A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Fortaleza vs. Santa Elena for Backpackers, Nightlife, Families, and Couples

Should you visit Fortaleza or Santa Elena?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Fortaleza and Santa Elena can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.

Fortaleza

Fortaleza is a lively, vibrant, and cultural city. Because this is such a big city, visitors will find many sights and attractions around town. It's also popular because of the food, beaches, and shopping. See Fortaleza travel costs.

Santa Elena

Santa Elena is a tranquil, outdoorsy, and scenic town. Santa Elena is a beautiful place to visit, too. Visitors also love the hiking and shopping. See Santa Elena travel costs.

Fortaleza and Santa Elena: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Fortaleza or Santa Elena?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Fortaleza. Although Fortaleza and Santa Elena are both popular with visitors, Fortaleza has more sights, activities, and attractions for travelers. Fortaleza is more popular for its museums and attractions, food, nightlife, beaches, shopping, and big city activities, while Santa Elena is known for its hiking and impressive beauty. Santa Elena is more touristy than Fortaleza and is known for its birdwatching and environmental conservation. Fortaleza is popular for its beaches, nightlife, and local culture. It is also home to Dragão do Mar Center of Art and Culture.

How is Fortaleza different from Santa Elena?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Santa Elena and Fortaleza. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Fortaleza or Santa Elena?

Fortaleza is a good destination for its historical sights. However, Santa Elena is not a good destination for its sights and museums.

If you're looking for an educational opportunity, there are a decent number of museums and historical sights around Fortaleza. Dragão do Mar is the cultural center in town. There are shows and concerts that highlight the local culture. Also part of the complex are a planetarium and two museums - the Museu de Arte Contemporânea and the Memorial da Cultura Cearense. Also worth seeing the Metropolitan Cathedral of Fortaleza, which is the third largest cathedral in the country.

Santa Elena offers a few options for museum-goers. The area is filled with outdoor gardens, parks, and nature reserves, but there are few museums to visit.

Is the Food Better in Fortaleza or Santa Elena? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Fortaleza is a good destination for its local flavors and cuisine. However, Santa Elena is not a good destination for its local cuisine and restaurants.

Fortaleza is becoming an appealing option for foodies. The city has a number of great restaurants that range from Brazilian barbecue restaurants to international cuisine. Many dishes are heavy and use a lot of meat. Local favorites include paçoca and escondidinho de carne seca.

Santa Elena offers some easy restaurants to choose from. You'll find some basic but good restaurants around town. Many offer pasta, pizza, and typical Costa Rican dishes.

Is Fortaleza or Santa Elena Better for Nightlife?

Fortaleza is great for its evening party scene. However, Santa Elena is not a good destination for nightlife.

Many people head to Fortaleza for the nightlife scene. Like much of Brazil, the city has a vibrant nightlife scene. There are beachfront bars, live music venues, and many places where you can enjoy a good party. You'll find a high concentration of places around Praia de Iracema and the Casario.

Most people don't head to Santa Elena specifically for the nightlife scene, but you can find a few options. There's a couple of bars but not much else for nightlife in town.

Is Fortaleza or Santa Elena Better for Beaches?

Fortaleza is great for the beach. However, Santa Elena is not a beach destination.

Many people visit Fortaleza for it's beautiful beaches. There are 5 kilometers of sandy beach in town and many visitors enjoy taking long walks. While there are technically four beaches in the area, they all kind of merge together and it can be difficult to tell one from the other. The most popular beach is Meireles, which has a boardwalk and is lined by high rise buildings.

Santa Elena is not a beach destination.

Is Fortaleza or Santa Elena Better for Hiking?

Santa Elena is a great town for hiking. However, Fortaleza is not a hiking destination.

Many visitors go to Santa Elena for the hiking trails. Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve has a range of trails including a walk along the Continental Divide. There's also the famous red hanging bridge.

Fortaleza is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Fortaleza or Santa Elena?

Fortaleza is great for its shopping areas. Also, Santa Elena is not as popular, but is still a nice town for shopping.

Many visitors explore the shopping areas in Fortaleza. It's a large city with plenty of shopping malls and other local boutiques which are fun to explore.

Santa Elena is a great destination for shopping. There are some art galleries and artisan shops around town where you can pick up some interesting souvenirs.

Is Fortaleza or Santa Elena More Beautiful?

Santa Elena is a town with good options for its scenery and beauty. However, Fortaleza is not a destination known for its beauty.

