Cruises from Fortaleza

The city of Fortaleza, which was founded in the year 1500 and named Santa Maria de la Consolación, is today a metropolitan city of over 3.4million people. In 1726, the Portuguese inhabitants renamed the local fort Fortaleza de Nozza Senhora da Assunção. The fort gradually grew from a village into a vibrant city and capital of Ceará, located on the northeastern part of Brazil, near the Atlantic Ocean.

Since the turn of the century, Fortaleza has become one of the main tourist destinations within Brazil. The city has a reputation, among tourists, for having the ‘wildest Monday nights in the world’, due to its focus on nightlife and a natural festive spirit. Iracema Beach, the city’s bohemian beach, is the gathering place for locals and tourists, who party from early afternoon ‘till early morning. Many bars and restaurants that are considered the best in the city are to be found just off Avenue Monseigneur Tabosa.

The atmosphere in the bars and restaurants is one of festivity and many have shows to entertain their customers. The Pont do Ingleses, Bridge of the Englishman, is a favourite spot to watch the sunset and spot the dolphins playing in the waters of the Atlantic. The Clus Pirata is a favourite party spot and the area around the cultural centre, Dragao Deo, has many restaurants, bars and shops. Meireles beach is a family centred beach, with playgrounds and a nearby handicraft market.

The most popular shopping sites are the Iguatemi, North Shopping, Aldeota and Del Paseo. The favourite restaurants are the Alimento Bistrô, Colher de Pau, which serves regional food and the Vignoli Italian Restaurant, which serves the best pizza. The Milmar Restaurant is best known for its fish and seafood, while the Mucuripe Grill boasts the best feijoada, which, along with churrasco, rice and beans, are the favourite foods of the Fortaleza people.

The Convention Center plays host to business meetings, national and international congresses and fairs. Consequently, the main hotels are located in this area of the city. There is also a strong emphasis on cultural institutions, education and research in the city. Two of the major research centres are the Dragão do Mar Center of Art and Culture, located near Iracema beach and the Banco do Nordeste Cultural Centre. The folklore of the people possesses a rich diversity that is rooted in a mixture of beliefs and originates from the native groups and white colonisers who inhabited the city.

Much of the diverse richness found in Fortaleza stems from its history of music and dance, along with its carnival season celebrations. Dancing in the streets, colourful displays, shows, parades and brass bands extend into the neighbourhoods. Residents across the city arrange their own street dancing and tourists take an active part in these festivities, often mimicking the dancing styles of the locals.

The main products manufactured in Fortaleza are footwear, textiles, leathers, food products and minerals. The city is in the time zone BST/UTC –3hours. Although Fortaleza is very hot, for much of the time there is a nice breeze from the ocean, sometimes with winds of up to 25km/hr. The best description of the climate is hot and dry between August and December and rainy from January to June. The humidity is usually about 77% all year round.