Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Mercado Cultural
Rua José de Alencar s/n, Praça Getúlio Vargas • Mon-Sat 8am-1am • Free
By day the
Mercado Cultural
is a cultural centre featuring no more than a handful of
paintings and a couple of stalls, but in the evenings it turns into a popular meeting
point, with tables splling onto the street. There's an eclectic range of live music from
Monday to Saturday - rock,
forro
,
seresta
, samba and MPB, and it's free for all to
watch. Grab a beer and enjoy.
5
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
PORTO VELHO
BY PLANE
Porto Velho's airport (
T
69 3219 7453) is 7km north of
town. Local buses run to Av Sete de Setembro (hourly;
30min; R$2.60); a taxi is R$35 (20min). Azul, Gol and TAM
fly to Manaus (4 daily; 1hr 30min), Rio Branco (2 daily;
50min), Cuiabá (3 daily; 1hr 55min) and Brasília (2 daily;
2hr 55min).
BY BUS
The rodoviária (
T
69 3222 2233) is 2km east of the centre.
Regular buses connect the station to Av Sete de Setembro
in the city centre (every 15min; 20min; R$2.60).
Destinations
Cuiabá (6 daily; 24hr; R$171); Guajará-
Mirim (7 daily; 4hr 30min; R$56); Rio Branco (5 daily; 8hr;
R$70); São Paulo (2 daily; 60hr; R$360).
BY BOAT
Boats leave from the port to the south of town, including
services to Manaus (Wed & Sat at noon; 4 days; hammock
R$250, double cabin R$700).
BY TAXI/CAR
Taxi
Cooptaxi
T
69 3225 1414.
Car rental
Localiza, Av Gov. Jorge Teixeira 151 (
T
69 3224
6530,
W
localiza.com) and at the airport (
T
69 3225 7307);
Hertz, Av Gov. Jorge Teixeira 786 (
T
69 3211 0575,
W
hertz
.com).
INFORMATION
Tourist information
The SETUR o
ce is in the Casa do
Turista,
There's also a CAT municipal tourist o
ce along the Estrada
de Ferro Madeira-Mamoré s/n (daily 8am-noon & 2-6pm;
T
69 3901 3196) and at the airport (Mon-Fri 8am-5pm).
Av
Sete
de
Setembro
237
(Mon-Fri
7.30am-1.30pm;
T
69 3216 1044,
W
setur.ro.gov.br).
ACCOMMODATION
Golden Plaza
Av Governador Jorge Teixera 810
T
69 3225 9000,
W
hotelgoldenplaza.com.br.
Conveniently located for the bus station, this welcoming
hotel has clean and bright rooms with modern amenities.
The airy suites feature white and grey tones and a spacious
bathroom. There's wi-fi thro
ughout,
and a small pool and
gym on the mezzanine level.
R$273
★
a/c rooms set on two floors. All are decked out in chestnut
shades and feature modern bathrooms, fridge and TV. The
larger master suit
e has a
large jacuzzi tub, two showers and
a wide-screen TV.
R$209
Hotel Vila Rica
Av Carlos Gomes 1616
T
69 3224 3433,
W
hotelvilarica.com.br.
What was for a long time the
city's best hotel is showing sure signs of ageing, with creaky
lifts and outdated furniture. The rooms are spacious
nonetheless, and there's an inviting pool and a good
restaur
ant (alt
hough breakfast is nothing to write home
about).
R$384
Oscar Hotel
Av Sete de Setembro 934
T
69 2182 0600,
W
oscarhotelexecutive.com.br.
An excellent option right
in the city centre, this modern glass building features clean
and comfortable rooms; cheaper rooms look onto the
interior patio and as a result are a little dark, although the
additional amenities, including a 24hr gym,
rooftop
infinity pool and convention centre, make up for it.
R$276
Holiday Inn Express
Av Lauro Sodré 2441
T
69 3301 3390,
W
hiexpress.com.
This new addition is
also Porto Velho's best, with tastefully decorated rooms set
on eleven floors, all with modern amenities, work desk and
tea- and coffee-making facilities. Superior rooms each have
a sofa bed (children up to the age of 12 stay for free), and
the hotel also
offers
three conference rooms and a 24hr
fitness centre.
R$289
Hotel Porto Madeira
Av Alexandre Guimarães 3310
T
69 3219 2002,
W
hotelportomadeira.com.br.
This
chocolate-coloured low-rise block features spick-and-span
EATING
Boutique Gelada
Av Rio Madeira 3115
T
69 3222
5234,
W
boutiquegelada.com.br.
Run by a friendly lady
from Minas Gerais, this
por quilo
(R$43/kg) place offers a
selection of meats, fish and veggies in ceramic pots. Seating
is in an indoor area with mock windows reminiscent of a
colonial Minas Gerais house; try the Romeu e Julieta, a
traditional Minas dessert combining cheese and
goiabada
(guava paste).
Daily 11.30am-2.30pm.