Belém has a distinct vibe from other cities in Brazil. It is not a beach town like Rio de Janeiro or Salvador nor a landlocked metropolitan like São Paulo and Curitiba.

The city’s identity is tied tightly to the Guamá River, the Bay of Guajará, and the surrounding estuaries. Many of the city’s most important sites are bayside highlighting Belém’s rich Amazonian biodiversity.

Since it is a “gateway” into the Amazon, many tourists are only in town for a day or two before continuing to the main event in their Itinerary – the Amazon Rainforest.

With centuries-old markets and churches, a grand theater, art and natural history museums, tropical river islands, and unique cuisine, Belém has much to offer the open-minded, adventurous traveler.

Continue reading this blog to learn more about the best way to visit, where to stay, what to eat, and the best things to do in Belém.

Whether you are just stopping over on the way to the Amazon or have a couple of days to dedicate to the City of Mangos, you won’t be disappointed if you visit.

Belém’s Past

Belém, the capital of Pará, has long been one of the most important cities in the northern region of Brazil.

The city was founded in 1616 by the Portuguese to serve as a valuable link between the Amazon and Europe. The Castle Fort of Belém is considered the city’s founding site.

By the 18th century, Belém was on its way to becoming a prosperous city in the New World. The discovery and exploitation of the rubber tree in the Amazon continued to propel the city’s growth into the 19th and 20th centuries.

Belém’s most famous landmarks, including the Theatro da Paz and the Ver-O-Preso market, were constructed during this period.

The Old City or Cidade Velha was the first area of the city to be developed. Today this area includes Mangal das Garćas, Castle Fort, and the Metropolitan Cathedral of Belem. Some 18th-century architecture, strongly influenced by Europe’s neoclassical style, can still be seen in the Old City.

Despite the turmoil leading up to Brazil’s independence in 1822, Belém’s connection to Portugal remained strong. It was one of the last cities to recognize Brazil’s independence, an entire year later in 1823.

Many Belenenses remain proud of the city’s heritage and lasting connection to Portugal. Today, Belém is the second-largest city in Northern Brazil, only behind Manaus.

Its port continues to be crucial for shipping on the Amazon River. The city’s colonial character lingers but many highrises and modern buildings are scattered throughout.

Where is Belém

Belém is the capital city of Pará, a state in the north of Brazil. It sits along the Guajará Bay and Guamá River, part of the greater Amazon River Delta. The city is 75 miles from the Atlantic Ocean.

Just 100 miles separate humid and tropical Belém from the equator. Its proximity is why it rains almost every afternoon in Belém, like clockwork.

Belém is the closest Brazilian capital to both the US and Europe. The flight time between Miami and Belém is just under 6 hours.

How much time in Belém & example itineraries

2-3 days is the perfect amount of time to visit Belém.

If you only have 1 day to explore I suggest the following itinerary:

• Head to the Old City and work your way northeast starting at Mangal das Garças to Castle Fort, Casa das Onze Janelas Cultural Space, Metropolitan Cathedral of Belém, Museum of Art of Belém, the markets including Ver-O-Peso, and wrap the day up at Estação das Docas.

With 2 days:

• DAY 1: Head to the Old City and work your way north starting at Mangal das Garças to Castle Fort, Casa das Onze Janelas Cultural Space, Metropolitan Cathedral of Belém, Museum of Art of Belém, the markets including Ver-O-Peso, and wrap the day up at Estação das Docas.
• DAY 2: Take an all-day tour of Combú Island

With 3 days:

• DAY 1: Head to the Old City and work your way north starting at Mangal das Garças to Castle Fort, Casa das Onze Janelas Cultural Space, Metropolitan Cathedral of Belém, Museum of Art of Belém, the markets including Ver-O-Peso, and wrap the day up at Estação das Docas.
• DAY 2: Take an all-day tour of Combú Island
• DAY 3: Tour or visit Theatro da Paz, check out the Emilio Goeldi Museum of Pará and Zoological Park or Bosque Rodrigues Alves – Amazon Zoo Botanical Garden, and visit Belém’s other famous church – Basilica of Our Lady of Nazareth.

With 4 days:

• Repeat the  3-Day Itinerary and consider adding an overnight trip to Marajó Island (the largest fluvial island in the world) or head to nearby Cotijuba Island for a beach day.

More information about the best things to do and see in Belém. 

