If you’re planning to visit Brazil’s Amazon Rainforest you’ll most likely travel through the city of Manaus. As you’re about to learn there’s more to do in this city than just arrange your Amazon trip. Plan to spend an extra day or two on either side of your Amazon adventure to explore this interesting city.
Manaus is located on the banks of Rio Negro, near its confluence with the Rio Amazonas. During the late 1800s rubber became an important commodity worldwide. At that time rubber was produced from the latex of rubber trees which are endemic to the Amazon Rainforests. Manaus’ location between the jungle and the river made it a natural transportation hub for this growing industry. As a result, Manaus experienced an economic boom that made it one of the richest cities in the world and lot of foreign merchants became very wealthy. Coming mostly from England and France, rubber barons built extravagant mansions, churches, shops and warehouses in the middle of this jungle town. Materials were imported from Italy, France and England to decorate and furnish them in typical styles of the European elite.
Transporting goods from the Amazon to Europe took a long time and proved to be too costly. Rubber barons searched for alternatives. The solution was to steal seedlings from Brazil and plant rubber tree farms in Malaysia. This quickly put an end to the economic boom in Manaus. After the downturn in the rubber market many of the extravagant buildings were left to decay. Recently though, some have been restored and can be enjoyed by visitors to the city.
Teatro Amazonas (Amazon Theatre)
None is more elaborate or embellished than the Amazon Theatre. After years of neglect, the theatre was recently restored and is open to the public for tours and shows. Its pink stone walls and colorfully tiled dome roof made us curious to see inside.
As we stepped into the auditorium we were overwhelmed by its grandeur. The large theatre is very majestic. Four levels of personal balconies with plush seating wrap around the room. The best seats in the centre are reserved for the Governor of the state of Amazonas. High above, murals on the domed ceiling depict themes from tragedy, opera, dance and music. The painter was Brazilian but studied in Paris. You can see this Parisian influence in his use of the underside of the Eiffel Tower to separate the four paintings.
The main ballroom is also very grand with stately Italian marble columns, French chandeliers, a muraled ceiling and patterned hardwood flooring. It’s easy to imagine the elites of Manaus celebrating their wealth in this opulent room in the middle of the jungle. It is the only room in the theatre in its original state.
Largo de São Sebastião (St. Sebastian Square)
The theatre is located on Largo de São Sebastião (St. Sebastian Square). Although the theatre should take all of your attention, we found it difficult to take our eyes off the patterned walkway. Using tiles imported from Portugal, the black and white wavy design is meant to represent the Meeting of the Waters; the confluence of Amazon and Negro Rivers. We would see these black and white tiles in different patterns on many sidewalks throughout Brazil.
A 19th century statue in the centre of the square symbolizes the four corners of the world and was used to commemorate the opening of the important shipping ports in Manaus. Around edges of the square are brightly painted historical buildings that are now occupied by tourist restaurants.
Igreja de São Sebastião (St. Sebastian Chuch)
Also on the square is Igreja de São Sebastião. Looking rather plain from the outside we were very surprised to see the elaborate interior of this church. It was difficult for our eyes to choose between admiring the colourfully painted vaulted ceilings or the marble altar surrounded by stained-glass windows. We didn’t imagine such an elaborate church in the middle of the jungle.
During the day, the heat keeps most people away. In the cooler evening however, restaurants around the plaza’s edge spill out onto the patterned tiles. Both locals and tourists come to eat while enjoying the view of the beautifully illuminated buildings.
Mercado Adolpho Lisboa (Municipal Market)
Adolpho Lisboa Municipal Market is a lovely building with one half composed of painted stone and the other half made of metal. The metallic structure was built in Paris in 1908 and shipped to Manaus. That seems rather extravagant for a market, but was the norm of the wealthy merchants of the time.
The market is a busy place with many stalls selling everything from fish to hammocks. It is located on the Negro River and there’s a small port at the back where boats can easily deliver their goods straight to the vendors. The market isn’t the only place to shop in the area. The surrounding streets are also bustling with stores.
We knew we wanted to buy Brazil nuts while in Brazil. We found them for sale in the market at an incredibly cheap price; 1 kg of Brazil nuts (castanha-do-Pará as they’re called in Brazil) were only R$ 35 (Less than $7 USD). So of course we bought a kilo!
Historical Centre
On our walk to the market we went through the historical area and found a few more nice old heritage buildings and monuments in good condition.
Unfortunately, there were also many dilapidated old buildings. Poverty in Manaus is quite evident. Walking through the streets of the Old Town we could see signs of what this area must have looked like before the economic downturn. What must have been gorgeous buildings are now crumbling ruins. It was quite a depressing site.
