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Pará doesn’t have the name ‘Amazonas’ like the state next door, so it might be easy to think it’s not part of ‘the Amazon’ either. In fact, Pará has some terrific Amazonian destinations. The national forest along the Rio Tapajós has monster trees and a fascinating living history of rubber boom and bust, and is reachable via the laid-back beach town of Alter do Chão. The capital city, Belém, is lively and pleasant, and you can wander deserted beaches on the islands of Algodoal and Marajó.
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Pará.
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The name of this waterfront market, with its iconic four-turreted structure at its southwestern end, comes from colonial times, when the Portuguese would ver o peso (check the weight) of merchandise in order to impose taxes. The display of fruit, animals, medicinal plants and more is fascinating; go early to see fishing boats unloading their catch. Some stands sell souvenirs, but be alert for pickpockets and avoid going after 5pm.
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An ambitious renovation project converted three down-at-heel riverfront warehouses into a popular gathering spot, with restaurants, bars, shops and even an art-house theater. There are river views and displays about Belém's history, plus a post office and numerous ATMs. Enjoy live music most nights, performed from a moving platform in the rafters, rolling slowly the length of the dining area.
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Rather humdrum from the outside, the Basílica Santuario de Nazaré has a truly spectacular interior. Sink into a cushioned pew and admire the soaring marble columns, brilliant stained-glass windows and ornate wood and tile work in every direction, even the ceiling. The basilica is the focal point of Brazil’s largest religious festival, Círio de Nazaré, which draws more than a million worshippers to Belém on the second Sunday in October.
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A small slice of paradise just offshore from Alter do Chão, the 'Island of Love' is especially striking when the water is low (August to December) and beach restaurants and cool, calm water make it a great place to chill out. In high water, the island is much smaller but still worth a visit. When the water is low, you can wade from the waterfront to Ilha do Amor. Otherwise, rowboats will take you across for R$5 per person.
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This huge three-fingered lake is surrounded by forest and has places to swim, snorkel with fish and spot wildlife (including a resident family of monkeys). Tour agencies do good boat tours (per person R$50 to R$75, two to three hours, two to six people) or you can hire one of the yellow-shirted freelance boatmen on the waterfront; the latter are cheaper, but may not have the same service or equipment that agencies do.
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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 floors – cloth slippers are provided – and a fine collection of statuettes, antiques and Brazilian 20th-century paintings, such as Theodoro Braga's 1908 oil Fundação da Cidade de Belém. Two first-floor galleries hold rotating exhibits.
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Praia Grande is, as the name suggests, a big beach: it's a long wide swathe of golden-brown sand about 500m south of Salvaterra proper. A slew of beach restaurants perched on stilts overlook the first section of the beach, but the far end is virtually deserted, save for one large resort. Stingrays may be present but are easily scared off if you shuffle your feet as you enter and leave the water.
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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 statue of Mary in a riverbank in 1700, to the story behind the 400m, 450kg rope that's now such an integral part of the procession, the faithful masses jostling for a chance to touch or pull it. Explanations in Portuguese only.
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Overlooking Praça da República, the Teatro da Paz is one of Belém’s finest buildings. Completed in 1874 and built in the 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 tours are a mildly interesting trip to the city's former glory years.