Swap Madrid's grey February for 30°C and a beach bar tab under €2.
You're wrapped in a coat, checking the forecast, wondering if it'll ever warm up. Meanwhile Fortaleza is sitting at a steady 28°C with the Atlantic on one side and a caipirinha on the other. Iberia is flying there non-stop from Madrid for €564.
✈️ The deal
- From: Madrid, Spain
- To: Fortaleza, Brazil
- Airline: Iberia
- Stops: Non-stop
- Price: €564-€599 return
- When: February-March
Example dates:
18/02/2027 - 25/02/2027
18/02/2027 - 20/03/2027
25/02/2027 - 09/03/2027
28/02/2027 - 20/03/2027
04/03/2027 - 28/03/2027
11/03/2027 - 28/03/2027
25/03/2027 - 15/04/2027
💰 How far does your money go?
A cheeseburger in Fortaleza costs around €1.60. A cappuccino is €2. A full combo meal, the local McMeal, comes in at €5.30, less than a menu del día in most of Madrid. A three-star hotel room averages €28 a night. Your flight costs about as much as three nights of a decent hotel back home.
☀️ The weather
Madrid in February sits between 1°C and 14°C, with rain most weeks and short, grey days. March barely improves: highs around 16°C, lows still near freezing at night.
Fortaleza doesn't do seasons. February averages 28°C, with highs touching 31°C and lows never dropping below 25°C. March is nearly identical, though rain becomes more frequent as the month goes on. Pack shorts, not a jumper.
🏨 Where to stay
Three options depending on how much beach you want outside your window.
Crocobeach Hotel: 8.6/10 · From €28/night Right on Praia do Futuro, with a pool and sauna. Good base for budget travellers who still want a beach view.
Praiano Hotel: 8.9/10 · From €55/night Oceanfront on Meireles Beach, steps from the handicraft market. Solid mid-range pick with a proper pool and breakfast.
Hotel Gran Marquise: 9.0/10 · From €94/night Facing Mucuripe Beach, with a spa, sea-view pool and two in-house restaurants. The upgrade if you want to feel spoiled.
🎯 What to do
Fortaleza runs on beach time, but there's more than sand between swims.
Praia do Futuro: Big waves, beach barracas serving food and live music straight onto the sand.
Dragão do Mar Cultural Centre: Museums, galleries and open-air spaces packed into one cultural complex downtown.
Praia de Iracema at night: The promenade lights up with bars, street art and live forró well past midnight.
Mercado Central: Fortaleza's biggest handicraft market: lacework, hammocks, artisanal cachaça, all under one roof.
🗺️ Where to go from here
Fortaleza is also the gateway to some of Brazil's best coastline.
Canoa Quebrada: Red sandstone cliffs and a famous dune, about 2 hours away by road.
Jericoacoara: Giant dunes, freshwater lagoons and one of Brazil's best sunsets, roughly 4h30 by minivan.
Beach Park, Aquiraz: One of Latin America's biggest water parks, about 40 minutes south of the city.
Non-stop, under €600, and 28°C waiting on the other side. Flights at this price rarely last long.
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