Port of Manaus
The Port of Manaus is buzzing with activity. Many types of boats are docked on the wharf including small fishing boats, ferries and tour boats. Further down the shore large ocean-going ships are docked at the industrial port. It’s as busy as any port on the ocean and this one is on a river.
The large shipping vessels don’t need to worry about going under any bridges on their way to and from the ocean. The only bridge in the Amazon River Basin is the Negro River Bridge located upriver from the port. Surprisingly no other bridges cross the Amazon River or any of its tributaries.
On the edge of the dock a sign marks the high-water levels each year. The last two years were among the highest water levels yet and are near the top of the board. Let’s hope the water doesn’t get much higher, or they’ll need a new board.
Safety in Manaus
Before we left for Manaus we were warned by several people that the city is very dangerous. When we walked in the downtown area we saw quite a few homeless, most likely drug addicts. Some were sleeping in shady spots in parks or on busy sidewalks. Most didn’t bother us, but we could feel their eyes watching our every movement. It is easy to see that this is an area where petty crimes can occur. During the day we don’t think it is unsafe, but it is not recommended to walk anywhere at night. Our hotel told us that even the popular Largo de São Sebastião is not safe late at night.
We are usually careful when we travel but in some parts of Brazil, including Manaus, we were extra diligent. We never travel with valuables such as jewelry and try to dress so we fit in as much as we can. Mobile phones are very popular to pick-pocketers and ours were always kept in zippered pockets or bags. We don’t carry large amounts of cash and only show small bills when shopping. Our most valuable item is the camera which is kept well hidden in a weathered camera bag and only brought out for short times when being used.
How to get to Manaus
Even though it’s the best place to use as a base for Amazon Rainforest tours, it’s not easy to get to Manaus. There is an international airport which is how most people, including us, arrive. Taking a long haul bus is possible but only from a few Brazilian cities. We looked into taking a bus from Cuiabá, but it would have taken 2 full days. The last option is to take a slow moving ferry up or down Amazon River. It’s a slow but cheap way to transport people and goods along the river. We’ll describe our ferry ride on the Amazon in the coming weeks.
Coming Next – The Exotic Amazon Rainforest
For pictures from other blogs go to Gallery at monkeystale.ca
To read about more of our adventures go to Destinations.
If you like what you read, please comment or share (with credit) using the links below
Monkey's Tale 
Looks a fine city!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s good to see the theatre restored. When we were there in 2001 the exterior looked great but we weren’t able to see inside. I remember that wonderful paving in the square too but we only had a morning and didn’t see much else, so I enjoyed your more detailed picture of the city. The market sounds great (I love visiting markets when we travel) and the architecture is very photogenic, even the dilapidated buildings.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is a much more interesting city than I expected, especially if you like old architecture. The inside of the theater is so opulent, they did a very good job restoring it. Thanks for sharing yournthoughts Sarah, Maggie
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a beautiful town!
The photos are gorgeous
I wish you everything lovely this festive season, dear Maggie!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Luisa, hope have a wonderful 2023!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I wish you happiness in the year to come.💞
LikeLiked by 1 person
I just read a book by Ann Pachett set in this town. I had never heard of it before until I read the book. Sounds like quite the adventure! I am excited to read about your visit to the Amazon. Book was called A State of Wonder.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh I’ll have to look for the book. The city is a great setting for all sorts of adventure! Thanks for taking the time to read and comment 😊 Maggie
LikeLike
Thanks for the book suggestion!
LikeLike
Beautiful architecture of a grander time. Glad they restored the theatre and some of the other buildings. I think my son may have been here before his Amazon tour. Thanks for sharing Maggie. Happy Tuesday. Allan
LikeLiked by 1 person
He probably was. Most people spend a night but don’t really tour the city. Thanks for reading Allan, Maggie
LikeLiked by 1 person
The structures are amazing, especially the theater. The use of rich colors adds to the grandeur. I am amused by the surface paving that has a wave-like repetitive design. I can imagine some people getting vertigo or hypnotized while walking on it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The designs on the tiles were so well done with the 3D effect. I got a little dizzy walking on it. We saw similar designs in other parts of Brazil but none had the same effect.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Such an interesting place with so many historical buildings etc. Of course it is sad that Europeans took what they wanted, as they always did, then left. I am looking forward to the rain forest.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is a really interesting city in the middle of the jungle. I guess the only good point is that now some locals are benefitting with tourism from what the wealthy Europeans left behind. Maggie
LikeLiked by 1 person
I agree. The city wouldn’t be what it is today without the European input.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re traveling very fast! How did you get there so soon after the other blog posts?
