Fortaleza, the state capital of Ceará, is both the country’s fourth-largest city and tourist destination. The city is famous for its 25 km of beautiful beaches, as well as being an important industrial and commercial center of Northeast Brazil. Fortaleza is a dense & crowded city with a lot of traffic congestion. The best places to run in Fortaleza on promenades along some of the city’s most popular beaches.
The signature run in Fortaleza is the festive Beira Mar promenade, which combined with the adjacent promenade along Praia de Iracema and several scenic piers, features 7-8 km of glorious waterfront running. There are other decent beachfront runs along Praia Futuro and along R. Dr. José Roberto Sales/R. Santa Elisa. Note also that most of Fortaleza’s beaches are runnable, though this can be situational. For some green space, head to the lovely, forested trails of Parque Estadual do Cocó — a great option on a hot day!
Runner Notes: Be aware of Fortaleza’s persistent heat & humidity, and don’t be deceived by the refreshing winds! For getting around this trafficky city, there are buses and five subway lines.
