Downtown Fortaleza has some worthwhile sights if you want to take a day off from the beach. Just a short stroll from the Praia de Iracema is the area that the locals call Casario, a lovely collection of restored 19th-century colonial buildings, located primarily on the Rua Dragão do Mar and Rua Almirante Tamandaré. The area really comes to life at night, as most of the historic buildings house nightclubs or cafes. The new centerpiece of this area -- built in a contrasting but somehow complementary contemporary style -- is the Centro Cultural Dragão do Mar, Rua Dragão do Mar 81 (tel. 985/3488-8600; www.dragaodomar.org.br; Tues-Sun 2-9:30pm). This modern cultural center is built in the shape of a mosque with a white spiraling walkway that rests on an arcade over the historic buildings on the street below. At night, the structure glows with a faint blue light. For the full range of programming at the cultural center, visit www.dragaodomar.org.br.
On the waterfront there's the Fortaleza de Nossa Senhora da Assunção, Avenida Alberto Craveiro (tel. 085/3255-1600; daily 8-11am and 2-5pm). Built by the Dutch in 1649 (as Fort Schoonenborch) in a five-point-star shape, the fort was rechristened after the Dutch were driven from Brazil in 1654.
If you are shopping for clothes, Fortaleza is one of the cheaper cities in Brazil. One main shopping area lies on Avenida Monsenhor Tabosa. From Avenida Dom Manuel 6 blocks down to Rua João Cordeiro, this street is devoted almost exclusively to locally made purses, shoes, and clothing. The other shopping area is on Rua General Sampaio, Sen. Pompeu, and Barão do Rio Branco, and particularly the side streets around the Praça José de Alencar.
The highlight of the square is the Teatro José de Alencar, Praça José de Alencar s/n (tel. 085/3101-2583), open for visits Tuesday to Friday 8am to 5pm, Saturday 8 to 11:30am. At R$4 (US$2/£1), it's worth a peek. Built in 1908, the theater is a marvel of colorful high-Victorian cast-iron construction, shipped in from Scotland. The gardens, added in 1974, were designed by Burle Marx.
It's July, So It Must Be Carnaval? -- Fortaleza's biggest event is Fortal, or Carnaval Out-of-Season. The event takes place beginning on the Thursday of the last weekend of July, and attracts over two million revelers. If you plan to be in town, book your accommodations well in advance. Most of the events take place in Meireles on the Avenida Beira Mar, which gets closed to traffic and covered in bleachers for spectators. The event is similar to Salvador's Carnaval. Each night there are blocos, often with the same well-known artists who perform in Salvador -- Olodum, Chiclete com Banada, Timbalada, and Ivete Sangalo. You can either purchase a T-shirt and follow a bloco or buy a seat in the bleachers to watch all the blocos file past. For exact dates and a list of who's playing, visit www.fortal.com.br or call tel. 085/3261-4050.
Splish Splash -- Beach Park (tel. 088/4012-3000; www.beachpark.com.br) is located 29km (18 miles) outside the city on Praia de Porto de Dunas, and is the largest water park on the Northeast coast. The park features four pools -- including the earthquake wave pool with 2.5m (8-ft.) waves -- and a number of waterslides. The largest, the Insano, boasts a 41m (135-ft.) vertical drop. There are also restaurants and tennis courts for adults. Open 11am to 5pm. R$80 (US$40/£22) adults, R$70 (US$35/£19) children 12 and under. Closer to town and cheaper, though not nearly on the same scale, is Chico do Caranguejo, Av. Zéze Diogo 4930, tel. 085/3262-0108; www.chicodocaranguejo.com.br. More known for its Thursday night crab feast, Chico's also features a small children's water park, with a pair of waterslides and fountains, perfect for kids under 10 or so (who may well find the waves on Praia de Futuro beach a bit rough). The children's park is open daily 8am to 6:30pm; R$6 (US$3/£1.50). Restricted to kids 3 and up.
