Santarém (Brazil)

By boat

Santarém is about 36 hours by river boat from Manaus and 60 to 70 hours from Belem, making it an ideal place for a few days' stopover on a trip along the Amazon. Boats leave Manaus every day besides Sunday. There are usually 3 boats leaving from Manaus, however on Wednesdays only one boat leaves and costs R$10 more than usual for first class. Usual cost is about R$110-120 for first class (top deck with a hammock.)

By plane

• Santarém-Maestro Wilson Fonseca AirportThere's a domestic airport, but few foreign travelers use it to get in. It's handy if the Amazon gets to you and you need a quick ride out, though. Connections exist, among others, to Fortaleza, Manaus, Recife and Rio de Janeiro. The following airlines have flight to and from Santarém: Gol, LATAM, Trip e Azul.

• The meeting of the Tapajós River with the Amazon River

• Mercado Modelo

  address: Travessa Senador Lemos, 2-76 - Centro, Santarém - PA, 68005-350
  The city market.

• Museu Centro Cultural João Fona

  phone: +55 93 3523-0658
  address: Praça Avenida Adriano Pimentel,s/n ,Prainha, R. Adriano Pímentel, S/N - Prainha, Santarém - PA, 68005-270
  Good for a half-hour's worth of learning about the city, and attended by a helpful staff. Between the millennia-old pottery shards and the portraits of every single mayor of Santarém, there should be something to hold your attention.

• Museu do ÍndioIndian Museum

• Museu de Arte Sacra

  phone: +55 93 3523-0658
  address: R. Siqueira Campos, 439 - Centro, Santarém - PA, 68005-030

• Museu Dica Frazão

  phone: +55 93 3522-1026
  address: R. Floriano Peixoto, 281 - Centro, Santarém - PA, 68005-280, Brazil

• Theatro Victória

  phone: +55 93 3523-1088
  address: Travessa Senador Lemos, 60 - Centro, Santarém - PA, 68005-000

You can enjoy good moments in the various bars of the city with live music, pizzerias, cinemas and nightclubs. Besides a pleasant walk along the waterfront in front of the meeting of the waters of the Amazonas and Tapajós rivers.

• Festa de Nossa Senhora da Conceição

  phone: +55 93 3522-1175
  address: Centro, Santarém - State of Pará, 68005-000
  The feast of Our Lady of the Conception begins on Saturday, the Vespers of Círio (in November), when the image of the Virgin of the Mother Church is transferred to the Church of St Sebastian, where the pilgrimage leaves on Sunday morning.

• Festa Folclórica do Sairé

  address: Sairódromo, or Praça do Sairé, Alter do Chão
  In the Alter do Chão area about one hour south of Santarém. Held between June and September.

• Alter do ChãoThe nearby river beach of Alter do Chão is the city's biggest attraction.

• UFOPA - Amazon Unit

  phone: +55 93 2101-6759
  address: Av. Mendonça Furtado - Fátima, Santarém - PA, 68040-050
  Lectures (in Portuguese).

• Mercado Modelo

  address: Travessa Senador Lemos, 2-76 - Centro, Santarém - PA, 68005-350
  The city market.

• Mercadão 2000

• Feira do Cohab

• Ruas comerciais do Centro

• Av. São Sebastião

• Shopping Paraiso

  address: Av. Mendonça Furtado, 3551 - Aldeia, Santarém - PA, 68040-050

You can to taste the rich regional cuisine that includes the famous tacacá, duck in tucupi, pirarucu in escabeche sauce, the delicious farofa de piracuí with banana, calderada de tucunaré, manissoba, macaxeira cake and diverse fish dishes, in addition to the tasty creme de cupuaçu, bombom de cupuaçu, Brazil nut biscuit and tapioca.

• Mascote

  phone: +55 93 3523-2844
  address: Pça. do Pescador, 10
  A popular restaurant located on the waterfront.

• Peixaria Piracatu

  phone: +55 93 3522-7580
  address: Av. Mendonça Furtado, 174
  Excellently prepared river fish such as Surubim, Tambaqui, Tucunaré, Pirarucu.

You have the opportunity to sample the tasty and nutritious açaí, bacaba and assorted tropical fruit juices such as cupuaçu and graviola.

• A few bar-come-restaurants along the Beira Rio, particularly downstream from the center.
• For a happening Wednesday, pay R$10 for a cab to Vila Arigó where there is live open air pagode with dozens of plastic tables and chairs around.

• Aquário Hotel

  phone: +55 93 3523-4884
  address: Rua Floriano Peixoto, 799,68010-060

• Hotel Sandis

  phone: +55 93 2101-2700, +55 93 2101-2738
  address: R. Floriano Peixoto, 609 - Centro, 68005-060
  A 4-minute walk from the Rio Tapajós, this no-frills hotel with a tile facade is 900 m from the Museu Centro Cultural João Fona and 3.1 km from the Porto de Santarém. Email: hotel.sandis@hotmail.com; reservas@hotelsandis.com.br .

• Barrudada Tropical Hotel

  phone: +55 93 99146-4996, +55 93 98100-2575, +55 93 99148-7810 (events)
  address: Av. Barão do Rio Branco, 344 - Centro; 68005-310
  Includes breakfast and wifi.

• Hotel Granrios

  phone: +55(93) 3522 6628
  address: Av. Tapajós, 375 - Centro
  Old hotel on the edge of Tapajós. Air conditioning, minibar, breakfast. No hot shower.

• Hotel Encontro das Águas

  phone: +55(93) 3522 1287
  address: Rua 24 de Outubro, 808 - Centro
  Free Wifi, air conditioning, fridge, breakfast. No hot shower.

Budget

• Hotel Gram Rio

  phone: +55 93 3523-0109, +55 93 99142-9036 (mobile)
  address: Rua Floriano Peixoto, 903 – Centro. 68005-060

• Hotel Equatorial

  phone: +55 93 3522-1135
  address: Travessa Silvino Pinto, 14; Centro; 68005-330

Mid-range

• Santarém Palace Hotel

  phone: +55 93 3523-2521
  address: Av Rui Barbosa 726

There is free wifi available at Praça da Matriz.

Santarém has two ports: Docas do Pará serves farther destination like Manaus and Belém, while a smaller port near Praça Tiradentes serves destinations on the Tapajós river and other local destinations like Monte Alegre and Macapá. You should be aware that boats advertised as departing for Macapá actually dock in Santana and from there you will need to take a bus or taxi.

• Itaituba is located to the south about 15 hours by boat along the Tapajós River, or 8 hours by bus. From here you can explore the Amazônia National Park.
• Alenquer is a small town on the north bank of the river. From there, it's about two hours by taxi to Vale do Paraíso, an eco-resort built around the Véu da Noiva waterfalls.
• Fordlândia is a small historic town on the east bank of the Tapajós River. It can be arrived at by boat.