Best of Belem
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Port
Icoaraci (Belem), Brazil
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Activity Level
Moderate
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Excursion Type
Local Sightseeing,All
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Wheelchair Accessible
No
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Starting At
$109.95
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Minimum Age
Information Not Currently Available
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Duration
Approximately 5½ Hours
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Meals Included
Meals not included
Depart from the pier to visit the largest open-air market in Brazil -- the Ver-O-Peso Market. Take a guided walk through this huge outdoor market that sprawls four blocks and is the city’s most beloved landmark. It is filled with stalls offering typical food, pottery handicrafts, handmade clothing, and charms made by the practitioners of macumba (Brazil’s version of voodoo). There’s a fresh vegetable and tropical fruit section, and a fish market with freshwater fish brought in every morning.
Forte do Castelo fortress was built by the Portuguese during the 17th century. It stands on the highest point of the city to protect new colony against Dutch and French occupation.
Head to Emilio Goeldi Zoo & Botanical Park -- 12 acres of wooded area and one of the most important research centers in Brazil. The Park is dedicated to studying Amazon fauna and flora and boasts more than 1,500 samples of plant species and more than 1,600 types of fruit trees that grow in the region. Seven hundred types of timber grow here, and it is populated by some animal species from the Amazon.
Before the return drive to the pier, you will stop at the Basilica of Our Lady of Nazareth -- built during the rubber boom era at the beginning of the 20th century. It is a copy of the St Paul’s church in Rome, renowned for its architecture, central nave, stained-glass windows and beautiful altar.
Notes:
Depending on the humidity, biting or stinging insects may be present -- bring insect repellent. Not recommended for guests who are allergic to insect stings. Traffic can be unpredictable. The driver will do his/her best to keep moving safely. Your patience is greatly appreciated. Delays occasionally extend tour duration. Tour does not operate on holidays.