It would pay to know useful information about a city you are visiting or staying. You would know what to do in times of emergencies and know what to and what not to do in your daily goings-on.

Safety first

The most important information to know about is how to keep safe. What areas of the city to avoid and what places to go if your safety is at risk. When you are a tourist in a city, you normally wouldn’t know about the different places within. You probably would even need to ask a concierge where to go to find that signature local dish that you are anxious to try out or that attraction that you read about in a travel blog. So it would do you well read about this information.

In Fortaleza, the neighborhood surrounding Praia do Futuro is the place to avoid. This is where you will find the Serviluz slum which is considered as one of the most dangerous areas of the city. You must not attempt to walk alone in this area even in the daytime.

The area Beira Mar though is considered as the safest in the city, but still, you must not be complacent and still be careful with your belongings.

There is tourist police near Hotel Travel Iracema, at Avenida Almirante Barroso where you can go to though in case you would need some assistance.

Keep healthy

As with other cities, you will be traveling at, it is helpful to get vaccine beforehand. Get a yellow fever vaccine at the airport or the city center. You will then be given a Certificate of Vaccination. If you would just need to take a new shot and you already have a booklet, you can visit the medical centers in the city, like the Avenida Antonio Justa, for the shot. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

Must-know info

Timezone – Fortaleza is at 3 hours behind GMT so make sure that you know the time difference in case you would need to call someone there or when you would be making calls back home when in the city.

Phone Code – The phone code for Fortaleza is +55 85. Be sure to keep this in mind and give this to family members back home that would need to occasionally call when you’re in the city.

Currency exchange – Using cash in your transactions is a better option than using credit or debit cards. This is because money exchanges are made close to interbank rates. If you go to areas far from Beira Mar, you will also get better rates. You can exchange your money at banks or travel agencies.

Immigration/travel concerns – If you have any issues with your visa or other travel concerns with the Policia Federal, you can go to their office located at Rua Paula Rodrigues 304, Bairro de Fátima. They are open Mondays to Fridays from 8 AM to 6 PM.