Fortaleza is the state capital of Ceara in northeast Brazil, and fifth most populous city in Brazil full-stop. It’s a proper holiday destination with 5* hotels, long sandy beaches and clear blue waters.
Add in Fortaleza’s tropical climateand you can really enjoy its popular beaches of Praia do Futuro, Beira Mar’s beachfront promenade and a new pier. Nightlife is all about dancing to the local Forro music.
Pinto Martins Fortaleza International Airport has direct flights to Lisbon, Rome and Amsterdam plus internal destinations in Brazil – so check flights via these cities for cheaper travel.
It’s about 4 miles south of central (downtown) Fortaleza.
Fortaleza Football Stadium
The Arena Castelao is named after the Fortaleza district you’ll find it in, having undergone extensive refurbishment in preparation for the World Cup. The refurb has brought its capacity down to 67,000 from a previous (estimated) 120,000-odd.
The Castelao is about 7 miles south of Fortaleza and a similar distance from its Atlantic beaches to the east. Get there from the centre (Centro) on the no.666 bus towards Jardim Castelao. The nearest metro station is Stop Parangaba, still a taxi- or bus ride away.
Fortaleza Hotels
The area around the Arena Castelao isn’t much to shout about, either in terms of appeal or the number of hotels. Stay east, in the Dragao do Mar area and Iracema beach, or even up towards the Mereiles area or Praia do Futuro.
Hotel Gran Marquise, Hotel Luzeiros, Holiday Inn Fortaleza, Hotel Sonata de Iracema and Quality Hotel Fortaleza top TripAdvisor’s ratings.
World Cup tickets
Six World Cup games take place in the 67,000-seater Castelao. Unfortunately you aren’t guaranteed tickets unless you book tickets through a licensed agency such as eSeats.com.
Check out the World Cup Group Stage fixtures here - World Cup Groups
Plan your travel to Fortaleza
Book your tickets or World Cup package, then sort your travel insurance right away. Remember to compare rates when you buy your Brazilian RL currency; at the time of writing you could get nearly $4 Brazilian Real per £1. You should also sort out a cheap overseas plan for your mobile phone.
Local Knowledge
The majority of the eating, drinking and nightlife in Fortaleza is strung out east from the city centre, in and around Dragao do Mar and Iracema beach and going as far as Avenida Beira Mar and Mereiles. It's also worth checking out the quieter areas and surfing beaches in Praia do Futuro.
TripAdvisor says Restaurane Coco Bambu, Cabana del Primo, Santa Grelha and Rei dos Mares will hit the spot. There’s also a "brownie emporium" and a few specialist ice-cream restaurants!
Fortaleza average temperature (June): 26°C Fortaleza average rainfall (June): 6 inches
Football Hipsters
There are 3 major football clubs in the city, but Fortaleza Esporte Clube and Ceara Sporting Club are way out in front. Definitely have to support the 3rd club Ferroviario, then.
Stadium: Estadio Castelao Country: Brazil City: Fortaleza Capacity: 64846
Receive notification of specials and promos by email.
We show you how to keep your costs down if you’re planning on making Fortaleza your base for the 2014 World Cup.
Fact File
City – Fortaleza
Stadium name – Arena Castelao
Stadium capacity – 67,000
World Cup games – 6
Time zone – 3 hours behind GMT
Matches
Group D – Uruguay vs Costa Rica
Group A – Brazil vs Mexico
Group G – Germany vs Ghana
Group C – Greece vs Ivory Coast
Round of 16 – Winner Group B v Runner-Up Group A
Quarter-Final – TBC
The City
Fortaleza is the state capital of Ceara in northeast Brazil, and fifth most populous city in Brazil full-stop. It’s a proper holiday destination with 5* hotels, long sandy beaches and clear blue waters.
Add in Fortaleza’s tropical climateand you can really enjoy its popular beaches of Praia do Futuro, Beira Mar’s beachfront promenade and a new pier. Nightlife is all about dancing to the local Forro music.
Pinto Martins Fortaleza International Airport has direct flights to Lisbon, Rome and Amsterdam plus internal destinations in Brazil – so check flights via these cities for cheaper travel.
It’s about 4 miles south of central (downtown) Fortaleza.
Fortaleza Football Stadium
The Arena Castelao is named after the Fortaleza district you’ll find it in, having undergone extensive refurbishment in preparation for the World Cup. The refurb has brought its capacity down to 67,000 from a previous (estimated) 120,000-odd.
The Castelao is about 7 miles south of Fortaleza and a similar distance from its Atlantic beaches to the east. Get there from the centre (Centro) on the no.666 bus towards Jardim Castelao. The nearest metro station is Stop Parangaba, still a taxi- or bus ride away.
Fortaleza Hotels
The area around the Arena Castelao isn’t much to shout about, either in terms of appeal or the number of hotels. Stay east, in the Dragao do Mar area and Iracema beach, or even up towards the Mereiles area or Praia do Futuro.
Hotel Gran Marquise, Hotel Luzeiros, Holiday Inn Fortaleza, Hotel Sonata de Iracema and Quality Hotel Fortaleza top TripAdvisor’s ratings.
World Cup tickets
Six World Cup games take place in the 67,000-seater Castelao. Unfortunately you aren’t guaranteed tickets unless you book tickets through a licensed agency such as eSeats.com.
Check out the World Cup Group Stage fixtures here - World Cup Groups
Plan your travel to Fortaleza
Book your tickets or World Cup package, then sort your travel insurance right away. Remember to compare rates when you buy your Brazilian RL currency; at the time of writing you could get nearly $4 Brazilian Real per £1. You should also sort out a cheap overseas plan for your mobile phone.
Local Knowledge
The majority of the eating, drinking and nightlife in Fortaleza is strung out east from the city centre, in and around Dragao do Mar and Iracema beach and going as far as Avenida Beira Mar and Mereiles. It's also worth checking out the quieter areas and surfing beaches in Praia do Futuro.
TripAdvisor says Restaurane Coco Bambu, Cabana del Primo, Santa Grelha and Rei dos Mares will hit the spot. There’s also a "brownie emporium" and a few specialist ice-cream restaurants!
Fortaleza average temperature (June): 26°C
Fortaleza average rainfall (June): 6 inches
Football Hipsters
There are 3 major football clubs in the city, but Fortaleza Esporte Clube and Ceara Sporting Club are way out in front. Definitely have to support the 3rd club Ferroviario, then.