Things to do in Belém
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Casa das Onze Janelas
Once the home of a sugar baron, then a military hospital, the Casa das Onze Janelas now houses an excellent art gallery and one of Belém’s finest restaurants, Boteco das Onze. The medium-sized gallery contains a mix of classical and modern artwork, plus a good photography exhibit upstairs. The café in back has a view of the mouth of the Amazon.
reviewed
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Xicara da Silva
Plenty of people say this popular restaurant prepares the city's best pizza and pasta, and you won't find any arguments to the contrary here. With artful and comfortable dining areas indoors and on a raised patio, the atmosphere is just as appealing. For something smaller, try the quiche. Squeezed into a small leafy lot near the huge Lider Z mall.
reviewed
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Mercado Ver-o-Peso
A symbol of the city, this waterfront market's name comes from colonial times, when the Portuguese would ver o peso (check the weight) of merchandise in order to impose taxes. The market's four-turreted iron structure is known, aptly enough, as the Mercado do Ferro. It was brought over in parts from Britain, and assembled and inaugurated in 1901. A profile of the turrets is commonly used as a symbol of Belém.
The four-turreted iron structure inside the market (visible from well outside of it) is known as the Mercado do Ferro. It was brought over in parts from Britain, and assembled and inaugurated in 1901. A profile of the turrets is commonly used as a symbol of Belém.
reviewed
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Estação das Docas
An ambitious renovation project converted three down-at-heel riverfront warehouses into a terrific commercial and gathering center. Estação das Docas has restaurants, artsy shops, a small theater, plus a post office and ATMs. There are also interesting displays, in Portuguese and English, about the founding of Belém and the growth and importance of the shipping trade here. The waterfront promenade is lined with attractive yellow cranes, further reminders of Belém’s port-town roots, and outdoor tables with great lunchtime views. There’s live music most nights, performed from a moving platform up in the rafters, slowly rolling the length of the dining area.
reviewed
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Museo do Círio
From the discovery of a tiny statue of Mary in a riverbank in 1700, to idiosyncrasies of the massive procession of today, the handsome new Círio Museum breaks down Belém’s famous religious festival, the Círio de Nazaré. There’s the story of how, in 1855, a rope was used to steady the statue’s carriage, and has since become an integral part of the march, with the faithful jostling for a chance to pull or touch it. The rope was banned by the church for being ‘unsanctified,’ then brought back by public demand. It’s grown along with the festival – at last measure, it was 400m long and weighed over a thousand pounds. Explanations are in Portuguese only.
reviewed
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Palácio Antonio Lemos & MABE
This rubber-boom palace served as the city hall between 1860 and 1883. By the early 1990s the palace was virtually abandoned, with animals roaming around inside, but it underwent renovation and once again houses the municipal government headquarters as well as the Museo de Arte de Belém (MABE).
Constructed in the Brazilian imperial style, the building has a grand central staircase of Portuguese marble. The museum upstairs has gorgeous wood floors - cloth slippers are provided at the entrance - and a fine collection of Brazilian 20th-century paintings, including Cândido Portinari's 1957 oil Seringal.
reviewed
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Lá em Casa
A little-known fact is that this Belém institution is in fact two restaurants side by side, neither of them called Lá em Casa. That's the old name, but the owners haven't bothered to take down the sign, and besides, you'll only get funny looks asking for the real names: ‘Vero-o-Pesinho' (per kilo R$29; open for lunch, closed Saturday) has a tasty self-serve spread in a casual bistro-like setting, while ‘O Outro' (mains R$16 to R$50; open for lunch Sunday only) is a formal glass-walled restaurant with international fare and expert service.
reviewed
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Museu de Arte Sacra
The Museu de Arte Sacra consists of the impressive Igreja do Santo Alexandre and the adjoining Palâcio Episcopal (Bishop’s Palace). Santo Alexandre was Belém’s first church, founded by Jesuits in the early 17th century. Impressive in size alone, the church nave also contains brilliant sculpture and detailing, virtually all done by indentured índios using plaster and local red cedar. The rambling Bishop’s Palace has a decent collection of modern art and installation pieces, plus a café and gift shop.
reviewed
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Boteco das Onze
Part of Casa das Onze Janelas gallery, this classy joint is one of the city’s best restaurant-bars for lunch, dinner and beyond. You can sit in either the dining room with modern art on the walls, or on the breezy back patio overlooking the river. Meals include moqueca de filhote, a tasty stew prepared with catfish, shrimp and lobster. There’s live music virtually every night (cover R$6 to R$10), and plenty of good beer and drinks to choose from.
