--- title: "Top 10 Things To Do in Belém, Brazil | Wimup" description: "The 10 best things to do in Belém, from the Ver-o-Peso market and the Theatro da Paz to the Basílica de Nazaré, Mangal das Garças and a boat to Ilha do Combu. Mapped, ranked and fact-checked." url: https://wimup.com/city/belem type: City guide updated: 2026-11-15 publisher: Wimup (https://wimup.com) --- # Top 10 Things To Do in Belém Belém, Brazil · South America · By Wimup Editorial, 14 min read Belém sits a degree and a half south of the equator, on Guajará Bay where the Guamá meets the Pará river, the Amazon's eastern mouth. It was founded in 1616 around a wooden fort, grew rich on rubber after 1870, and still lives by the river: the fish, açaí and boats all arrive at the Ver-o-Peso. ## Quick answer Start at the Ver-o-Peso early, while the boats unload, then walk the Cidade Velha: the fort, the cathedral and the Casa das Onze Janelas. Lunch at the Estação das Docas and see the Theatro da Paz on its hourly tour. Day two is the Basílica de Nazaré, the Goeldi park and sunset at the Mangal das Garças. Give a third day to a boat across the river to Ilha do Combu. ## Quick facts - **Best months:** Aug · Sep · Oct · Nov - **Ideal length:** 3 days - **Budget per day:** $50–100 - **Language:** Portuguese - **Getting around:** Walking, buses, ride-hailing & boats - **Tourism board:** [Visit Brasil](https://www.visitbrasil.com/en/gastronomico-belem-pa-ingles/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ## The 10 best things to do in Belém ### 1. Ver-o-Peso market Market · Boulevard Castilhos França, Campina, Belém The city's market on the bay, named for the Portuguese post that weighed and taxed goods here from 1625, with a blue iron fish hall from around 1901. Come early, while the boats unload açaí and fish, and finish at the herb stalls. - **Time:** 2 hours - **Cost:** Free to walk - **Best at:** Early morning - **Tip:** Most stalls trade Monday to Saturday, and Sunday is quiet. Carry small notes and keep valuables out of sight in the crowded fish hall. Links: [Iphan](https://www.gov.br/iphan/pt-br?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ### 2. Theatro da Paz Landmark · Praça da República, Campina, Belém Belém's opera house opened on 15 February 1878, paid for by the rubber trade, and the guided tour takes in the auditorium and the salons. Better still is an evening performance, when the room does what it was built for. - **Time:** 45 minutes - **Cost:** Small fee for the guided tour - **Best at:** A weekday morning tour - **Tip:** Tours run on the hour from Tuesday to Sunday. Groups of more than six book ahead by email, and the theatre site lists the season. Links: [Theatro da Paz](https://theatrodapaz.com.br/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ### 3. Basílica Santuário de Nazaré Church · Praça Santuário de Nazaré, Nazaré, Belém Designed in Genoa in 1909 by Gino Coppedè, the basilica holds the small image of Our Lady of Nazareth that the Círio carries through the streets each October. The interior is marble, with a white Carrara altar. - **Time:** 45 minutes - **Cost:** Free - **Best at:** Outside Mass times - **Tip:** Dress for a working church and keep quiet during services. In the two weeks of the Círio the square fills from dawn, so come early. Links: [Círio de Nazaré](https://www.ciriodenazare.com.br/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ### 4. Estação das Docas Food hall · Boulevard Castilhos França, Campina, Belém Three iron port warehouses on the bay, converted in 2000 into a covered promenade of restaurants, a brewery and Cairu's fruit ice creams. Sit outside at sunset, when the river turns gold and the air finally cools. - **Time:** 2 hours - **Cost:** Free to enter - **Best at:** Sunset and evening - **Tip:** Amazon Beer brews on site with Amazonian fruit, and Cairu's cupuaçu and taperebá scoops are the ones to order. ### 5. Feliz Lusitânia and the Forte do Presépio Landmark · Praça Frei Caetano Brandão, Cidade Velha, Belém The square where Belém began: the fort of 1616, the cathedral, the Santo Alexandre church and the Casa das Onze Janelas, now a contemporary art museum. Walk the fort's ramparts for the view over the bay and the market. - **Time:** 2 hours - **Cost:** Free to walk the square - **Best at:** Late afternoon - **Tip:** The Museu de Arte Sacra in the Santo Alexandre church is under restoration, so check it is open before planning around it. ### 6. Mangal das Garças Park · Cidade Velha, Belém, on the Guamá river A riverside park opened by the state in 2005 on about