Brazil - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 296

suited to breaking your journey on your
way up the coast, but it is a good base for
day-trips to the celebrated beaches :
Cumbuco, Jericoacoara, Canoa
Quebrada, Morro Branco and Lagoinha.

curves blend surprisingly well with the
brightly coloured, attractive old terraced
buildings over and around which it is
built. Within the complex, there's a small,
shiny-domed planetarium, cinemas, a
bookshop, an auditorium and a couple of
museums. At night the square below is
Fortaleza's most vibrant nightlife spot,
although beggars can be a nuisance.

WHAT TO SEE AND DO
The nerve centre of the city is its largest
square, Praça José de Alencar , four blocks
inland from the train station. Fortaleza's
downtown streets are crowded with
shops, with hawkers colonizing
pavements and plazas, so much of the
centre seems like one giant market. To
the east is Praia de Iracema, home to the
bulk of Fortaleza's nightlife, while further
south is Praia do Futuro, the city's best
beach. Downtown is fine to hang out in
during the day, but it's deserted and
unnerving at night. Wandering around
the area on a Sunday by yourself is also
best avoided.

Beaches in town
The main city beaches begin steps away
from downtown with Praia de Iracema ,
although this is a pretty dull stretch
during the day; further south you will
ind Praia do Meireles and Praia do
Mucuripe . Sadly, the water off all these
beaches is badly polluted, and you are
advised not to go in. For swimming , head
over to the city's best beach, Praia do
Futuro . Getting there will involve taking
a bus marked either “Praia do Futuro” or
“Caça e Pesca” from Avenida da Abolição,
a taxi or a minimum 45-minute walk
along the seafront through an industrial
and favela neighbourhood. Here the
beaches are lined with restaurants and
bars, and seem to stretch as far as you can
see. In terms of safety, by day the beaches
are fine (though you should look out for
shark warnings ), but the area between
Praia Meireles and Praia do Futuro is
unsafe at any time and should not be
walked by night.

3

Museu de Arte e Cultura Popular
Situated in a former nineteenth-century
prison, the Museu de Arte e Cultura Popular
(Mon-Fri 8am-6pm, Sat 8am-5pm,
Sun 8am-noon; free), located just above
the Centro de Turismo do Ceará at Rua
Senador Pompeu 350, houses a noteworthy
collection of folk art, from Cearense
artesanato (crafts) to paintings and
sculptures produced by Ceará's artists.

Igreja da Sé and Mercado Central
Fortaleza's cathedral, the Igreja da Sé ,
is an unmistakeable landmark in the
centre of town. Its dark, neo-Gothic
architectural style is almost shocking at
first, and striking rather than beautiful.
Megalithic flying buttresses lift the weird
building from the ground, all black and
grey with age and city grime. Next to it,
on Rua Conde d'Eu, the Mercado Central
(see p.303) dominates the skyline.

Beaches out of town
The state of Ceará has plenty of
incredible beaches on offer if you are
prepared to travel a bit further. All can be
reached on tours or by regular buses from
the rodoviária . Lisatur ( T 85 3219 5600,
W lisatur.com.br) has transport to those
listed below.
With its emerald-green waters, Cumbuco ,
only 35km north of Fortaleza, is by far
Brazil's best beach for kite-surfing. Pousada
0031 (see box, p.301) can organize lessons.
Make sure you go on a dune-buggy ride to
check out the area's breathtaking scenery.
Further up is the popular Canoa Quebrada
( W canoa-quebrada.com), which has
dramatic cliffs and fun nightlife that goes
on until the early hours. Heading further
north you come to Ceará's most famous

Centro Dragão do Mar
he Centro Dragão do Mar de Arte e
Cultura (Tues-Fri 8.30am-9.30pm, Sat &
Sun 2.30-9.30pm; T 85 3488 8600,
W

www.dragaodomar.org.br), a couple of
blocks east of the market on Rua Dragão
do Mar 81, makes a strident modernist
landmark in the city; its steel and glass