Sol (sun), calor (warm weather), mar (ocean), montanhas (mountains), falésias (cliffs), comida fresca e saborosa (fresh and tasty food), pessoas acolhedoras (kind people). For many, these are the perfect ingredients for great férias (holidays), and they can all be found in state of Ceará. Back to our series in which we explore the estados brasileiros (Brazilian states), today we will go over this northeastern jewel. The region is known as main touristic destination in the country, with its breathtaking red cliffs. So let’s learn a bit more about Ceará?

Praia de Jericoacoara (Photo by idobi / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0))

A place known for its comedians, religiosity, natural beauties and mesmerizing artesanato (crafts), Ceará has a mountainous interior (countryside) and an Atlantic litoral (coast). Its  9 million inhabitants are spread across an extension close to that of Greece, with nearly 30% living in its capital, Fortaleza. Ceará’s culture is steeped in European, Amerindian and black influences, and it has been the very first Brazilian state to create a special secretariat for the diffusion of local culture, so you can have high hopes for a very culturally rich lifestyle!

From mastery with the most diverse types of crafts made from vines and bamboo to its famous hand-painted estátuas de barro (clay statues), Ceará has plenty to offer. One of its main cultural manifestations is literatura de cordel, which is considered part of Brazil’s Patrimônio Cultural Imaterial (Intangible Cultural Heritage). Dating back from the oral tradition of telling popular contos (tales) from the 16th century, cordel combines music, poetry and graphic art, which can be enjoyed both with the troubadours who play short rhymed stories and by multicolored booklets adorned with typical desenhos (drawings).

Literatura de Cordel (Diego Dacal / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0))

But if you are looking for a piece of paraíso (paradise) to disconnect from the world, Ceará will certainly help you with that. With high temperatures throughout the year, its praias (beaches) are known worldwide for their natural beauty, água quente (hot water) and plenty of fresh food brought daily by local pescadores (fishermen). Be sure to visit the small cidade (town) of Canoa Quebrada, you will be charmed by its red cliffs that sharply contrast against the deep blue mar (sea). In Beberibe, two beaches are not to be missed as you stride along the maze of cliffs by the seaside: Morro Branco and Praia das Fontes. One of the most stunning coastlines in Brazil is in Jericoacoara, where the dunas de areias brancas (white sand dunes) meet the crystal clear ocean dotted with redes (hammocks) for bathers to rest. We could spend endless hours listing all of Ceará’s wonders, but these were just some of its major hotspots so you don’t waste a lot time and start planning your future estadia (stay).

Praia de Canoa Quebrada (Renê Fernandes / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0))

And if you still haven’t made up your mind on whether to visit Ceará soon, the pratos típicos (typical dishes) are sure to settle the matter for good! A seafood-based stew enriched with coconut milk and cashew nuts is the flagship meal around here. In the countryside, the cardápio (menu) must include carne de bode e carne-de-sol (goat meat and dried meat), along with the diversified preparations of farinha de mandioca (cassava flour). A place to eat to your heart’s content, especially during religious festivities. We recommend the celebration of Padre Cícero, a religious figure who is highly revered to this day by the locals.

Have you ever been to Ceará? Would you like to? Be sure to comment telling us what you think of this paradisiacal Brazilian state. Até a próxima! See you next time!