four hectares of the Guamá bank, with herons, a butterfly house and a lighthouse lookout. It is the easiest place in the city to see Amazonian birds up close. - **Time:** 2 hours - **Cost:** Free park; small fees for the butterfly house and lighthouse - **Best at:** Late afternoon - **Tip:** The park closes on Mondays. Keep the lighthouse for last, when the light over the Guamá is low. ### 7. Museu Goeldi Parque Zoobotânico Museum · Av. Gov. Magalhães Barata 376, São Brás, Belém Brazil's Amazon research museum, founded in 1866, keeps a shaded zoo and botanical park in the middle of the city, with Amazonian animals and an aquarium of river fish. It is the best short introduction to the forest you will find here. - **Time:** 2 hours - **Cost:** Small fee, aquarium included - **Best at:** Opening time - **Tip:** The park opens Wednesday to Sunday and on holidays, and closes earlier in heavy rain. Check the museum site before you go. Links: [Museu Goeldi](https://www.gov.br/museugoeldi/pt-br?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ### 8. Ilha do Combu Island · Terminal Hidroviário Ruy Barata, Praça Princesa Isabel, Condor, Belém A forested island across the Guamá, a short boat ride from the city, where riverside restaurants serve fish and açaí on stilted decks. Dona Nena's Filha do Combu makes organic chocolate from the island's own cacao. - **Time:** Half a day - **Cost:** Boat fare plus lunch - **Best at:** Weekday lunch - **Tip:** Boats leave from Praça Princesa Isabel. The chocolate tour and tasting at Filha do Combu should be booked at least a week ahead. ### 9. Mercado de São Brás Market · São Brás, Belém A belle époque market hall restored for COP30 and reopened in October 2025 with a food hall of 86 traders. It is quieter than the Ver-o-Peso, which makes it the easier place to try regional dishes at a table. - **Time:** 1 hour - **Cost:** Free to enter - **Best at:** Lunch - **Tip:** Pair it with the Goeldi park, a short walk away along Magalhães Barata. ### 10. Parque Estadual do Utinga Park · Curió-Utinga, Belém A state park of forest and the two lakes that supply the city's water, with about four kilometres of paved paths for walking and cycling. Go at opening time, when it is coolest and the birds are out. - **Time:** 2 to 3 hours - **Cost:** Free - **Best at:** Early morning - **Tip:** Opening hours run from early morning to late afternoon and the park closes one weekday for maintenance. Bring water and go before the midday heat. ## Best landmarks and churches in Belém Five buildings that tell the city's story, from the 1616 fort to the rubber-boom opera house. 1. **Theatro da Paz** (Opera house · Praça da República · Campina): The 1878 opera house of the rubber boom, on hourly guided tours from Tuesday to Sunday. [Theatro da Paz](https://theatrodapaz.com.br/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) 2. **Basílica Santuário de Nazaré** (Basilica · Praça Santuário · Nazaré): Home of the image the Círio carries, designed by Gino Coppedè in 1909, with a Carrara marble altar. [Círio de Nazaré](https://www.ciriodenazare.com.br/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) 3. **Forte do Presépio** (Fort · Praça Frei Caetano Brandão · Cidade Velha): The site of the 1616 founding, with ramparts over the bay and the Ver-o-Peso. 4. **Catedral Metropolitana da Sé** (Cathedral · Praça Frei Caetano Brandão · Cidade Velha): One of the first buildings raised after the founding, facing the fort across the old square. 5. **Praça da República** (Square · Avenida Presidente Vargas · Campina): The city's central square, shaded by mango trees, with the Theatro da Paz on its east side. ## Best markets and food halls in Belém Where Belém shops, eats and argues about açaí. 1. **Ver-o-Peso** (Market · Boulevard Castilhos França · Campina): The market on the bay since 1625: fish, açaí, herbs and Amazonian fruit, best before mid-morning. 2. **Mercado de São Brás** (Food hall · Restored market · São Brás): A restored market hall, reopened in October 2025 with 86 food traders. 3. **Estação das Docas** (Food hall · Boulevard Castilhos França · Campina): Three converted iron warehouses on the bay, with restaurants, a brewery and Cairu ice cream. ## Best museums in Belém Three museums, from Amazon science to jewellery in a former prison. 1. **Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi** (Science museum · Av. Gov. Magalhães Barata 376 · São Brás): The Amazon research museum, founded in 1866, with a zoo, aquarium and botanical park. [Museu Goeldi](https://www.gov.br/museugoeldi/pt-br?