Matthew & Francisco
Things To Do
Cumbuco Beach
Fortaleza is blessed with many spectacular beaches and Cumbuco Beach is no exception. Just 45 minutes drive from the city and attached to a small fishing village, the beach is distinguished by its rolling white sand dunes and empty stretches of sand lined with coconut trees. Cumbuco Beach is a popular spot for kite surfing, sand boarding and buggy tours - the latter involving a hair-raising ride over the bumps and inclines that will leave you giddy and white-knuckled and most likely eager for more! There are more sedate activities available including horse riding and boat rides, although the most popular activity is of course soaking up the sun on the beach.
Meireles Beach (Praia do Meireles)
The Brazilian state of Ceara is famous for its long coastline and numerous beaches. In the city of Fortaleza, Meireles Beach (Praia do Meireles) is one of the busiest stretches of coast, packed with the highest concentration of hotels and seaside restaurants serving up traditional Brazilian food and drink. Located just east of city center in the middle class Meireles neighborhood, Meireles Beach is a popular spot for morning joggers, and in the evenings, it’s surrounded by the famous Feirinha de Artesanato (Artisan Fair) where vendors sell locally made crafts and textiles. It’s a great place to pick up Fortaleza embroidered lace.
Mercado dos Peixes de Fortaleza
Ever imagined tasting a garlic fried shrimp and oil on the seafront, with a beautiful view of the edge of Fortaleza? Now it’s easy, right there at the end of the Beira Mar Avenue boardwalk! At the new Fish Market in Fortaleza you can buy and taste delicious fresh seafood, listening to the sound of the sea very closely. Pink and gray shrimp, lobster, fish like snapper, saw, cioba, squid, octopus, sururu, sea crabs and many other delights are found there year-round. Known for the sale of fresh fish, now has a new structure of 2 thousand square meters. There are 45 boxes for sale and four boxes of frituras, taking several options of seafood for the residents of the city and its visitors.
Metropolitan Cathedral
Designed by French architect George Mounier and allegedly inspired by the grand cathedral in Cologne, the Metropolitan Cathedral of Forteza is the third largest cathedral in Brazil. Construction on the Gothic-Roman style structure began in 1939, but it wouldn’t be fully completed until late in 1978, nearly 40 years later. Upon entering the Metropolitan Cathedral, built to seat 5,000 worshippers, visitors encounter the Chapel of St. Joseph, the Patron Saint of the Brazilian state of Ceará to the left of the nave. On the right is another small chapel dedicated to Our Lady of the Assumption, the Patron Saint of Fortaleza. The cathedral’s central alter was brought over from Verona. One interesting feature that sets the Metropolitan Cathedral apart from other such structures is its crypt. The Crypt of the Adolescents was inaugurated in 1962 with six alters devoted to saints who died in their teenage years, and the depiction of Jesus in the crypt alter shows him as an adolescent as well.
Parque Estadual do Rio Cocó
The Cocó Ecological Park is an area of conservation and state park located in the city of Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil, considered of great importance, both for the city, and for the biodiversity that is protected within its borders. Containing various endemic and threatened species of plant and animal life, it is considered the most important part of Fortaleza’s natural and ecological heritage. Environmentally, it serves to reduce air temperatures in the city, and also forms a basin which prevents floods at times of high-rainfall. Economically, it is extremely important for the city, generating a large annual income from tourism.
Morro Branco
Morro Branco’s red colored cliffs are an easy day trip from Fortaleza. While looking strikingly red from a distance (particularly when contrasted with the surrounding white dunes), when explored up close, you can see that the sand cliffs have a number of pink, cream and beige colored hues that together form their distinctive overall color. The area can be explored via a warren of tracks that flow, maze-like, between the cliffs. Local guides are on hand at the Morro Branco village, to steer you through and point out the most interesting sections. You can also arrange buggy rides along the beach here or walk to the lighthouse.
Future beach
Palm-fringed sand and surf-worthy waves await sunseekers at Futuro Beach (Praia do Futuro), one of Fortaleza’s most popular family beaches. Stretching 5 miles (8 kilometers) along Fortaleza’s east coast, Futuro Beach offers ideal conditions for swimming and surfing, and is lined with lively beach bars (barracas).
Canoa Quebrada
Surrounded by pink sand dunes, sandstone cliffs, and a winding river, Canoa Quebrada is a laid-back beach town blessed with a stunning natural environment. While the town has grown with the times, it hasn’t lost that mystical feel that earned its reputation as a ‘hippie town’ in the 1970s.
Fortaleza Central Market
Like many northeastern Brazilian cities, Fortaleza is famous for its handicrafts, particularly its embroidered white lace textiles. One of the best places in the city to pick up locally made gifts and souvenirs is at the Fortaleza Central Market (Mercado Central de Fortaleza). The market got its start as a meat, fruit and vegetable market housed in a small wooden building in 1809. In 1931 the government prohibited the sale of meat and produce within the market, so the industry was forced to shift to crafts. The market as it stands today was built in 1998 to include better facilities and more space for vendors. The four floor market, located in city center, houses dozens of shops on each floor selling textiles, woven hammocks, paintings, clay sculptures, leather bags, palm baskets, T-shirts and other items. Visitors who want to take home a taste of their travels can also pick up local cashews and bottles of cachaça, the traditional Brazilian spirit made from sugarcane juice.
Museu da Cachaça
The mansion built by the patriarch Dario Telles de Menezes in the 19th century currently houses one of the main attractions of the iPark Tourist Complex: Museu da Cachaça. The history of the Museu da Cachaça is told through documents, models and the setting that, consisting of a cane field with natural lighting, is in the center of the museum. The house's kitchen was preserved with original utensils, such as the wood stove. In the hall dedicated to the production line, there is a simulation of the entire process of artisanal production of cachaça, from grinding to fermentation, from distillation and filling to the application of labels. Then, the visitor walks 40 meters between barrels of balsam wood, about four meters high, which store aged cachaça for a period of up to 42 years. Before leaving the museum, there is a bar with furniture and music from the 30s, an ideal atmosphere for tasting drinks manufactured by the company.
Lagoinha Beach (Praia de Lagoinha)
Half-moon shaped Lagoinha Beach (Praia de Lagoinha) is a stunning beach that was once a favorite hiding place for pirates. It has a reputation as being the most beautiful beach in the state and its good looks are intensified by its tranquility, being far enough away from Fortaleza to escape the crowds. These days, Lagoinha is home to a small fishing community. Tours by buggy, on horseback or on a jangada (sail boat) can also be arranged here. Alternatively, sit and take in the beach’s gentle curve, which is dotted with coconut palms and sand dunes. Beyond the palm trees you’ll also find streams and a freshwater lagoon.
Jericoacoara
Jericoacoara is beauty at its most unadulterated. Known to locals as Jeri, this undeveloped, pristine coastal wilderness in the northern state of Ceará is home to Brazil’s most beautiful beaches. It takes some effort to reach Jericoacoara – the only way into the area itself is via 4x4 but few, if any, visitors feel that the effort is not easily surpassed by the reward. And what a reward it is - mile upon mile of deserted beaches, palm trees, mangroves, freshwater lagoons, and wave upon wave of rippling sand dunes. There are a few small communities and a handful of pousadas in Jericoacoara, however, here the pace of life is beautifully simple and slow. Streets are 'paved' with sand. Sitting on the most northern tip of Ceará, Jeri's location affords views to both the east and west side of the ocean, making it possible to see the sun rising and setting. Sunsets normally lure visitors to the ridge of ‘Sunset Dune’ to watch the sun go down as locals dance capoeira at the dune’s base.