Fortaleza

Fortaleza is a city where the ocean is always close by — with stretch after stretch of golden beach running right through the urban heart of northeastern Brazil, the sound of waves follows you almost everywhere you go. It is a warm, energetic place full of colour, creativity, and a deep pride in its local culture, from the intricate lacework and woven hammocks sold across four buzzing floors of the giant Mercado Central to the paintings, films, and stories celebrated at the vibrant Dragão do Mar Centre of Art and Culture.

The city has a character all its own. Sunsets at Iracema Beach paint the sky in brilliant oranges and pinks, the grand cathedral glows from within thanks to its stunning stained-glass windows, and the famous red-and-white striped Mucuripe Lighthouse has watched over ships sailing into one of Brazil’s most important ports for more than a hundred years. Fortaleza is busy, beautiful, and endlessly exciting — a city that is hard to forget once you have visited.