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) 2. **Casa das Onze Janelas** (Art museum · Praça Frei Caetano Brandão · Cidade Velha): A colonial house beside the fort, a contemporary art museum since 2002. 3. **Espaço São José Liberto** (Gem museum and jewellers · Jurunas): An 18th-century convent turned prison turned gem museum and jewellers' hall. Closed Mondays. ## Best parks and gardens in Belém Three places to escape the heat under the trees. 1. **Mangal das Garças** (Riverside park · Cidade Velha): A riverside park of herons, ibises and a butterfly house, opened in 2005. Closed Mondays. 2. **Bosque Rodrigues Alves** (Forest park · Marco): Fifteen hectares of original forest kept as a city park since 1883. 3. **Parque Estadual do Utinga** (State park · Curió-Utinga): Lakes, forest and four kilometres of paths on the city's edge. Free entry. ## Best restaurants in Belém Five tables for the cooking that made Belém a UNESCO city of gastronomy. 1. **Lá em Casa** (Paraense · Estação das Docas, Galpão 2 · Campina): Paulo Martins opened it in 1972 and his family still runs it, the reference for regional Pará cooking. 2. **Remanso do Peixe** (Amazonian fish · Marco): The Castanho family's river-fish restaurant, tucked into a residential lane. 3. **Casa do Saulo Onze Janelas** (Amazonian · Rua Siqueira Mendes · Cidade Velha): Saulo Jennings cooks Tapajós river fish beside the fort, with a view over the bay. 4. **Point do Açaí** (Açaí and fish · Boulevard Castilhos França 744 · Campina): Açaí the Pará way: unsweetened, with fried fish, shrimp or charque on the side. 5. **Saldosa Maloca** (Riverside · Ilha do Combu · Combu): The best known of Ilha do Combu's riverside restaurants, with a long deck facing the city. ## Best neighborhoods in Belém Four districts, from the colonial core to the basilica's quarter. 1. **Cidade Velha** (Historic centre · Cidade Velha): The colonial core: the fort, the cathedral and the Mangal das Garças on the river. 2. **Campina** (Markets and theatre · Campina): The old commercial quarter, with the Ver-o-Peso, the Docas and the Theatro da Paz. 3. **Nazaré** (Residential and religious · Nazaré): The basilica's quarter of mango-lined avenues, the heart of the Círio each October. 4. **São Brás** (Museum and market · São Brás): The Goeldi park, the restored market and the bus station, a short ride east of the centre. ## Best day trips in Belém Islands and river towns within a boat ride or a drive. 1. **Ilha do Combu** (Island · From Praça Princesa Isabel · Combu): Riverside restaurants and organic chocolate, a short boat ride across the Guamá. 2. **Ilha de Marajó** (Island · Boats from Belém and Icoaraci · Marajó): Buffalo country and river beaches around Soure and Salvaterra, two to three hours by boat. Best overnight. 3. **Mosqueiro** (Beaches · About 70 km by road · Mosqueiro): Freshwater river beaches on an island about 70 km from the centre, reached by bridge. 4. **Icoaraci** (Crafts · About 20 km north · Icoaraci): The pottery district of Paracuri, where workshops reproduce Marajoara ceramics. 5. **Ilha de Cotijuba** (Island · Boats from Icoaraci · Cotijuba): Quiet river beaches 35 to 45 minutes by boat from Icoaraci. ## Festivals & annual events in Belém (2026) - **Aniversário de Belém** (12 January): The city's founding day, a municipal holiday with free events and special hours at the parks. - **Theatro da Paz anniversary** (Mid-February): The theatre marks its 15 February 1878 opening with free guided visits for a few days. - **Carnaval** (February or March): Street blocos fill the centre in the days before Ash Wednesday. - **Verão amazônico** (July): School holidays and the dry season send the city to Mosqueiro, Cotijuba and Marajó. - **Feira Pan-Amazônica do Livro** (Late August to early September): The free book fair at the Hangar convention centre, a week of authors and launches. - **Arrastão do Pavulagem** (October): A free street parade of drums and costumes in the days before the Círio. - **Círio de Nazaré** (Second Sunday of October): One of the world's largest processions, on UNESCO's intangible heritage list since 2013. - **Festival Psica** (December): Belém's music festival, built around Amazonian and Brazilian acts. ## Must-try dishes in Belém, Brazil - **Pato no tucupi**: Duck in tucupi, the yellow broth of bitter cassava, with jambu leaves that numb the tongue. - **Maniçoba**: Ground cassava leaves cooked for about a week with smoked and salted meats. - **Tacacá**: Tucupi, tapioca starch, dried shrimp and jambu in a gourd bowl, sold in the late afternoon. - **Açaí