Fortaleza in Brazil

Brazil's fifth largest city is a stretch of concrete towers along a series of white-sand beaches behind a gloriously misty green and blue Atlantic dotted with rusting wrecks. The water temperature is permanently in the high 20s and there's a constant sea breeze. The sea is surprisingly clean, even in Iracema near the centre, but the best beaches for swimming are further east and west.

Fortaleza has a long history and a number if sights of historic interest. However, most tourists are drawn here by the city's reputation for lively nightlife. The sound of

forró

still reverberates in the streets behind Iracema beach, but nowadays it's hard to find anywhere that isn't over-run with groups of Italian men and professional local women. Many locals are angry about their city's poor reputation and have become sour towards tourists; police and local hotel owners are increasingly suspicious of guests. If you don't want to be disappointed, remember that Fortaleza's golden days are gone.

Getting there

International and domestic flights arrive at

Aeroporto Pinto Martins

. There are connections with São Luís and Belém, as well as the Guianas, various destinations in Portugal and Italy. The airport has a 24-hour tourist office, car hire, a food hall, internet facilities, bookstore,

Banco do Brasil

for exchange and

Bradesco

and

HSBC

for international ATMs. Buses run from the airport to Praça José de Alencar in the centre.

Expresso Guanabara

minibuses run to the

rodoviária

and Beira Mar. Buses runs from Papicu to Parangaba; buses runs from Papicu to Siqueira. Taxis to the centre, Avenida Beira Mar or Praia do Futuro charge a fixed fee.

Interstate buses arrive at the

Rodoviária São Tomé

Information is available from

Disque Turismo

booth, which also has lockers for storing luggage.

Opposite the

rodoviária

Hotel Amuarama

, which has a bar and restaurant; there's also a

lanchonete

. If in doubt, the tourist information booth will point you in the right direction. Taxis run taxi from Praia de Iracema, or Avenida Abolição. Minivans to Jericoacoara leave from in front of the

Hotel Casa Blanca

Getting around

The city is spread out, with its main attractions in the centre and along the seashore; transport from one to the other can take a long time. The city bus system is efficient if a little rough.The cheapest way to orientate yourself within the city is to take the 'Circular 1' (anti-clockwise) or 'Circular 2' (clockwise) buses which pass Avenida Beira Mar, the Aldeota district, the university (UFC) and cathedral via Meireles, Iracema, Centro Dragão do Mar and the Centre. Alternatively, take the new Top Bus run by Expresso Guanabara an air-conditioned minibus starting at Avenida Abolição.

When driving outside the city, have a good map and be prepared to ask directions frequently as road signs are non-existent or are placed after junctions.

Tourist information

The main office of the state tourism agency, Setur, www.setur.ce.gov.br, has maps and brochures and can help with hotels and tours. There are also information booths at the airport and rodoviária and at the Farol de Mucuripe (old lighthouse).

Safety

The city is generally safe for visitors. However, tourists should avoid the following areas: Serviluz favela between the old lighthouse (Avenida Vicente de Castro), Mucuripe and Praia do Futuro; the favela behind the railway station; the Passeio Público at night; and Avenida Abolição at its eastern (Nossa Senhora da Saúde church) and western ends.

Sights

Walking through the centre of Fortaleza, it is hard to ignore the city's history, which dates back to the 17th century. Pedestrian walkways radiate from the

Praça do Ferreira

, the heart of the commercial centre, and the whole area is dotted with shady green squares. The

Fortaleza Nossa Senhora da Assumpção

originally built in 1649 by the Dutch, gave the city its name. Near the fort, on Rua Dr João Moreira, is the 19th-century

Praça Passeio Público

(or Praça dos Mártires), a park with old trees and statues of Greek deities. West of here a neoclassical former prison (1866) houses a fine tourist centre, the

Centro de Turismo do Estado

(

Emcetur

), with museums, theatre and craft shops. It houses the renovated

Museu de Arte e Cultura Populares

and the

Museu de Minerais

. Further west along Rua Dr João Moreira, at

Praça Castro Carreira

, (commonly known as Praça da Estação), is the nicely refurbished train station,

Estação João Felipe

(1880), which runs commuter services.

The

Teatro José de Alencar

, was inaugurated in 1910 and is worth a visit. It is a magnificent iron structure imported from Scotland and decorated in neoclassical and art nouveau styles. It also houses a library and art gallery. The

Praça dos Leões

or Praça General Tibúrcio on Rua Conde D'Eu has bronze lions imported from France. Around it stand the 18th-century

Palácio da Luz

, former seat of the state government, and the

Igreja Nossa Senhora do Rosário

, built by slaves in the 18th century. Also here is the former provincial legislature, dating from 1871, which houses the

Museu do Ceará

. The museum has displays on history and anthropology. To get there, take bus marked 'Dom Luís'.

