Belém

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Belem is a Brazilian municipality, the capital and largest city of the state of Para in the countrys north. It is the gateway to the River Amazon with a busy port, airport, and bus/coach station. Belem lies approximately 100 km upriver from the Atlantic Ocean, on the Para River, which is part of the greater Amazon River system, separated from the larger part of the Amazon delta by Ilha de Marajo (Marajo Island).

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Overview

The eastern gateway to the Amazon region and a destination in its own right, Belém is worth at least a couple of days of your life. It's a rewarding city, with streets and parks shaded by mango trees, the pastel facades of once-decadent mansions now fading in the tropical sun, as well as a number of fascinating museums, pungent markets and decent restaurant-bars. It's also a launchpad for overnight trips to Algodoal and Ilha de Marajó, both appealing coastal destinations.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

Mercado Ver-o-Peso

Belém

The name of this waterfront market, with its iconic four-turreted structure at its southwestern end, comes from colonial times, when the Portuguese would…

Estação das Docas

Belém

An ambitious renovation project converted three down-at-heel riverfront warehouses into a popular gathering spot, with restaurants, bars, shops and even…

Basílica Santuario de Nazaré

Belém

Rather humdrum from the outside, the Basílica Santuario de Nazaré has a truly spectacular interior. Sink into a cushioned pew and admire the soaring…

Museu Emílio Goeldi & Parque Zoobotánico

Belém

This museum and zoo contains Amazonian species, from anacondas and white-whiskered squirrel monkeys to jaguars and giant river otters, plus an aviary,…

Museu de Arte Sacra

Belém

Closed indefinitely for renovations when we last passed by, this museum, once it reopens, has two parts: the impressive Igreja do Santo Alexandre and the…

Museu do Estado do Pará

Belém

The State Museum of Pará is housed in the grand Palácio Lauro Sodré, originally the residence of Portugal’s royal representatives in Belém and later home…

Palácio Antonio Lemos & MABE

Belém

This rubber-boom palace served as city hall in the late 1800s, and its 2nd floor now houses the Museu de Arte de Belém. The museum has gorgeous wood…

Museo do Círio

Belém

The many idiosyncrasies of Belém’s famous religious festival, the Círio de Nazaré, are explained in this handsome museum, from the discovery of a tiny…

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