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The colonial heart of Fortaleza

Most foreign visitors usually head straight to the beach, often completely bypassing the city's historical centre. And that's a shame because whilst Fortaleza may not be Brazil's most beautiful city, its charming centro more than makes up for that with a lot of character and several worthwhile attractions. Go in search of the city’s Dutch roots, visit an art deco theatre or combine art and nightlife in the ‘Sea Dragon’ cultural centre.

Arts and cultural centre Dragão do Mar

Art, caipirinhas and colonial architecture

The lovely cultural centre Dragão do Mar is wedged between downtown and Iracema. Named after a popular local hero who rebelled against slavery, the centre consists of several modern buildings connected by walkways. Here you will find two museums (a regional and a modern art museum), a theatre, cinema, library and a planetarium, all surrounded by colourful colonial houses which have been converted into restaurants, bars and patios. Locals flock here for a museum visit followed by dinner or a few capirinhas on a patio overlooking the square.

Former Fort Schoonenborch from 1649

Fortaleza's Dutch roots

Across from the Mercado Central market stands the colonial fort that gave Fortaleza its name. Fort Schoonenborch was founded in 1649 by the Dutch. Five years later the Portuguese conquered it and renamed it Fortaleza de Nossa Senhora da Assunção (the Fortress of Our Lady of Assumption). Few people know that the fort, which serves as the command post for the 10th Military Region, is open to visitors. Just report to the soldier on guard at the main gate and you will be allowed to explore the courtyard surrounded by white plastered walls and black cannons that point towards the turquoise blue ocean.

This 19th-century theatre is Fortaleza’s loveliest building

High octane art deco

Ornate Scottish wrought iron, colourful stained glass windows, decorated ceilings, elegant murals and 800 hardwood seats: Theatro José de Alencar is by far the loveliest building in Fortaleza. The theatre was inaugurated in 1910, although the garden by famous landscape architect Roberto Burle Marx was only completed decades later. At night, the theatre hosts a variety of performances, ranging from plays to opera, musicals and local forró music. In the daytime, you can enjoy a guided tour of the building. The information is only in Portuguese, but that hardly matters as the sumptuous architecture speaks for itself.

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Arts & Culture

Nightlife

Beach

Water sports

Nature

Active & Outdoor

Culinary

Arts & Culture

Houston and Dallas may be bigger and more famous, but Austin is in fact the capital of Texas. It’s also the least Texan city in Texas. And the weirdest city in the country. This is something its residents take pride in, as evidenced by the Austin motto of Keep Austin Weird! Have a peek inside weird houses or admire a cathedral of junk in a city where there is even a museum devoted entirely to the weird and strange.

Nightlife

When it comes to music, you might be inclined to think New Orleans (jazz), Memphis (rock ‘n’ roll), Chicago (blues) or Nashville (country), but Austin is actually the music capital of the US. The city boasts over 250 music venues, more than any other American city. You can choose from countless live performances and a fantastic music festival every month, such as SXSW. Austin lives and breathes music.

Beach, Water sports, Nature

The airport in Liberia is the gateway to the Province of Guanacaste, the sunniest part of Costa Rica. Thanks to its large number of snow-white buildings and tree-lined streets made of white gravel, the city itself is also referred to as ‘la ciudad blanca’. But, let’s be honest, most visitors who arrive here are primarily interested in white sand. Only a half hour by car from the airport is the fantastic Pacific coast with beaches that are postcard perfect.

Nature

In the Rincón de la Vieja National Park, you can hike, swim in natural hot springs, picnic and camp. The park features a variety of ecosystems around nine craters and 32 rivers with spectacular waterfalls during the rainy season. The diversity of flora and fauna is amazing: look up and chances are you’ll see toucans, sloths and monkeys in the treetops.

Active & Outdoor

Old towns, stunning constructions and wonderful nature: admire all of this and more in THIS IS HOLLAND, a brand-new 5D movie attraction by the producers of De Nieuwe Wildernis (The New Wilderness). It is the perfect introduction to Holland for first-time visitors, but also an interesting surprise for Dutchies who think they know their country inside out. This is a magical 5D experience with smells, colours, images, sounds, rain and shine.

Culinary

Everyone in Sweden knows Småland as the nation’s culinary centre. The region’s cuisine goes above and beyond the famous meatballs: a Michelin-star restaurant serves innovative Swedish haute cuisine, coffee is elevated to an art, and you can visit a lovely castle and pretend to be Lord or Lady of the manor. Here are three suggestions for typically Swedish restaurants in the city of Växjö.

Arts & Culture

Älmhult is the birthplace of renowned botanist Carl Linnaeus and children’s books author Astrid Lindgren, however its most famous ‘offspring’ is IKEA. Life in this southern Swedish town evolves around the blue-and-yellow furniture giant: from the IKEA Hotel and IKEA Museum to the IKEA Bar and IKEA Spa. Welcome to the one and only IKEA Småland – meatballs and ball pit included.