How to Spend 48 Hours in Fortaleza

Walk along Beira Mar
Take in the beauty of the coastline and some city views on Beira Mar. Go for a walk (or a run, for those ambitious types) along the sidewalk and enjoy the sea and city contrast of Fortaleza. Stop at a café for a cafezinho, or espresso, or one of the food stands for an agua de côco, or coconut water. Don’t forget to enjoy a pão de queijo, or cheese bread, fresh from the oven.

Take a theater tour
Next head to the José de Alencar Theater, which was opened in 1910 and named after the Brazilian writer. It’s a national historic site and has a gorgeous interior decorated in the Art Noveau style. Take a tour, available in English and Portuguese, to get a better insight into this beautiful historic landmark in Fortaleza.

Seafood lunch
Make your way back to the beachfront area for some of Fortaleza’s best cuisine: seafood. There are plenty of places to check out along Beira Mar that have crab and fish options, which usually have a salad and rice combo to enjoy. Don’t forget the choppe, or draft beer, to go with your beachside meal.
Take in the views
Fortaleza’s beachfront area is an excellent place to catch the sunset. There are two lookout points you should head to: the mirante in Praia de Iracema and the Ponte de Ingleses. They’re within easy walking distance of each other and both offer gorgeous ocean views and a chill environment.

Dine Italian style in Brazil
There’s a strong Italian cuisine presence in Fortaleza, so take this opportunity to enjoy some delicious pizza, pasta, and more, at one of the Italian joints. Check out Jardim do Alcymist, La Bella Italia, or Cantina di Napoli for the best choices.

Party like a pirate
Nightlife options are aplenty in Fortaleza, but one bar consistently gets high marks for throwing a good party. The Pirata Bar in Iracema Beach always draws a rowdy crowd ready for some fun. The bar says it offers the craziest Monday night in the world, but you’ll have to see for yourself.
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Have breakfast at a local eatery
Start your day off right at Café e Poesia Conceito. This small café and eatery is a newcomer to the Fortaleza scene only having opened in 2016. It offers coffee and espresso drinks (try the espresso with Nutella), cakes, tapioca, pão de queijo and more for a truly Brazilian breakfast.
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Discover Fortaleza’s best park
Before it gets too hot outside, head to Parque Ecológico do Coco. The park was created in 1991 to prevent encroachment of highways and construction into this natural area. There are plenty of mangrove swamps to see and you should definitely get a boat ride up the Rio Coco to see the true beauty of the park.

Eat lunch at Coco Bambu
Enjoy a gorgeous tropical setting and beautiful gardens at Coco Bambu. This eatery is enormous and has plenty of options from crêpes to pasta and some specialty seafood dishes. Be prepared to share since the plates are all made for two.
Soak up the sun
One of Fortaleza’s prime attractions is Praia do Futuro, a beach that has the best sand and sun in all of the city. There are plenty of restaurants to choose from, as well as stalls that offer fresh fruit juices and refreshing caipirinhas. You can also check out Crocobeach, a huge complex with swimming pools and excellent live music.

Have dinner at a gastrobar
Take a step away from the seafood and head to a grill-oriented restaurant that’s all the rage in Fortaleza. Moleskine Gastrobar is the city’s new hotspot for Brazilian barbecue, burgers, and more. The ambiance is equally appealing, with an urban chic vibe and various environments to enjoy your craft cocktails and dinner.
Catch a music show
Head to Mucuripe Music for one of Fortaleza’s best music venues in northeastern Brazil. It’s a large, modern space that holds 1,500 people. There’s different music styles from DJs to live forró – the popular country dance music in Brazil – as well as rock and country pop.
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