Natal

Above: Dromedunas, one of the tourist attractions of Natal.
Credit of photo: Embratur.

Capital of the state of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal was founded several centuries, on December 25, 1599 (Christmas Day, which in Portuguese translates as Natal).

Despite beings one of the oldest cities in Brazil, Natal maintains the calm and tranquility of smaller cities.

The natural diversity of the “Sun City,” as it is known in the northeast region, attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists every year.

Natal has dunes, hills, lagoons and a coast protected by a string of reefs. It also has a busy nightlife, a seafood–based regional cuisine, and many festivals – including a famour carnaval.

The city is also known for having the most sunny days (300 days with up to 15 hours of sunlight each) a year in the country.

Thanks to these reasons, Natal was chosen one of the host cities of the World Cup in Brazil.

A new stadium, called the Arena das Dunas (Dunes Arena) is being built. Centrally located, the arena will be of easy access from hotels, beaches and the shopping area.

Natal is one of the cities where fans can enjoy the beaches while they are waiting for the matches; other beach host cities are Recife, Fortaleza and Salvador.

Natal is certain to be one of the popular destinations during the World Cup. Read more about the World Cup in Natal.