com peixe frito**: Unsweetened açaí eaten as a main course, with fried fish and cassava flour. - **Filhote**: A large Amazon catfish with firm white flesh, grilled or in a stew. - **Pirarucu**: The giant river fish, often salted and dried, then cooked like bacalhau. - **Unha de caranguejo**: Crab claws in a crisp coating, the city's bar snack. - **Sorvete de cupuaçu**: Ice cream from cupuaçu, a tart, perfumed Amazon fruit. ## Belém transport & airports - **Belém Val-de-Cans International Airport** (BEL): The airport is about 12 km from the centre by taxi or ride-hailing, and slower in afternoon traffic. City bus 636 runs to Avenida Presidente Vargas. - **Buses and BRT** (Bus): City buses cover every district, and the BRT busways run along the main avenues. Ride-hailing is the simpler choice for visitors after dark. - **River boats** (Boat): Boats to Ilha do Combu leave from Praça Princesa Isabel. Marajó boats sail from the Terminal Hidroviário and Icoaraci, two to three hours each way. - **Taxis and ride-hailing** (Taxi): Plentiful and cheap by European standards. Use an app or a hotel-called taxi at night, and expect slow traffic in the afternoon rain. ## Belém at a glance - **Country:** Brazil - **Region:** Capital of Pará state · Guajará Bay - **Population:** 1,303,403 (2022 census) - **Founded:** 12 January 1616, by Francisco Caldeira Castelo Branco - **Nickname:** Cidade das Mangueiras (City of Mango Trees) - **Language:** Portuguese - **Currency:** Brazilian real (BRL) - **Time zone:** BRT · UTC−3, no daylight saving - **Calling code:** +55 91 - **Airports:** Belém Val-de-Cans International Airport (BEL) - **Power:** 127 V in most sockets, type N plugs - **Emergency:** 190 police, 192 ambulance, 193 fire ## Interesting facts - Belém began on 12 January 1616 as a palisade fort called Presépio, the Nativity scene. - The Ver-o-Peso is named for the Portuguese post that weighed and taxed goods there from 1625. - Belém has been a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy since 2015. - The Theatro da Paz opened in 1878, paid for by the rubber trade. - Belém hosted COP30, the UN climate conference, in November 2025. ## Belém travel FAQ ### How many days do you need in Belém? Three. One for the Ver-o-Peso, the Cidade Velha and the Theatro da Paz, one for the basilica, the Goeldi park and the Mangal das Garças, and one for a boat to Ilha do Combu. Add two nights if you want to reach Marajó. ### When is the best time to visit Belém? August to November is the drier stretch, with fewer downpours. The Círio in October is the city's great event, but hotels fill and prices rise, so book early. From December to May it rains most afternoons. ### What should you eat in Belém? Pato no tucupi, maniçoba and tacacá are the classics, and açaí here is unsweetened and eaten with fried fish. The Ver-o-Peso, the Mercado de São Brás and the Estação das Docas cover most of them in one walk. ### How do you get to Ilha do Combu? Take a boat from Praça Princesa Isabel in Condor, a short crossing of the Guamá. Fares are low and boats run through the day. Book the Filha do Combu chocolate tour at least a week ahead. ### Can you visit Marajó as a day trip from Belém? It is possible but tiring. Boats to Soure and Salvaterra take two to three hours each way, so most visitors stay at least one night to see the buffalo farms and river beaches. ## Nearby guides - [Paramaribo](https://wimup.com/city/paramaribo.md): Suriname · 10 picks - [Georgetown](https://wimup.com/city/georgetown-guyana.md): Guyana · 10 picks - [Recife](https://wimup.com/city/recife.md): Brazil · 10 picks - [All of South America →](https://wimup.com/south-america): 40 cities Part of the [Brazil guide](https://wimup.com/country/brazil.md) · [South America](https://wimup.com/south-america.md) ## Sources - [Belém tourism board](https://www.visitbrasil.com/en/gastronomico-belem-pa-ingles/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Ver-o-Peso market: Iphan](https://www.gov.br/iphan/pt-br?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Theatro da Paz: Theatro da Paz](https://theatrodapaz.com.br/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Basílica Santuário de Nazaré: Círio de Nazaré](https://www.ciriodenazare.com.br/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Museu Goeldi Parque Zoobotânico: Museu Goeldi](https://www.gov.br/museugoeldi/pt-br?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - Rankings are Wimup editorial picks. Prices, durations and budgets are editorial estimates, not live quotes; check the official site before you go.