Belém: Attractions and more...
A must-see is the Forte do Castelo, a seventeenth-century fort that is the first construction of the city. Another architectural beauty is the Basílica de Nossa Senhora de Nazaré, a church made with gold, marble and stained glass. The church of São João Batista is an eighteenth-century masterpiece built in the Neo-classical style.
Belém’s colonial architecture is reflected in the Palácio Lauro Sodré (or Governor’s palace), seat of the State Government.
The Emilio Goeldi Museum offers an insight into the natural history of the Amazon rainforests with over 2,000 plant species and 600 animals native to Amazonia.
For a taste of the local culture, go to the Ver-o-Peso market offering indigenous goods on sale. The Estação das Docas, the Belém docks act as a popular leisure centre. To time your visit for a special event, go to Belém in October for the Círio de Nazaré, festival of the Virgin of Nazareth, Brazil’s largest religious festival.
