mar Cultural Center, and the Mercado Central market. Fortaleza is also famous for its delicious seafood dishes, which can be found in many of the city’s restaurants. With its warm climate, friendly locals, and beautiful scenery.
On the north shore of Brazil’s ‘shoulder,’ Fortaleza is a pleasant palm-lined city and the capital of the Céara state. It looks out into the Atlantic from a long stretch of beautiful, sandy coast.
The first European settlers here were Dutch, and they built the five-pointed, star-shaped Fort Shoonenborch in 1649 after defeat at the hands of local people and the Portuguese. In 1654, the Dutch left and the fort was renamed Fortaleza de Nossa Senhora da Assunção; the area around it was to grow into Brazil’s fifth-largest city. The citadel itself still remains, its low-rise whitewashed walls adorned with cannons and palm trees.
Another spot worth a visit is the magnificent Teatro José de Alencar, a Victorian-classical-meets-Art-Nouveau vision of colorful glass and cast iron balconies, and much of its ironwork was imported from Glasgow. It’s named after a lawyer, politician, and author who was born in Fortaleza and is considered one of Brazil’s most prominent writers of the Romanticism period. Iracema Beach takes its name from the eponymous, indigenous hero of one of his novels; it’s also where the English Bridge, which resembles a classic British seaside pier, juts photogenically into the ocean.
Nearby in the Casario area, the Dragão do Mar Centre of Art and Culture is one of the most visited attractions. It hosts exhibitions, films, theatre performances, and live music, with a permanent display dedicated to those who once inhabited the Sertão, the arid backlands extending south from the Atlantic Coast.