Visiting Belém as part of an Amazon trip

Manaus is often treated as the primary launching point for tourism in the Amazon. This can be true if you want to stay at a remote lodge on the Amazon River or one of its many tributaries.

But I believe Belém has much more to offer tourists than Manaus.

Manaus and Alter do Chão, another popular city in the Amazon region, can be reached easily from Belém by daily direct flights.

Alternatively, you can take an Amazon River boat from Belém to Santarém or Manaus for a more adventurous journey through the Amazon.

Where to stay in Belém

The best neighborhoods to base yourself in Belém are Umarizal, Nazaré, and Batista Campos.

All three neighborhoods are considered affluent, have countless restaurants and bars, and are just a quick Uber from the city’s main tourist attractions.

Hotels in Umarizal

• Mercure Belém Boulevard

• Bristol Umarizal Belém

Hotels in Nazaré:

• Ôvibe Party Hostel & Arts – Great restaurant and clothing store attached
• Radisson Hotel Belém – Extremely comfortable hotel with a large breakfast buffet
• Grand Mercure Belém do Pará

We stayed in Nazaré at the Radisson Hotel and felt very comfortable walking around the neighborhood during the day and at night.

Hotels in Batista Campos:

• Ibis Styles Belem Batista Campos

Another neighborhood tourists tend to find themselves in is the Old City. While this may seem super convenient for sightseeing, at night this is not always a dependable neighborhood to walk around.

If you do want to stay in the Old City, one of the nicest hotels is Atrium Quinta de Pedras. The historic hotel building dates back to the 18th century and includes a pool.

For a completely different experience, stay at the Olaria River Hostel on Combú Island.

Where to eat in Belém

Belém’s cuisine is one of my favorites in Brazil. The most popular dishes lean on the region’s European and Indigenous origins while showcasing the unique and bold flavors sourced from the Amazon.

The City of Belém has a helpful webpage with English descriptions and images featuring the most popular plates and ingredients you encounter on menus in Belém. The state of Pará is one of the only places in Brazil where you find foods like duck in Tucupi, Maniçoba, and Tacacá.

Where to enjoy food typical of Belém:
Casa Iga
Restaurante Ver O Açaí
Ver-o-Pesinho Casa & Café
Amazônia na Cuia
Restaurante Point do Açaí
Casa do Saulo das Onze Janelas
Tacacá da Dona Maria (kiosk)
Bar do Parque (near the Theatro da Paz)
Seu Beja (bar)
Ice Bode Boutique (ice cream with Amazonian flavors)
Ice cream Santa Clara (ice cream with Amazonian flavors)
Gelateria Damazônia at the Estação das Docas

Where to enjoy other types of food in Belém:
Xícara da Silva (pizza)
Sushi Ruy Barbosa (sushi)
Famiglia Sicilia (italian)
Geek Burger

Breweries or beer-centric bars in Belém:
Amazon Beer at the Estação das Docas
Cervejaria Cabôca
Tap House Ver-A-Cerva
Cervejaria Flor de Lúpulo

“Círio de Nazaré” Holiday in Belém

Círio de Nazaré is the largest religious festival and holiday in Belém. Some might even say in all of Brazil

The festivities begin in August and culminate with 2 million people gathering on the 2nd Sunday in October in Belém’s Old City.

The main act of this festival is the procession of a wooden image of the Virgin Mary from the Metropolitan Cathedral of Belém to the Square of the Sanctuary of Nazareth, in front of the Basilica of Our Lady of Nazareth.

10 best things to do in Belém

Belém’s waterfront markets have been a fixture of Paraense pride, history, and culture for nearly 400 years.

The most famous is Mercado Ver-o-Peso. Given the city’s strategic location, Mercado Ver-o-Peso opened in 1625 as a weigh and tax station for goods arriving from both the Amazon and Europe. Today it is one of the largest open-air markets in Latin America.

In addition it Mercado Ver-o-Peso, nearby is the Mercado de Carne or Mercado Francisco Bolonha (Meat Market) built in 1901, Mercado de Peixe or Mercado de Ferro founded in 1899 (Fish Market), and the Feira do Açaí (night Açaí berry Market). 

There are dozens of river islands off the coast of Belém. The most frequented include Combú, Cotijuba, and Mosqueiro.