Santa Elena is a beautiful place to visit, too. The cloud forest and canopy walks give you access to breathtaking views and unique wildlife.

Fortaleza is not a destination known for its beauty.

Is Fortaleza or Santa Elena Better for Families?

Santa Elena is a great town for its kid-friendly activities. However, Fortaleza is not known for its family-friendly activities.

Because of its large number of kid-friendly activities, Santa Elena is very family-friendly. Monteverde has many canopy walks, zipline courses, and animal parks that the kids will love. The nature and wildlife make this a fun and educational destination for everyone.

Fortaleza is not the most family-friendly destination. There are several beaches and parks where kids will enjoy running around and stretching their legs.

Is Fortaleza or Santa Elena Better for Couples?

Santa Elena is a great town for its romantic activities. However, Fortaleza is not known for couples.

Santa Elena is a great town if you're traveling as a couple. The cloud forest is filled with romantic views and unique landscapes. Couples who enjoy the outdoors will fall in love with this magical setting.

Fortaleza is not always the best place to visit for a couple. While it's often overlooked by couples, those who have a few days in town can enjoy the beaches or take a stroll down the beachfront promenade.

Is Fortaleza or Santa Elena Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Santa Elena is renowned for backpackers and budget travelers. However, Fortaleza is not known for backpackers.

With so many budget-friendly offerings, Santa Elena is extremely popular for backpackers. Backpackers will enjoy hiking and affordable activities. There are also many hostels with social activities that make this a great backpacker-friendly destination.

Fortaleza is a challenging destination for budget travelers and backpackers due to the higher prices. There are a couple of hostels around town, but most backpackers skip this city for the more popular destinations.

Is Fortaleza or Santa Elena Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Fortaleza and Santa Elena both offer good public transit to get you around.

While Fortaleza offers some public transit options, it might not be your first choice. The Metro system includes a rail and light rail system.

Santa Elena has a few public transit options. There are buses through town that travel to Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve.

Is Fortaleza or Santa Elena a more walkable city?

Fortaleza and Santa Elena are good when it comes to walkability.

Fortaleza is a somewhat walkable place. It's a relatively walkable city with some neighborhoods easier to explore on foot than others. It's important to understand the area you're in because safety could be a concern.

Santa Elena is a somewhat walkable city. It's relatively easy to walk around, but you will need to take a bus to Monteverde.

For even more information, also check out Is Fortaleza Worth Visiting? and Is Santa Elena Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Santa Elena or Fortaleza?

How long in Fortaleza or Santa Elena?

It's fun to spend time in either Fortaleza or Santa Elena. Generally, people tend to spend more time in Santa Elena due to the larger number of activities and things to do. Usually, 2-3 days is a good amount of time for Fortaleza, and 2-4 days is enough time in Santa Elena.

Families should spend more time in Santa Elena than Fortaleza. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Santa Elena, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.

One day in Fortaleza or Santa Elena?

Visitors enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the cultural city of Fortaleza. It's also a great beach destination, too. One day is usually not enough time for a trip here as there is plenty to do. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

You'll find shopping around the town of Santa Elena. Hiking can easily take up a good amount of your time here, too. Since there is so much to do in the area, one day is probably not enough for all of it. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

A weekend in Fortaleza or Santa Elena?

Visitors enjoy the food and shopping when visiting the vibrant destination of Fortaleza. It's a great spot for a beach vacation. This city offers something for everyone. Plenty of people spend a weekend in the area when traveling. If you enjoy all that's offered here, then a weekend is just the right amount of time to spend here.

You'll find shopping around the outdoorsy destination of Santa Elena. Hikers are also drawn to this area. This is a popular place to visit for a weekend.A weekend should give you a good understanding of everything this town has to offer. This town offers a variety of activities to choose from.

Five days in Fortaleza or Santa Elena?

The cultural city of Fortaleza offers shopping and museums. You'll find plenty of activities on the beach. Five days may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel.

Travelers enjoy the shopping when visiting the outdoorsy town of Santa Elena. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision. Many visitors also spend a good bit of time hiking. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

A week in Fortaleza or Santa Elena?

Many people enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting Fortaleza. Anyone can find something fun to do here. Most people come for the beaches. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.

