Santarém Travel Guide

  Not a bad place to spend the night
by melosh
 
  • Not a bad place to spend the night
      Not a bad place to spend the night
    by melosh
  •   Santarém
    by mircaskirca
  •   Santarém
    by mircaskirca
  • From the Malecon at dusk
      From the Malecon at dusk
    by melosh
  • Beautiful girl with beautiful Portuguese
      Beautiful girl with beautiful Portuguese
    by melosh
 

Explore Santarém

Things to Do  

The Waterfront

The Waterfront, Santarém

 mircaskirca Says:  Far the most interesting place in Santarem, at any hour of the day or night, is the waterfront.You can watch the boat traffic, check out some of the shops along the way and try one of the delicious local ice creams at Nido (look for the direction on Restaurants Tips) or... 

Alter do Chao - A Little Piece of Heaven

Alter do Chao - A Little Piece of Heaven, Santarém

 mircaskirca Says:  A great place to visit while you're in Santarem is the village of Alter do Chao which lies along the bank of the green-blue river Tapajos. It's home to some of the pretiest fresh-water beaches in the Amazon. One of the most popular is Ilha do Amor (Island of Love), a sandbar... 

Meeting of the Waters

Meeting of the Waters, Santarém

 mircaskirca Says:  The meeting of the green-blue Tapajos river with the ochre-coloured waters of the Amazon, which flow alongside each other for many kilometres without mixing, is worth a boat excursion. It is even more spectacular than at Manaus. In Santarem it is best viewed from Praca... 

Museu de Santarem

Museu de Santarem, Santarém

 melosh Says:  I like small museums, especially when they contain a qualify collection and a very friendly staff. The Museum de Santarem is in a building labelled Central Cultural de Joao Fona. It is open week days with no entrance charge. (Donations are accepted.) The collection included... 

Alter Do Chao

Alter Do Chao, Santarém

 K1W1 Says:  Alto do Chao is just 45 mins by bus from Santarem and is a hidden paradise enjoyed largely by the locals. The fresh water is very inviting in the hot and humid temperature and it comes as a welcome relief after a few days on an Amazon ferry. 

Hotels  

Hotel Alvorada: A View to the River Tapajos

Hotel Alvorada: A View to the River Tapajos, Santarém

 mircaskirca Says:  This little hotel thet I could better describe it as a family-run guesthouse, is centrally located. Some rooms come with fan and others air-conditioned. The airy front rooms have river view and I was lucky to get one of them. All kinds of people were staying there, from... 

Restaurants  

Mascote: A Long-standing Tradition

Mascote: A Long-standing Tradition, Santarém

 mircaskirca Says:  Over 50 years it has been one of the most popular and famous restaurants in town. The palm-lined outside seating next to Praca do Pescador has a good view of the river Tapajos. The menu includes everything from sandwiches, pizzas, chicken, steaks and fish (tucunare and... 

Nido: Delicious Home Made Ice Cream

Nido: Delicious Home Made Ice Cream, Santarém

 mircaskirca Says:  For delicious home made ice cream using regional fruit, go to Nido! Try the castanha, the best brazil nut ice cream you'll ever have! Tapioca, graviola, acai and bacuri are also excellent! 

I am sure it has a name, but I don't know it.: Looking for a Brazilian steak house

I am sure it has a name, but I don't know it.: Looking for a Brazilian steak house, Santarém

 melosh Says:  Imagine my disappointment when I found that the churrscaria listed in Lonely Planet was closed. I was in the mood to pig out on Brazilian beef. I had been thinking about doing this during my boat trip to Santerem as I saw cattle feeding along the river. Even seeing this... 

Nightlife  

Evening Promenade

Evening Promenade, Santarém

 mircaskirca Says:  After dinner you can take a long walk along river Tapajos. It's perfect for people watching. There are many bars on the way where you can stop to have a drink. Every night locals are also coming to a promenade offering coconut water, brazil nuts, home made chocolates... 

Entretantos: Thursday for Pagode

Entretantos: Thursday for Pagode, Santarém

 mircaskirca Says:  Thanks to some local people I got to know some days before I spent a long night dancing in the nightclub in the middle of the Amazon... Without them I would never found this place as it is not really centrally located. But if you are going to ask some young locals about it... 

Mascote: Weekend Serenades

Mascote: Weekend Serenades, Santarém

 mircaskirca Says:  Mascote is one of the city's most popular waterfront places and a restaurant with a long tradition. At weekends (which to my surprise in Brazil begins allready on Thursday!) there is a regular live music and the place becomes a spot for a late night drink. 

Transportation  

Overnight on the boat in port at Santarem

Overnight on the boat in port at Santarem, Santarém

 melosh Says:  I was told that the boat I took from Manaus to Santarem which arrives in Santarem early in the morning would stay in port until the next day. I was invited to leave my things on the boat and return to sleep there rather than going into town for a hotel. I turned down the... 

With Gol to Santarem

With Gol to Santarem, Santarém

 mircaskirca Says:  There are two ways of getting to Santarem, by plane or by boat. The fastest and far more comfortable is by plane. Differents air companies have flights to Santarem and most go through Manaus or Belem. I found the cheapest at Gol although TAM has sometimes good options too,... 

The port at Santarem

The port at Santarem, Santarém

 melosh Says:  The port (Docas da Para) for the main transport boats to Manaus and Belem is a little ways out of town. It is within walking distance, but if you have heavy luggage or want to save your energy you would do better to take the bus or a taxi. The ticket booths for the boats are... 

Shopping  

Loja Muiraquita and Casa de Artesenato: Finding local arts and crafts

Loja Muiraquita and Casa de Artesenato: Finding local arts and crafts, Santarém

 melosh Says:  These are the two artisan craft shops in Santarem. There are also several shops around the plaza in Alter Do Chao. There is little difference in the pricing between these shops and compared to the shops in Manaus and Belem. One of the shops in Altar do Chao claims to be a... 

Warnings Or Dangers  

When the river is high there are no beaches

When the river is high there are no beaches, Santarém

 melosh Says:  Santarem seems famous for its river beaches. In particular, Alter do Chao was described to me as a little piece of heaven. The sandbar between the Rio Tapajos and Lago Verde has been the subject to many postcards and travel pictures but none I suspect like the one attached.... 

The Place

Plan a Santarém vacation with reviews, tips and photos posted by real travelers and Santarém locals

Experience Santarém
  •   17 Tips and Reviews
  •  44 Photos
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Map of Santarém
 

The People

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Our Members Say
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 For delicious home made ice cream using regional fruit, go to Nido! Try the castanha, the best brazil nut ice cream you'll ever have! Tapioca, graviola, acai... 

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Top 3 Santarém Writers

1

Santarem - Pearl of River Tapajos

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 Santarem, the third largest city of the Brazilian strech of the Amazon river, is located in the center, halfway between Manaus and Belem. The city is at the confluence of the aquamarine river Tapajos... 

2

Santarem

K1W1 profile photo

 Santarem is appoximately half way between Belem and Manaus on the Amazon River. The river serves as the main transportation route for Santarem and the trip is popular for locals and backpackers. All... 

3

A river city without glamour

melosh profile photo

 I will admit that when I first arrived in Santarem I was not particularly impressed. There was a very long river front with many transport boats, but not much in the way of architecture. It seemed... 

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