Fortaleza, the capital city of the State of Ceará, has been for decades one of the most popular destinations of Brazilian tourists.
The original inhabitants of Brazil were semi-nomadic tribes of hunter-gatherers. These tribes were dispersed throughout the area and were made up of the Arawak, Carib, Tupi-Guarani, Ge, and Pano peoples. In 1603 did the Portuguese send an exploratory mission, commanded by Pero Coelho de Souza, who founded a small fort in the mouth of river Ceará, called Fort of São Tiago (which, strange as it may sound, translates as Fort of Saint James). In 1637, the Dutch took the Fort of São Sebastião and dominated Ceará; in 1644, Portuguese and the indians fight the Dutch, and the Fort of São Sebastião was destroyed. In 1649, the Dutch built another fort, by the banks of river Pajeú, and called it Fort Schoonenborch. In 1654, the Dutch are expelled from Brazil; the Portuguese take Schoonenborch, and change its name to Fortaleza de Nossa Senhora de Assunção (Fortress of Our Lady of Assumption).
Fortaleza weather is unique in that there is usually rain during the first six months of the year, or from January to June. Expect that during this period, relative humidity is high, making Fortaleza climate extremely uncomfortable during several periods of the day. Relative humidity refers to the condition when water vapor is very much present in the air molecules. Fortaleza climate is usually very dry like summer during the months of August to December, when it is winter in other parts of the world, especially those in the northern hemisphere.
The economy of Fortaleza has his bigger prescription arising from of the its commerce diversified. To main plaza is the most greatest center concentrating number of commercial establishments.
Fortaleza has a pretty comprehensive public bus service. Practically, the whole city can be done almost entirely by bus in case you want to save on transportation. Taxi cabs in Fortaleza are metered and drivers are normally honest. Except for the special taxis from the airport, all cabs run on the same meter system.
Portuguese is the official national language, and thus the primary language taught in schools. But English and Spanish are part of the official high school curriculum. Higher education in Fortaleza is provided by a vast number of public and private institutions. Fortaleza is home to some of the most important universities and research centres in northeast Brazil.
The city is laid out in a grid street pattern, designed by a French architect, Aldolphe Herbster. The center is laid out in blocks and forms the core of the commercial and financial activity. It is filled with markets, squares, large buildings and cathedrals.
The Metropolitan Cathedral of Fortaleza started to be built in 1939, and took nearly 40 years to complete (it was dedicated on December 22nd 1978); the design was by French architect George Mounier. Set right next to the cathedral on Rua Conde d’Eu, is the striking new Mercado Central, The Central Market, a huge complex holding hundreds of small stores, with four floors and designed specifically to be a market. Talented artists produce stuff in clothes, leather, wood, glass, coconuts, sand and more, and Mercado has food and drink stalls where you can buy anything produced locally from lace to alcohols, cachacas and cashew nuts.
Tourism is the one of the major industries of Fortaleza and what make the north eastern Brazil different from others are the nearby places like Natal, Belem, Amazon Forest, Manaus's, Salvador, Recife. Naturally, Fortaleza is also a centre for sporting activities, which many tourists and residents participating in beach sports like volleyball, and water sports like windsurfing. On top of that, like the rest of Brazil, Fortaleza is soccer crazy, and their local teams (three in total) attract a range of tourist and resident supporters every week.
The carnival season is an exciting time to embark on a holiday to Fortaleza. The Fortaleza Carnival season is famous the world over for its spectacle and impressive display of acrobatic dance and arts performance. Through the streets of Fortaleza, the Carnaval brings the samba spirit together with joyous festivities as a celebration of Fortaleza's past, its diverse culture and its promising future. In true Brazilian style, the Fortaleza carneval season is a major celebration of art and culture. The Fortaleza Carnival season is held in the final week of July each year so it coordinates with the period that the majority of tourists flock to the city.