Santa Elena is a popular choice for travelers. Make sure you spend some time hiking while you're in the area. One week is usually plenty of time to spend here with extra days to spare. With this much time, visitors often visit nearby destinations or take day trips. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Brazil, The Best Eco Tours in Brazil, The Best G Adventures Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Costa Rica.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Fortaleza and Santa Elena, we can see that Santa Elena is more expensive. And not only is Fortaleza much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Fortaleza is in South America and Santa Elena is in Central America, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Fortaleza would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Fortaleza and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Santa Elena would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Santa Elena than you might in Fortaleza.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Fortaleza Expensive? and Is Santa Elena Expensive?.

When is the best time to visit Fortaleza or Santa Elena?

Fortaleza has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Santa Elena experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.

Should I visit Fortaleza or Santa Elena in the Summer?

Both Santa Elena and Fortaleza are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. The beaches, the city activities, and the family-friendly experiences are the main draw to Fortaleza this time of year. Plenty of visitors come to Santa Elena because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.

In the summer, Fortaleza is around the same temperature as Santa Elena. Typically, the summer temperatures in Fortaleza in January average around 28°C (82°F), and Santa Elena averages at about 28°C (82°F)in July.

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Fortaleza. Fortaleza usually receives more sunshine than Santa Elena during summer. Fortaleza gets 221 hours of sunny skies, while Santa Elena receives 164 hours of full sun in the summer.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Santa Elena. It's quite rainy in Fortaleza. In January, Fortaleza usually receives less rain than Santa Elenain July. Fortaleza gets 119 mm (4.7 in) of rain, while Santa Elena receives 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain each month for the summer. The dry season in Fortaleza is July to January. The rainy season in Fortaleza is January to July.

Should I visit Fortaleza or Santa Elena in the Autumn?

Both Santa Elena and Fortaleza during the autumn are popular places to visit. Many travelers come to Fortaleza for the city's sights and attractions and the shopping scene. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Santa Elena year-round.

In April, Fortaleza is generally around the same temperature as Santa Elenain October. Daily temperatures in Fortaleza average around 27°C (80°F), and Santa Elena fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).

In the autumn, Fortaleza often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Santa Elenain October. Fortaleza gets 159 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Santa Elena receives 169 hours of full sun.

Santa Elena gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Fortaleza. Fortaleza usually gets more rain in April than Santa Elenain October. Fortaleza gets 356 mm (14 in) of rain, while Santa Elena receives 254 mm (10 in) of rain this time of the year. Also, June to October in Santa Elena is the hurricane season.

Should I visit Fortaleza or Santa Elena in the Winter?

The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Fortaleza and Santa Elena. Many visitors come to Fortaleza in the winter for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine. Santa Elena attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.

Fortaleza is around the same temperature as Santa Elena in the winter. The daily temperature in Fortaleza averages around 26°C (79°F) in July, and Santa Elena fluctuates around 27°C (81°F)in January.

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Santa Elena this time of the year. In Fortaleza, it's very sunny this time of the year. Fortaleza usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Santa Elena during winter. Fortaleza gets 256 hours of sunny skies, while Santa Elena receives 264 hours of full sun in the winter.

In July, Fortaleza usually receives more rain than Santa Elenain January. Fortaleza gets 95 mm (3.7 in) of rain, while Santa Elena receives 8 mm (0.3 in) of rain each month for the winter. July to January in Fortaleza is the dry season. Also, January to July is the rainy season in Fortaleza. February to May in Santa Elena is the dry season.

Should I visit Fortaleza or Santa Elena in the Spring?

The spring brings many poeple to Fortaleza as well as Santa Elena. Most visitors come to Fortaleza for the beaches and the activities around the city during these months. The warm climate attracts visitors to Santa Elena throughout the year.

In the spring, Fortaleza is around the same temperature as Santa Elena. Typically, the spring temperatures in Fortaleza in October average around 28°C (82°F), and Santa Elena averages at about 29°C (85°F)in April.

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Santa Elena. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Fortaleza this time of the year. In the spring, Fortaleza often gets more sunshine than Santa Elenain April. Fortaleza gets 287 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Santa Elena receives 255 hours of full sun.

Fortaleza usually gets less rain in October than Santa Elenain April. Fortaleza gets 13 mm (0.5 in) of rain, while Santa Elena receives 28 mm (1.1 in) of rain this time of the year. Also, February to May in Santa Elena is the dry season. Also, the hurricane season in Santa Elena is June to October.

Typical Weather for Santa Elena and Fortaleza