Beaches of Fortaleza

The urban beaches of Fortaleza

The urban beaches of fortaleza are beautiful, tree-lined, full of bars, restaurants, handicraft markets, solid hotel chains and obviously, amazing beaches. So even if your stay is limited to the capital, you can still enjoy beaches with beautiful scenery and great infrastructure.

Praia de Iracema

Iracema Beach – the bohemian beach

Located in the city centre, on the famous Beira Mar Avenue; this beach is ideal for those who like to have fun. Bustling during the day and at night, it is a great beach to go on a family stroll, to go for a walk, to jog along the waterfront or to check out its numerous bars, clubs and restaurants – most have live music.

You will find diverse architecture on the waterfront; while you can see some huge modern buildings, you can also come across houses that inherit traces of the 1800s.

A good way to start the evening, especially for couples, is by watching a beautiful sunset at the the “Ponte dos Ingleses” (Ingleses Bridge), also known as the Metallic Bridge.

You can also take pictures at the statue of Iracema, whom the beach was named after. She is a Brazilian Native character of a famous novel written by José de Alencar, a writer born in Fortaleza.

For those who enjoy cultural strolls, we recommend a visit to the “Dragão do Mar Cultural Center”, a huge complex that includes a Museum of Contemporary Art, a planetarium, a theatre with live shows and excellent restaurants.

Beira Mar

Meireles Beach – the Handicraft Market beach

Located between Iracema beach and Mucuripe beach, also on Beira Mar Avenue, Meireles has some of the best hotels in Fortaleza.

There are also plenty of activities to enjoy, including walks, shows, and watching the beautiful sunset. It is a great place to go for dinner, as there are several restaurants specializing in both national cuisine – at typical kiosks and beach huts – and international cuisine.

Be sure to visit the traditional Beira Mar Handicraft Market, made up of hundreds of small tents set up every day from dusk. This is a great place to buy souvenirs, typical handicrafts made of wood, ceramics and fabrics – all high quality and at very reasonable prices. In addition, you can also find bottles of homemade cachaça (typical Brazilian distilled spirit), cashew nuts and typical spices.

Mucuripe Beach – the rafts and Fish Market beach

Located at the end of Beira Mar Avenue and next to the pier, this beach is at the extension of Meireles beach sidewalk. You know you are in Mucuripe when you spot its typical rafts: famous fishing boats with colourful sails used as a livelihood for many fishing families in the area. Depending on time, it is possible to observe the activity of the fishermen: it is a beautiful display of cooperation and teamwork. Many boat tours depart from this beach.

In Mucuripe, you will find the traditional Fish Market, with approximately 20 stands selling fish, lobster, calamari, shrimp – all very fresh and with good prices. People from all corners of the city go there specially to buy these products.

Praia do Futuro

Praia do Futuro (Futuro Beach) – the cleanest urban beaches of Fortaleza

Located just 11 km away from the centre, this is the beach that you don’t want to miss out on visiting. With great water quality, it is undoubtedly the best urban beach in Fortaleza for bathing. It has soft, clear sand, waves and when the tide is low, natural swimming pools are formed – great fun for adults and children.

Its boardwalk is famous for having great beach huts that offer – in addition to the delicacies of the local gastronomy – beach chairs, live music, freshwater showers and, during the summer, some even provide individual swimming pools and venues for shows. Prices may vary according to the infrastructure but there are many options to suit all budgets!

Among the most famous beach huts are “Crocobeach” and “Chico do Caranguejo”, which have excellent infrastructure, safety, quality food and a kids area. “Chico do Caranguejo”, as the name suggests (caranguejo means crab in Portuguese), is famous for its caranguejada, a traditional crab dish and several other typical dishes such as fish stew and fried fish. “Crocobeach” offers a swimming pool and sauna for its visitors and is very famous for its weekend parties. Prices are also quite affordable.

It is worth mentioning that there are lifeguards along the beach. It is recommended to stay close to them as there could be dangerous sea currents and waves.

You can also find numerous hotel facilities along the waterfront. Most hotels also offer shuttle services to restaurants in the city centre, which are only a 20-minute drive away.

Praia do Futuro is, therefore, an excellent option for those who want to enjoy the Fortaleza sea and experience the best tourist attractions the city has to offer. So, all you must do once you get there is drink some coconut water, eat some crab, relax and enjoy the beautiful view.