Belém, 150km from the Amazon river delta in the Guajará bay and capital of Pará state was a very important city in the late 19th century, being it the leading exporters of rubber. This city lost its importance when the rubber boom dwindled but it has retained till today the many beautiful buildings of yesteryear. Belém streets are lined with mango trees and one of the points that distinguishes Belém from other cities is its afternoon rain, a daily ritual that has set a city custom - appointments for either before or after the rain.

Belém highlights: Cathedral - build in 1617 with painting by Italian painter Domenico de Angelis; Ver-o-Peso (see-the-weight) two markets, lodged under and English iron structure build by the Guajará bay at the old town, housing all types of commerce from wholesalers to vegetables; Teatro da Paz - theater, a neo-classical monument build in 1868 with seating capacity for 1,100; Basilica de Nazaré - a replica of Saint Paul's Basilica in Rome - the patron saint of Pará, the Virgin of Nazareth; Emilio Goeldi Museum - houses and extensive and complete collection of Amazonian Anthropology, a library specialized in natural history and a botanical garden with 1,200 Amazonian species.

Climate:
The regional climate is equatorially hot and humid. The average annual temperature is 78.80°F (26° C) – with a maximum average temperature of 91.40°F (33°C) and minimum of 71.60°F (22°C).

How to get there
By Air: Belém International Airport receives daily flights from the major Brazilian capitals.
By Road: main access to Belém is through the BR-153 motorway, better known as the Belém-Brasília motorway.