Discover Belém, Brazil: A Different Kind of “Urban Jungle”

Would your family prefer a jungle adventure or culture-filled city break? Belém, the capital of Brazil’s Pára State, offers an immersion into both as the lines between city and wilderness blur. This port city, often referred to as “the gateway to the Amazon,” boasts colonial architecture, fascinating museums and monuments, trendy neighborhoods such as Nazaré and Rua Gaspar Viana, impressive upcycled and transformed buildings, and green spaces and river excursions that put wildlife and exotic foliage within reach.

Everything that makes Belém such a compelling destination is rooted in its real-life The Gilded Age scenario more than 100 years ago. It became a cultural epicenter of Brazil at the time of the rubber boom between the late 19^th century and 1910s. With the arrival of European families and ambitious entrepreneurs, there was a movement to use ornate architecture to transform it into the “Paris of the Americas” in its first heyday. Even as time went on, however, Belém never strayed from its earthy roots. It is also referred to as the “city of mangos,” as fruit trees line many streets and are protected by the local government.

© Elyse Glickman

Atrium Quinta das Pedras, just outside the city center, is minutes from many of Belém’s must-see destinations by car or public transportation. The former 18^th-century monastery/convent is reimagined with a cheerful courtyard, pool area, expansive breakfast buffet with fresh local baked goods, and mini-spa that makes the most of the structure and location. While the hotel embodies Belèm’s character, several attractions bring multifaceted identity alive for people of all ages:

Mangal das Garças

A few minutes’ walk from the hotel, this site is a small, self-contained Amazonian paradise with gorgeously landscaped grounds filled with exotic birds, iguanas (who love sunbathing by the lake), butterflies and other rainforest creatures. While admission to the park is free, an entrance fee of 15 reals ($3.68), includes access to its butterfly house, aviaries, and the lighthouse with many panoramic views of the city and waterfronts.

Mercado Ver-o-Peso

The largest food market in Latin America blankets the banks of the Guamá River. Established in 1625, it encompasses several buildings from different historic eras dedicated to fish, meat, produce, medicinal herb, nuts, baked goods and crafts. Strolling the aisles offers insight into the regional diet, which includes fish (pirarucu, dourada, tambaqui and tucunaré) and produce (bacupari, tucumã, jambu and açai). Box da Lúcia and Barraca do Loro are among the most popular food kiosks for fried fish and açai.

© Elyse Glickman

Theatro da Paz

Built in the 1870s for Pedro II of Brazil, this theater is outfitted with the finest marble floors, hardwood accents, ceiling frescoes, chandeliers and “Emperor’s Box.” While the neoclassic-style theater still hosts performances (mainly operas and concerts), guided tours are offered on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and from 9 a.m. to noon on weekends for about $1.60. Admission is free on Wednesdays.

Boat Ride

A chartered boat ride down Guamá River to Ilha do Cumbu can be booked via concierge desks and tour agencies. Most operators pick up and drop off passengers at Princesa Isabella docks, almost hidden in plain sight in an industrial area that is safe during daytime hours. Riverfront restaurants such as Restô da Márcia feature menus that are simple yet substantial, with fried or grilled fish (picanha, dourada and filhote) and shrimp, along with grilled chicken, steak and fries. The island is also home to the fabled Filha do Combú, a gourmet chocolatier that exclusively uses cacao from the facility’s backyard.

© Elyse Glickman

Point do Açai

The family-friendly flagship location of Point do Açai is a cornerstone of the Velha neighborhood’s “restaurant row.” Standout dishes include Chora Nos Meus Pés, a delicate fish filet in a creamy tucupi-cashew sauce teamed with jambu rice; maniçoba (beef stew with pork sausage and casava leaves); and a sampler with small bowls of moqueca (a traditional seafood stew), tacaca (a shrimp, casava and tucupi-based soup), vatapá (an Afro-Brazilian dish with wheat, shrimp and regional seasonings), and fried fish accompanied with savory açai.