Ceará · Brazil Capital
In the destination Fortaleza.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
The city
Fortaleza brings together urban beaches, historic heritage and cultural spaces on the coast of Ceará. Walks along the Beira-Mar can be combined with visits to downtown and the Dragão do Mar cultural complex.
3 places to stay in Fortaleza.
3 places picked to eat.
What to know before you go.
The local experience
Opened in 1910, it has a cast-iron structure imported from Glasgow, Scotland, and an art nouveau auditorium. Listed by Iphan, it has gardens designed by Burle Marx in 1975.
Discover Theatro José de Alencar
Opened in 1999, it brings together in about 30,000 square meters the Museu da Cultura Cearense, the Museu de Arte Contemporânea, a planetarium, cinemas and a theater. The name honors the abolitionist jangada sailor Chico da Matilde, known as the Dragão do Mar (Sea Dragon).
Discover Centro Dragão do Mar de Arte e Cultura
Built between 1938 and 1978, it was designed by Frenchman George Maunier in an eclectic style dominated by neo-Gothic, inspired by the cathedrals of Cologne and Chartres. It holds 5,000 people, and its towers reach 75 meters.
Discover Catedral Metropolitana
The current building, opened in 1998 next to the Cathedral, has more than 550 stalls spread over five floors. It concentrates Ceará's crafts, such as bobbin lace, embroidery, leather goods and miniature jangadas.
Begun in the early 1920s by an English company to replace the port's old metal pier, it never worked as a dock. On Praia de Iracema, it reopened in 2024 after renovation and is a traditional sunset spot.
A stretch of about 8 kilometers in the East Zone, between Mucuripe and Sabiaguaba, it is one of the most popular swimming beaches in the capital. It is known for its seafood beach huts and the traditional crab night on Thursdays.
Officially created in 2017, it protects about 1,575 hectares of mangrove, dunes and riverside forest along the Rio Cocó. It has trails ranging from 135 to 1,350 meters, sports areas and boat rides on the river.
Discover Parque Estadual do Cocó
In 1879 it received the official name Praça dos Mártires (Martyrs' Square), in memory of revolutionaries of the Confederation of the Equator executed there in 1825. Listed by Iphan in 1965, it has century-old trees, including a baobab, and a view of the sea.
Discover Passeio Público (Praça dos Mártires)
