Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
5
Machado's Plaza Hotel
Rua Henrique Gurjão 200
T
91 4008 9800,
W
machadosplazahotel.com.br.
This
functional hotel just off Praça da República is mainly aimed
at business travellers. The stairways are brightened up with
local Paraense crafts and the a/c rooms are welcoming,
with wooden furniture, fridge, TV and wi-fi.
fi. The
re's a
teensy rooftop pool - more of a jacuzzi really.
R$270
★
lanterns. The nine a/c rooms feature wonderfully high
ceilings and antique furniture; two of the large “comfort”
rooms have great views right on the
square
. There's wi-fi
throughout and an attached pizzeria.
R$120
★
Radisson Hotel
Av Comandante Brás de Aguiar 321
T
91 3205 1399,
W
atlanticahotels.com.br.
Belém's
newest addition is by far the city's best - the a/c rooms
here are spacious and comfortable with modern amenities,
and all feature a partitioned work space with desk. There's
an inviting rooftop pool wit
h view
s over the city, along
with a gym and large sauna.
R$330
Portas da Amazônia
Rua Doutor Malcher 15
T
91
3222 9952,
W
portasdaamazoniabelempara.com.br.
This welcoming
pousada
in an enviable location right on
Praça da Sé offers comfortable accommodation set around
a lovely shaded patio dotted with potted plants and
EATING
Belém is a great place to eat out and get acquainted with the distinctive dishes of the Amazon region (see box opposite).
Estação das Docas
and the
Docas
area around Avenida Visconde Souza Franco are good places to start, and they are two
of the city's main focuses for nightlife as well.
Street food
is also good, even for those not on a budget: fantastic roast leg
of pork sandwiches (
pernil
) can be had from the stall on the corner by the Cine Olimpia, on Praça da República, and for the
more adventurous palate,
tacacá
and
açaí
are safe and delicious from the stalls of Dona Miloca, in front of the Goeldi
museum, and Maria do Carmo, in front of the Colégio Nazaré on Avenida Nazaré, just before the Basílica. Other cheap
eating options are off
Presidente Vargas
but cater mainly for the lunchtime off
ce crowd.
there's an eat-all-you-can buffet (daily excluding Sat;
R$18) - there's not as much on offer but it's a bargain for
those who arrive with an empty belly.
Daily 11am-3pm.
Lá em Casa Estaçao das Docas
Av Castilhos França
T
91 3212 5588,
W
laemcasa.com.
One of the most popular
restaurants in town, offering a lunchtime buffet (S$47)
between noon and 3pm featuring all manner of regional
dishes. In the evenings it's à la carte; try the “
menu
Paraense
”
(R$55/person or R$85/two) - a perfect introduction to Pará's
cuisine - or the
corridinho de peixe
(R$58), featuring the
very best fish from the Amazon.
Mon-Wed & Sun
noon-midnight, Thurs-Sat noon-1.30am.
★
RESTAURANTS
★
Boteco das Onze
Casa das Onze Janelas, Praça da Sé
T
91 3224 8599,
W
botecodasonze.com.br.
Located in
the eighteenth-century manor house Casa das Janelas, this
is one of Belém's best restaurants. The interior features
beautiful bare stone walls and high wooden ceilings and
the cuisine includes regional as well as international
dishes, with great seafood (R$56), meats (R$48) and pastas
(R$49). The esplanade is the perfect spot for a sundowner
and there's daily live music at 9pm (cover charge Mon-Wed
& Sun R$6, Thurs-Sat R$10).
Tues & Wed noon-3pm &
7pm-midnight, Thurs-Sat noon-3pm & 7pm-4am,
Sun noon-3.30pm & 5pm-midnight.
Capone
Estação das Docas, Av Castilhos França
T
91 3212 5566.
The lunchtime buffet (R$47) at this
popular restaurant in the Estação das Docas features local
specialities as well as a selection of pastas; you can choose
your own pasta sauce, sizzled in front of your very eyes. The
evening à la carte menu includes risotto (R$48), pizza
(R$37) and pasta (R$32).
Mon-Wed & Sun noon-
midnight, Thurs-Sat noon-1.30am.
Famiglia Sicilia
Av Conselheiro Furtado 1420
T
91
4008 0001,
W
domgiuseppe.com.br.
This popular Italian
restaurant features a mezzanine floor that looks over the
main dining area, decorated with world clocks and a rather
unusual choice of flowery and stripey chairs. The menu
includes tasty home-made pastas (RS$45), risottos
(RS$52) and meats (R$56).
Mon-Thurs 6.30-11.30pm,
Fri & Sat 6.30pm-midnight, Sun noon-3.30pm.
Higashi
Rua Ó de Almeida 509
T
91 3230 5552.
This
informal restaurant offers a good
por quilo
buffet at R$48
that includes salmon, shrimp and crab; on the first floor
Manjar das Garças
Mangal das Garças park, Praça
Carneiro da Rocha
T
91 3242 1056,
W
manjardasgarcas
.com.br.
This large a/c restaurant with a rustic thatched roof
serves excellent regional cuisine and is especially popular
over the weekends when families head here for lunch and
an afternoon stroll in the park. There's a popular all-you-
can-eat lunchtime buffet (R$55) and mellow live music
daily.
Tues-Thurs 11.30am-4pm & 8pm-midnight, Fri &
Sat 11.30am-4pm & 8pm-2am, Sun 11.30am-6pm.
Point do Açaí
Boulevard Castilho França 744
T
91 3212
2168,
W
pointdoacai.net.
Top up your vitamin count here
with
açaí
, the crushed berries of the
açaí
palm tree that are
the Amazon's “superfood”, rich in all manner of vitamins and
antioxidants. Mains are served with a jug of
açaí
- try the
chapa mista paraense
(serves two; R$82), a platter of local
fish, meats and vegetables. The
açaí
experience doesn't finish
with your meal - you will be presented with a toothbrush
with your bill to brush away the berry's deep shade of purple
that stains your lips and teeth.
Mon 6-10.30pm, Tues-Sun
10.30am-3.30pm & 6-10.30pm.
