Use this Canoa Quebrada Shopping Guide to help plan your exciting shopping adventures in Canoa Quebrada. We have detailed some of the best places to shop and the types of souvenirs you are likely to find. For more general information about shopping in Brazil see our Brazil Shopping Guide. Be sure to also stop off and revive your energy over lunch at one of the delicious Canoa Quebrada restaurants and snack stands available around the shopping districts.

Canoa Quebrada Shopping Guide

Local Handicrafts

Some of the most striking craft pieces are made with macramé wired acero and glass beads. You will also find a fine selection of silver filigree, jewellery and artworks made with seeds, coco, wood and silver at the Artisans Gallery Nautilus. The craftsmen living in Canoa have spent years of labour to perfect their craft and produce truly unique pieces. Original in their workmanship and material, crafts from Canoa Quebrada are much appreciated by foreign tourists.

Labyrinth lacework and beautifully shaped bottles filled with coloured sand patterns are the highlights of Majorlânida. These are widely available at almost all souvenir shops in the area. Another sought-after purchase is unique sculpture made by the well known local artist, Toinho de Carneiro.

An iconic lace maker of Aracati is a popular lady by the name of Mrs. Luci. She and her daughter Lucia can be seen on the sidewalk diligently weaving intricate lace and keeping this traditional craft alive. This Maze of Ceara is an intrinsic craft of this region. Carrying your favourite piece of lace home would always remind you of this region.

Shopping in Fortaleza

Fortaleza, capital of Ceara, has many shopping malls. The Ceara Tourism Centre has 104 shops that guarantee you top quality goods. The Central Market in the heart of the city has thrice the number of shops - around 300. You can find easy parking despite the scale and to get set for a day of shopping, try any of the lanchonetes, which offer fast food and drinks. If you are keen to pick up authentic craft at the right price, try Ceara's Crafts Centre (CEART), where only vetted and quality controlled pieces are stocked.

You can also enjoy the buzzing atmosphere of craft fairs held in Na Avenida located at the Beira-Mar Avenue. Here the stalls are packed with textiles, leather, metal crafts and local culinary delights.

Labyrinth lace work of Canoa Quebrada

Lace work requires great skill, creativity and patience, apart from high levels of concentration and a good idea of shapes and patterns. In addition, it requires sharp vision and great dexterity. Browsing through the patterns will give you an idea of how enmeshed labyrinth lace or Maze is in the cultural context of this region. Lace making came to Brazil from Europe in the mid eighteenth century and has Portuguese origins. Aracati and the neighbouring areas of Canoa Quebrada, Marjolândia, Stream of Rodriques, Stream of Nica, Cumbe, Chici and San Quinn all practise and promote this intricate craft form.

It has not been easy to safeguard lace making down the generations. Agencies like SEBRAE have given it an impetus through their special programs like Crafts Irmaos Ceara labirinteiras. Such a program helps promote art and craft in this region and makes it an economically viable livelihood.

It's no wonder that the lace is admired and bought by both Brazilians and foreign tourists who carry a slice of Ceara back to their homeland. You could also get special pieces made to order.

As with most traditional art forms, the younger generation is not too keen to continue with them. The youth of this region are not too interested in lace making but with sustained support and guidance, lace making continues to be the mainstay of this region crafts-wise.

Intricacies of lace making

A finished piece of lace undergoes 15 stages. What seems quite blurred and scattered in the beginning gets woven into a fine drawing of birds, flowers, tufts, palms and geometric patterns. The skill of the lace maker lies in envisaging the pattern in her mind before she weaves magic with her fingers.

Lace making also involves great team work. Depending on the size and intricacy of the pattern, many steps are involved and therefore the work is split among several hands. What you'll find in Brazil are luxurious bed linen, table mats and cloths, tea towels, tray cloths and lace lining for sheets. Lace has been charmingly used for newer wares like fabric bags and purses, scarves and stoles and even sportswear. Typically, pale whites and creams are used for lace making but of late deeper colour tones are also being favoured by lace makers and buyers.

Whether you want to admire delicate lacework or buy it, you must visit the Handicraft Centre of Aracati located behind Mother Church. Other historic sites selling lace are the Office of National Historical and Artistic Heritage (IPHAN). Visitors can also see how lace is made and pick up some rudimentary bits of this craft. This craft is also being ably supported by SEBRAE.