Fortaleza Beaches

(Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil)

The beaches have long been a serious draw card for Fortaleza and many are close to the city centre. One beach to look out for is the Praia do Futuro, which stretches for approximately 5 km / 3 miles along the coastline of Fortaleza, heading towards the Clube Caca e Pesca.

There is no question that the Praia do Futuro is the best city beach, offering good amenities, such as endless kiosks / snack bars (barracas) serving a variety of seafood and often featuring a huge number of tables with sunshades. Futuro Beach is known in Fortaleza for its water sports, lending itself to both kitesurfing and windsurfing.

General Information

Fronting the Avenida Beira Mar, the Praia do Meireles is a particularly popular beach, since it comes with a large selection of high-rise hotels and restaurants overlooking the oceanfront. Innumerable beach bars line Meireles Beach, with shade often being provided by large trees. Many surfers in Fortaleza favour the Praia do Meireles, hiring boards from the Academia de Surf Chandler, where surfing lessons are available for beginners.

Close to the Ponte Metalica (Ponte dos Ingleses), Fortaleza's old dock, the Praia de Iracema is a vibrant spot, being filled with restaurants and bars. Although the beach itself has little to offer, the nightlife here is excellent.

Located on the north-western outskirts, some 20 km / 12 miles from the centre of Fortaleza, the Praia de Icarai is one beach worth looking out for. Slightly further away is the Praia de Cumbuco, where sand dunes are perfect for beach buggy trips and kitesurfing conditions are good, especially between the months of July and February. Regular buses connect the beaches of Cumbuco and Icarai with the Praia do Meireles, heading along the Avenida Beira Mar and the Avenida Abolicao.