If you’re interested in a beach day, head to Cotijuba and Mosqueiro for sandy river beaches with beachfront bars and restaurants. Boats leave daily from the Icoaraci Boat Terminal north of the city to these islands.

A visit to Combú Island, Belém’s 4th largest, is one of the best tours outside the city.

I recommend using MonoTour Belém to explore Combú Island. During this tour, visitors have the opportunity to see the Street River art project, walk through Amazon rainforest, eat a traditional lunch at a riverfront restaurant, and visit a cocoa bean farm and factory.

Mangal das Garças Zoo Botanical Park is 10 acres of revitalized Amazon rainforest and habitat along the Guamá River in downtown Belém. It brings visitors closer to some of Amazon’s unique flora and fauna in Belém.

Built in 1878 to satisfy the burgeoning city’s desire for a grand theater of the likes of ones from Europe, Theatro da Paz is still one of the most impressive theaters in Brazil. The theater’s Spectacular Hall or Sala de Espetáculos seats 900 patrons and features a fresco painting on the ceiling.

The theater offers 1 hour tours every day except Mondays. Check the theater’s Instagram for the latest tour times.

Cachaça is the national liquor of Brazil.

It is a distilled spirit made from fermented sugarcane. Cachaça is most famously used in Caipirinhas – Brazil’s most popular cocktail.

In Belém, the bar or boteco Meu Garoto combines cachaça with a mouth-numbing (literally) ingredient from the Amazon – Jambu.

At Meu Garoto’s store in Belém, visitors can experience the month-tingling sensation of Jambu along with many other Amazonian fruit-infused cachaças like Cupuaçu, Açaí, and Bacurí.

In addition to the store, Meu Garoto still has two bar locations in Belém. One is near the store and the other by Praça Brasil.

The Estação das Docas in Belém is one of the city’s premier gastronomic and cultural destinations.

Located at the old port, the Estação das Docas complex sits along the Guajará Bay. A landmark feature of the complex is the massive yellow cranes originally imported from the US in the 20th century that still sit along the pier today.

The restaurants here are great places to dip your toes into Pararense and Amazonian cuisines. A visit to Estação das Docas isn’t complete without enjoying the sunset over the Guajará Bay with a cold beer from Amazon Beer.

Check the Estação das Docas Instagram for the most recent hours of operation and upcoming cultural and musical events.

The Belém Castle Fort was built in 1616 to protect the Portugueses’ newly established territory in the Amazon.

Visitors can tour the fort grounds and a small museum that showcases archeological artifacts and ceramics discovered in the region.

Near the entrance to the fort is the Espaço Cultural Casa das Onze Janelas which houses contemporary art and photography from northern and northeastern Brazil. 

Not far from the Belém Castle Fort and the contemporary art museum is one of the best restaurants in the city – Casa do Saulo Onze Janelas.

The restaurant’s chef, Saulo Jennings, is the same chef behind the equally famous Casa do Saulo in Alter do Chão.

Casa do Saulo Onze Janelas is one of the best restaurants representing Tapajônica cuisine.

Natura history lovers will love a visit to Emilio Goeldi Museum of Pará and Zoological Park (Museu Paraense Emilio Goeldi). Founded in 1895, it is one of the oldest natural history museums with a specific focus on the Amazon.

The Zoological Park has over 3,000 plants and 100 different animal species, including 1,600 mammals, birds, reptiles, and fish.

The museum is open from Wednesday to Sunday. Check the Emilio Goeldi Museum of Pará’s Instagram for the latest updates before your visit.

The Basilica of Our Lady of Nazareth (Basílica de Nossa Senhora de Nazaré) was built in 1909. Its location in Belém is derived from a 300-year-old story.

The Metropolitan Cathedral of Belem  (Catedral Metropolitana de Belém) was founded in 1616 on the grounds of the Belém Castle Fort. Today it is in front of the Frei Caetano Brandão Plaza, not far from its original location.

Bosque Rodrigues Alves – Amazon Zoo Botanical Garden (Bosque Rodrigues Alves Jardim Zoobotânico da Amazônia) is 37 acres of Amazonian flora and fauna nestled into downtown Belém.

The reserve is home to 435 animals/68 different species. Some of the animals are kept in captivity while others a free to come and go. Visitors may see Amazonian manatees, alligators, turtles, tortoises, macaws, and monkeys.

Bosque Rodrigues Alves is open Tuesday to Sunday, 8 am to 2 pm.

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