Experience the best of Fortaleza

Fortaleza spreads along the Atlantic under a sun that shines most of the year. Praia de Iracema, the old port district turned nightlife quarter, leads to the Beira Mar promenade, where an evening craft fair sets up under the palms. Nearby are the Dragão do Mar arts centre, the neo-Gothic cathedral and the Mercado Central, a multi-storey market for lace, leather and cashew nuts.

The beaches east and west of town are the real attraction. Praia do Futuro is lined with beach bars, Cumbuco is a kitesurfing centre with dunes and lagoons, and Morro Branco and Canoa Quebrada, farther along the coast, have coloured cliffs and red sand. Jericoacoara, a village among dunes, lies several hours to the west, and steady trade winds blow across the whole shore.

Ceará cooking leans on the sea and the dry backlands: lobster and crab, carne de sol, sun-dried beef served with manioc and cheese, and tapioca pancakes sold from beach stalls. Baião de dois, rice and beans with cheese, is a regional favourite, and forró music fills many evenings. Temperatures hover around thirty degrees all year, and the driest months run from about July to December.