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Teatro da Paz
One of Belém’s finest buildings, the Teatro da Paz was built between 1869 and 1874 overlooking Praça da República. Built in neoclassical style, the architecture has all the sumptuous trappings of the rubber-boom era: columns, busts, crystal mirrors and an interior decorated in Italian theatrical style. Half-hour guided tours (R$4, free on Wednesday) are offered hourly from 9am to 1pm Tuesday to Friday, and 9am to noon on Saturday.
reviewed
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Mercado Ver-o-Peso
A symbol of the city, the name of this waterfront market comes from colonial times, when the Portuguese would ver o peso (check the weight) of merchandise in order to impose taxes. The market’s four-turreted iron structure is known, aptly enough, as the Mercado do Ferro. It was brought over in parts from Britain, and assembled and inaugurated in 1901. A profile of the turrets is commonly used as a symbol of Belém.
reviewed
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Basilica Santuario de Nazaré
A bit humdrum from the outside, the Basilica Santuario de Nazaré has a truly spectacular interior, with soaring marble columns, brilliant stained-glass windows and ornate wood and tile work in every direction, even the ceiling, with faces peering straight down. The basilica is the focal point of Brazil’s largest religious festival, Círio de Nazaré, which draws more than a million worshippers to Belém every October.
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Forte do Presépio
The city of Belém was founded in 1616 with the construction of the Forte do Presépio, which was intended to protect Portuguese interests upriver against incursions by the French and Dutch. Today it houses a small but excellent museum, primarily about Pará’s indigenous communities (displays in Portuguese only). There are great views of the city and Amazon River from atop the fort’s thick stone walls.
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Catedral da Sé
It took a while, but the restoration of Belém’s cathedral was worth it. After years of slow, sad decline, the historic cathedral now radiates inside and out. The exterior gleams a brilliant white, while the soaring interior has polished marble floors and intricate geometric designs on the walls and ceiling, and oversized paintings of the Virgin Mary and other saints in ornate gold-encrusted frames.
reviewed
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Santo Antonio
One of Belém’s best and coolest eateries, this café-bakery-restaurant has a large selection of sandwiches and hot meals, and a spacious artsy interior with tile-topped tables and bossa nova tunes. Create your own ’wich from made-today breads and tasty meats and cheese (R$8 to R$12) or order from the menu: the open-face francesinha sandwiches are to die for, with hot meat and melted cheese on a French roll.
reviewed
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Cine Líbero Luxardo
Belém had three art film houses at last count: Cine Olimpia and Cine Estação are the most convenient to the center. The former hosts international film festivals while the latter shows Brazilian and international art films on weekends. In the Centur complex, Cine Líbero Luxardo shows similar fare, usually for three- to seven-day runs.
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Museu de Arte de Belém
The Palácio Antonio Lemos & MABE houses the Museu de Arte de Belém. The museum has gorgeous wood floors – cloth slippers are provided at the entrance – and a fine collection of Brazilian 20th-century paintings, including Cândido Portinari’s 1957 oil Seringal. It has been closed for restoration for some time, but should reopen soon, better than ever.
reviewed
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Dom Britto
A cool sleek interior and expertly prepared dishes make this a popular spot with professionals and guests at nearby upscale hotels. Though it’s more expensive than other per-kilo places – but not by much – the mellow ambience and always-on air-conditioning can be just the respite you need in the middle of a long hot day. The Sunday spread is even fancier, and costs $35 per kg.
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Do Campo
This new restaurant's R$10 all-you-can-eat lunch buffet – not per kilo – is one of the best deals in town, especially considering the quality of the spread, including grilled meats, stewed veggies and pasta. Knock on wood it's a permanent feature, but even if the prices go up, the classy setting and lively nighttime bar would still make this a worthy stop.
reviewed
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Cosanostra Caffé
The dim lighting and unmarked entrance lend a certain Goodfellas ambience, and Frank Sinatra happened to be playing when we visited, but the beefy guys at the bar are mostly businesspeople on a break. Lunch specials include a main dish, side dish and soda for R$10, or order larger plates off the menu. The bar is open late, and there’s live music after 11pm.
reviewed
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Casa do Gilson
Frequently voted as having Belém’s best live music, to no one’s surprise. Opened in 1987, Gilson’s draws intellectuals and hipsters alike with first-rate samba, choro (improvised samba-like music) and other music, and terrific food and atmosphere to boot – don’t miss the patinha de carenguejo (crab cake). It’s between Ruas Nova and Tambés.
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Tia Maria
It's hard not to stop at the sight of the chairs here, whose shaggy, multicolored upholstering makes them look like pom-poms, or the Fry Guys from the '70s McDonald's commercials. And once you stop, you may as well pop in for a piece of pie, which comes in a dozen or so varieties. Better yet, come here for dessert after Italian dinner across the street.
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K’Delícias IV
One of the few eateries open on Sunday, its extensive and smartly displayed spread makes this one of the center’s best per-kilo spots, and with air-con blasting, one of the most comfortable too. The original K’Delícias I (lunch Monday to Saturday) is smaller but better located, on Rua 28 de Setembro 276 just off Av Presidente Vargas.
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Mercado Ver-o-Peso
This and the surrounding area is probably the most interesting place to shop, whether for pants or piranha or anything in between. There are no set hours, but there is something interesting to see from 5:30am to 8:30pm every day. However, you should be especially wary of pickpockets and assailants in the early and late hours.
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Forte do Castelo
Founded in 1616, Forte do Castelo was intended to protect Portuguese interests upriver against incursions by the French and Dutch. Today it houses a small but excellent museum, primarily about Parás indigenous communities. There are great views of the city and Amazon river from atop the fort's thick stone walls.
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