Three thousand hours of sunlight per year and the constant ocean breeze make Fortaleza an appealing tourist attraction. The capital of the state of Ceará is best known for its beaches: glorious long stretches of sand interrupted by impressive red cliffs, palm trees, dunes, and lagoons that offer a true tropical playground.

To know Fortaleza is also to go on a trip on its history. The city got modernized, but still keeps signs from the past in museums, churches, fortresses, squares, stations, theaters and historic buildings. The city center is filled with those memories, such as the Fortress of Nossa Senhora da Assunção, built on the same place where the city originated, and the Luz Palace, a beautiful construction in classic style from the end of the 18th century, which used to be the State Government headquarters.

Now about 2 million strong, the city's major industry is tourism, as Dutch, Portuguese, and other foreigners land en masse on the beaches, armed with cameras and bathing suits and a fierce will to enjoy the sun and ocean. What sets Fortaleza's beaches apart from Brazil's other 8.000 km (4.960 miles) of coastline is the combination of colorful cliffs and huge sand dunes, best displayed in nearby communities such as Morro Branco, Canoa Quebrada, and Jericoacora. Going to the beaches is, without doubt, one of the best activities for those coming to Fortaleza. Iracema, Meireles and Futuro beaches are among the most popular options within the city. To walk on the Beira Mar Avenue promenade from the start, at Mucuripe, up to the Ingleses Bridge, at Iracema Beach, is a must-do walk, and quite reinvigorating.

The scenery is complemented by the jangadas (small and rustic rafts used by the fishermen), always bearing seafood for Ceará's cuisine. The Praia do Futuro (Beach of the Future) is a popular meeting place for bathers, with many beachside restaurants, built in local style using carnauba straw. The local population calls them Barracas de Praia. On Thursday nights, the beach becomes the focus of the city's nightlife, with live music, forró and crab, a popular choice to eat. The nightlife is full of festivities, and the city is known for having the "wildest Monday nights in the world".