Shopping places in Fortaleza

BEST SHOPPING PLACES

Fortaleza offers a wide range of charming products in its markets and shops. Embroidered fabrics, typical treats, cashew nuts, leather goods, hammocks, beach sand crafts, raw cotton pieces… the list goes on and on.

Much of the handicraft products marketed in the city are locally produced, and it is very common to see the artist himself making artworks and products on the streets- it is nice to watch their performance.

FORTALEZA CENTRAL MARKET

Fortaleza Central Market is the largest market in the city. It is a 4-story building with about 550 shops, located in the city centre, next to the Cathedral.

There you can find literally everything. Lace and linen clothing, leather goods, bedspreads, hammocks, cachaças, cashew nuts, dolls, straw baskets and more.

Salespeople may be pushy in approaching tourists, but they are usually very friendly and welcoming. The best tip is – always try to negotiate with them to get better deals.

There are many restaurants and snack bars on site, which makes it also a good place to try some local food.

BEIRA MAR HANDICRAFT MARKET

As we already know, Beira Mar Handicraft Market (also known as Meireles Market once it is located in front of Meireles beach) is one of the best places for shopping in Fortaleza.

It is an open-air market, where you can find a huge variety of products and may even get discounts if you have some bargaining skills.

It is a very large fair, and its shops start being set up around 5:00pm. They basically sell the same products available at the Central Market, but at Beira Mar Market there are more clothing options, especially bikinis.

Always ask to try cashew nuts and candies before buying it. As in other markets in the Northeast, the shop owners always allow their customers to have a tasting of their products. Be sure to try the caramelized cashew candy and the flavoured cachaças (typical Brazilian distilled spirit).