The new

cathedral

, completed in 1978, in Gothic style but constructed out of concrete with beautiful stained-glass windows, stands beside the new semi- circular

Mercado Central

There are several worthwhile museums to visit in and around Fortaleza. The

Museu do Maracatu

, at Teatro São José, has costumes of this ritual dance of African origin. The new and exciting

Centro Dragão do Mar de Arte e Cultura

, www.dragaodomar.org.br, for entry to each museum/gallery, free on Sun

, hosts concerts, dance performances and exhibitions of art and photography. It has various entrances, from Rua Almirante Barroso, Rua Boris, and from the junction of Monsenhor Tabosa, Dom Manuel and Castelo Branco. The latter leads directly to three museums: on street level, the

Memorial da Cultura Cearense

, with changing exhibitions; on the next floor down is an art and cultural exhibition; in the basement is an excellent audio-visual museum of

El Vaqueiro

. Also at street level is the

Livraria Livro Técnico

. There is a

planetarium

with a whispering gallery underneath. The centre also houses the

Museu de Arte Contemporânea do Ceará

. This area is very lively at night.

Some 15 km south of the centre, the

Museu Artur Ramos

displays artefacts of African and indigenous origin collected by the anthropologist Artur Ramos, as well as documents from the writer José de Alencar.

Beaches

The urban beaches between Barra do Ceará (west) and Ponta do Mucuripe (east) are polluted and not suitable for swimming. There are a number of minibus day tours to other beaches to Jericoacoara, minibuses gather along the seafront.

Heading east from the centre,

Praia de Iracema

is one of the older beach suburbs, with some original early 20th-century houses. It is not much of a sunbathing beach as it has little shade or facilities and swimming is unsafe, but at night it is very lively. Of its many bars and restaurants, the

Estoril

, housed in one of the earliest buildings, has become a landmark. The Ponte Metálica and the Ponte dos Ingleses, built in homage to and as an imitation of English seaside piers, are very popular beauty spots at sunset. It is often possible to see dolphins.

East of Iracema, the

Avenida Beira Mar

(Avenida Presidente Kennedy) connects Praia do Meireles (divided into

Praia do Ideal

Praia dos Diários

and

Praia do Meireles

) with Volta da Jurema and Praia do Mucuripe; it is lined with high-rise buildings and most luxury hotels are located here. A

calçado

(walkway), following the palm-lined shore, becomes a night-time playground as locals promenade on foot, roller skates, skateboards and bicycles. Children ride mini-motorbikes, scooters or the 'happiness' train with its Disney characters. Take in the spectacle while sipping an

agua de coco

caiprinha

on the beachfront, where there are volleyball courts, bars, open-air shows and a crafts fair in front of the

Imperial Othon Palace Hotel

Praia do Mucuripe

, 5 km east of the centre, is Fortaleza's main fishing centre, where

jangadas

(traditional rafts with triangular sails) bring in the catch; there are many restaurants serving

peixada

and other fish specialities. The symbol of this beach is the statue of Iracema, the main character of the romance by José de Alencar . From the monument there is a good view of Mucuripe's port and bay. At Mucuripe Point is a

lighthouse

built by slaves in 1846, which houses the

Museu de Fortaleza

(now sadly run down and not a safe area, according to the tourist office). There is a lookout at the new lighthouse, good for viewing the

jangadas

, which return in the late afternoon, and the sunset.

Praia do Futuro

, 8 km southeast of the centre, is the most popular bathing beach. It is 8 km long with strong waves, sand dunes and freshwater showers, but no natural shade. Vendors in straw shacks serve local dishes such as crab. On Thursday nights it becomes the centre for the city's nightlife, with people enjoying

live music and

forró

. The south end of the beach is known as

Caça e Pesca

; water here is polluted because of the outflow of the Rio Cocó. Praia do Futuro has few hotels or buildings because the salt-spray corrosion is among the strongest in the world.

Praia de Sabiaguaba

, 20 km southeast of the centre, is a small fishing village known for its seafood; the area has mangroves and is good for fishing.

Some 29 km southeast of the centre is

Praia Porto das Dunas

, a pleasant beach that is popular for watersports, such as surfing. Buggies and microlight tours can be arranged. The main attraction is

Beach Park

, the largest water park in South America, with pools, water toboggans, sports fields and restaurants.

This is edited copy from Footprint Handbooks. For comprehensive details (incl address, tel no, directions, opening times and prices) please refer to book or individual chapter PDF

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