Natal

Natal needs 2 days: the Fortaleza dos Reis Magos, a star-shaped Portuguese fort from 1598 at the mouth of the Potengi river, on one, and a dune buggy ride across the Genipabu dunes, with camel rides and sand-sledding, on the other. September-January is the driest stretch on the Rio Grande do Norte coast. It's mid-priced by Brazilian standards. Founded on December 25, 1599 -hence its name, «Christmas» in Portuguese-, it's the gateway to the dune-and-beach route that connects south to Pipa, another well-known beach destination in the northeast.