Itinerary in Belém : what to do in 3 days in the city

My complete itinerary in Pará took 10 days, as I was in Belém during the Círio de Nazaré festivities, and then I went to Marajó Island, but in this post I will make an accurate itinerary for those who will visit the city at any time of the year.

The capital of Pará is one of the most interesting cities I've ever visited in Brazil and I have no idea why Brazilians still don't know this place! The port city is the gateway to the Lower Amazon region, which still preserves the colonial houses with Portuguese tiles and has one of the richest municipal markets I have ever seen in my life, the See-the-Weight it is a mix of fish, chestnuts, tucupi, açaí and a lot of culture.

Itinerary in Belém : 3 days to get to know the best of the city

DAY 1: Ver-o-Peso Market

• Start the day early in the açaí fair which happens at dawn (literally), there is nothing more typical in Belém than this fair of producers arriving with a very fresh load to be sold during the day!
• As the day dawns, colors, smells and the movement of people take over the Fish market, great opportunity to also see everything arriving super fresh at the place.
• All this happens in See-o-Peso Market, enjoy the early morning and get to know the whole market which is sensational!! Ver-o-Peso is the largest open-air market in Latin America and is a mixture of aromas, colors and flavors that I think exists in few places in the world !!! Be sure to try different foods and meet people who look like they came out of a storybook about Brazil! And don't leave without taking the Açai, it's different from everyone you've ever tasted in your life!!
• Then go to Feliz Lusitania Complex, which concentrates centenary buildings from the colonization period, such as the – Presépio Fort, I thought the view was beautiful and you can still see the Ver-o-Peso Market from there; Palace of the Eleven Windows, one of the city's tourist attractions and which today is a museum; O Museum of Sacred Art, which is located in the former Episcopal Palace, D. Frei Caetano Square and in front of the square, the Bethlehem Metropolitan Cathedral, also known as Sé Cathedral and where the image of Nossa Senhora de Nazaré is located.
• have lunch at Acai Point – restaurant famous for its Açaí Fish dish.
• In the late afternoon meet the Peace Theater, beautiful and well preserved, it was inspired by the Scalla Theatre, in Milan, and there is a guided tour every day, it's really worth knowing!.
• Go out to dinner at Ruy Barbosa Sushi – the combination of oriental and Amazonian cuisine was simply sensational!! If you like Japanese cuisine, be sure to try it.

DAY 2 – Our Lady of Nazareth Basilica

• start the day at Basilica of Our Lady of Nazareth, a sanctuary that was built exactly where the image of Our Lady of Nazareth was found. It is the main point of the procession of the Círio de Nazaré.
• Enjoy and get to know the Círio Memorial (if you have time to spare on the first day, you can fit it in next to the Cathedral, it was close) – the Círio Museum has a rich collection of this history of popular devotion, which is one of the largest in the world!! It is worth checking out the robes that are used in the image of NSde Nazaré and changed every year during the festivities.
• go to the Mangrove of the Cranes – a very well preserved nature reserve and in the heart of Belém – arriving at lunchtime for the herons (they live free) is a very nice experience, especially if you have children!
• have lunch at Manjar das Garças – restaurant located inside the Ecological Park.
• From there go to Docks station – it is the old Port of Belém that was revitalized and today is a tourist and cultural center, not to mention that it has become the best gastronomic center in the city. Stroll along the shore of Guajará Bay and in the late afternoon do a boat ride to watch the sunset in the middle of the river.
• On the way back, have dinner at Amazon Beer, restaurant and bar with craft beer located at Estação das Docas. For dessert, be sure to try the famous ice cream from Sorveteria Cairu, which has already been voted the best in Brazil.

DAY 3 – Combu Island

• For me, it is one of the must-see tours for anyone visiting Belém, the Combu Island it is only 15 minutes away by boat and on the way you will have the opportunity to see how the riverside people live.
• I suggest taking this tour with a guide, as I think having someone local telling the story makes the tour much richer and more interesting. I took this tour with the guide Igor Carvalho (cell. 91 98149 5472). He set up a full day tour with everything we would like to see on the island.
• The first stop was at Boa Vista do Acará Island to get to know the riverside community and meet Seu Ladir, a fantastic little man who lives in the middle of the Amazon rainforest. We had the experience of walking through the forest, learning more about medicinal plants and herbs, and seeing a Samaúma up close, the giant tree that is a symbol of the Amazon. We still eat Brazil nuts very fresh and raw and we taste the best flour in the region.
• The second stop was at Chocolate House which has artisanal and organic production – Dona Baby, is the one who makes the delights with organic cocoa and is a mandatory stop on your tour.
• Finally, we spent the rest of the day at Marcia's Restaurant – Ilha do Combu has many restaurants by the river, with fresh fish and delicious food. The best known there is Saldosa Maloca, which everyone talks about SUPER well but is a more touristy restaurant, as we were with a guide, we asked for such a good restaurant, but with fewer tourists and he recommended Márcia's !! Clear indication!!! The place is super nice, rustic, it has a “pool” inside the river – since diving is strictly dangerous because of the current – and the food is soooo good!!
• If on the way back to Belém you still want to go out at night for dinner, I suggest the Sicily family with great Italian food with a regional touch.

If you have more time during your visit to Pará, be sure to include incredible places such as Ilha de Marajó, Alter do Chão and Algodoal in your itinerary.