Juazeiro do Norte

Juazeiro do Norte is a city in Ceará, Brazil, one of the largest pilgrimage sites of South America. It forms a larger urban area, dubbed CraJuBa, with neighbouring Crato and Barbalha containing some 400,000 people. Another 100,000 from smaller towns join in Cariri.

Get in

By bus

The bus station is 3 km from the centre. Guanabara[1] has most departures. Taxi to the centre is R$ 10.

• To Fortaleza, 6 hours
• To Crateús by TransCeará/Pernambucana, 3 daily, 7-8 hours, R$ 35.
• To João Pessoa(11 hours), via Sousa (3 hours), Patos and Campina Grande(9 hours) by Guanabara[2]

By plane

Daily flights to Fortaleza, Petrolina, Recife, Brasília and São Paulo by Gol.

Get around

A great number of buses pass by the western corner of Praça Padre Cicero, particularly at the terminal-like structure there.

See

The Landmark

Most of the sights revolve around the religious character Padre Cicero:

• On Horto, a hill some 7 km nortwest of the centre, stands the statue of Padre Cicero, together with other dedications. Take bus Horto from Praça Padre Cicero, every hour on the hour.
• Memorial Padre Cicero. 08:00-17:00. Mostly pictures explaining life and work. Free. 

Do

• The last few days of October has 500 000 people coming to town, in a religious festival known as the Romaria.

Buy

There must be hundreds of tiny shops loaded with religious trinkets. Why not buy a two-inch Padre Cicero?

Eat

• Lanchonete Vitória, Avenida Padre Cicero 438 (Half a block from the square). Late afternoon and evening. Burgers R$ 2-5, juices R$ 2-3. (updated Jan 2023)

Drink

A few simple, open-air spots at Praça Padre Cicero.

• Barzinho do Zé, Rua Padre Cicero 498 (One block up from the square). Lunch till late. A notch more sophisticated than its neighbours. Often live music. Set lunch at R$ 4,50. Large beer R$ 3. 

Sleep

Dozens and dozens of pousadas in the center, particularly near Praça Padre Cicero. The cheapest (from R$ 10 per person) are on a strip of Rua São José, one block off the square.

Cope

• Laundry, Rua Padre Pedro Ribeiro, by the corner of Rua Santa Rosa. Pick up next day. Wash and dry R$ 1-2 per garment. 
• Internet at several places along Rua Padre Cicero, uphill from the square, R$ 1/hour.