Fortaleza is the capital of Ceará. It is one of the most important and the largest cities of Brazil. This vibrant city attracts a lot of foreigners from all around the world, irrespective of any time in a year.

Fortaleza is identified by the exotic sea beaches and their culture.

Fortaleza is also famous for surfing. The Praia do Futuro beach often conducts competition among experienced surfers. The city is also a hot-spot for gastronomy lovers. The shanties in the beaches and restaurants offer varieties of sea food preparation and drinks, accompanied by soulful Reggae.

The international airport at Fortaleza connects to other cities of Brazil and also connects with some international destination in Europe.

Arena Castelão

Of all the 12 host cities for the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2014, Fortaleza was also selected to host six matches.

Arena Castelão was initially an open-air venue inaugurated in 1973. The stadium further got a facelift in 1980 after a second tier have been added to increase seating capacity. In 2002, Castelão received a cover, followed by renovations which resulted to 60,000-seating capacity.

However, after being selected as a host, the stadium underwent many changes, including demolition and restructuring the lower tier ,along with other necessary changes to comply with the rule of FIFA.

Travel and Accommodation

Arena Castelão is located in the southern part of the city. It is around 10 km from Dragão do Mar and in close proximity to the Iracema beach.

Fortaleza recently opened metro services, but it does not pass the stadium. One has to get down at Parangaba and takes a cab to the venue.

Alternately, one can also avail of local bus and taxi services.

The stadium is located in a residential area with less option for tourists. The hotels and restaurants spans from Dragão do Mar till Mereiles.

Weather

Fortaleza has a tropical climatic nature. The temperature is usually hot and humid all throughout the year. But the breeze from the sea in the summer season gives a bit of relief from the heat.

Match Schedules

Following are the matches slated to be played in Arena Castelão:

Uruguay vs. Costa Rica (June 14), Brazil vs. Mexico (June 17), Germany vs. Ghana (June 21).

In the second round, the winner of Group B will play against the Runner-up of Group A.

One quarterfinal match is also slated in this venue