LikeLiked by 1 person
We’re home now, we spent 75 days in Brazil but have been home for 2 weeks. So it’s easy to travel between sites 😊 Happy New Year Bill!
LikeLiked by 1 person
And Happy New Year to you! I thought you would stay in Brazil for Carnival, but then you probably want to ski in Canada.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ya we were gone for 5 months so we were getting tired and wanted to be home. Also it was getting so hot! Now we’re home and it’s so cold!
LikeLiked by 1 person
5 months is a long time to be traveling. I’ve found 3 months is the maximum I can do before I am overloaded with impressions and can’t take anything else in. But then I haven’t traveled for that long for a long time. Lucky you! Cold in Canada in the winter? How surprising! Ha, ha
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow! So interesting! I had seen some bits off this city through a YouTuber’s video. That theatre is absolutely beautiful. What a sight!
It’s unfortunate that the city isn’t safer for tourists. Did you feel that way (and get told that isn’t safe) across Brazil or only in some pockets?
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is an incredibly beautiful building with so many elaborate decorations. There are many pockets in Brazil that are not very safe. They’re mostly in larger cities and often you can avoid those areas, but it’s also often where the historical centres are so you want to visit. The small towns and beach towns were safe and we could relax a bit. The main concern though is pettycrime like pickpocketing and some people say muggings but we didn’t see signs of that. Anything worse than that is not as common because they just want your money.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Werner Herzog once made an amazing movie called Fitzcarraldo. I wonder if parts of it were filmed here or near here.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I hadn’t heard of this film but now I’m going to look for it. I just looked it up and parts were filmed in Manaus.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s too bad that many of the fancy buildings were left to decay, but at least some have been preserved and restored as I imagine they are quite the draw for tourists. The Amazon Theatre looks stunning inside and out. Glad to hear that you didn’t have any issues with safety.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s really too bad, some of the buildings must have been so beautiful! From the ones that are restored you can get an idea of what this city looked like. We ended up not having any problems with theft or safety on our entire time in Brazil, but there were a few times when I wasn’t very comfortable and locals would warn us to be extra careful. Having said that there are many places in the country that are very safe, and hopefully I’ll remember to mention that as I write about them 🙂 Maggie
LikeLiked by 1 person
Really enjoyed this blog very informative .Your pictures were great .It takes Millions to restore old buildings .
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, yes, Manaus was fortunate to be able to restore some of them and they did a good job of it too 🙂 Maggie
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow, what an interesting and beautiful city. I’ve absolutely loved following along on your South American adventures and they’ve definitely inspired me to visit. A very happy Christmas and New Year to you both 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
We were really surprised and impressed at the lovely old buildings in Manaus. It’s so much different than my imagination of a jungle town:) Thanks for following along Hannah. Maggie
LikeLike
That theatre is just stunning! And the whole city looks like a treasure trove of great architecture. I’ve been to Peru’s Amazon but not Brazil’s. Maybe one day! Thanks for sharing a new place with me! X
LikeLiked by 1 person
We’ve been to Peru’s also and expected a city similar to Iquitos. Manaus is quite different and is a great city to spend a few days. The rest of the river experience was quite similar to Peru though.
LikeLike
Manaus looks very different to Iquitos! I would love to see it one day.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wonderful city. I did not expect the gateway to be so modern. Did you manage to travel to the jungle of Amazon to see the wildlife?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes we spent a couple of days in Manuas and then went to the jungle for 4. Thanks for taking the time to comment 😊 Maggie
LikeLike
Some very exotic looking buildings in this very interesting sounding town/city. Interested to read that some still reflect the lavishness invested in their creation whilst others are falling into ruin. Those patterned pavers are such an obvious Portuguese influence. Only one bridge!? Really!? Wow.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The tiled sidewalks definitely have a Portuguese origin. I don’t know about there but in Brazil we found them very pretty but not really practical as they constantly needed to be redone. That and walking on them in flipflops is not comfortable 😅
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love that tiling pattern on the city square…took me back to my trip to Lisbon and the same pattern they have there. You can see the Portuguese influence on so many of the buildings as well. Good that you heed those safety warnings!
LikeLiked by 1 person
There is a lot of Portuguese influence throughout Brazil, we found it so different from the Spanish architecture we’d seen in the rest of South America. Safety is more of a concern in Brazil though, but we were careful and didn’t have any problems. Thanks for your comments Linda, Maggie
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh my, what a beautiful city, and your photos capture it well!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, it really has some wonderful buildings. Maggie
LikeLiked by 1 person
When you can trek through the rainforests in the morning and take in a tear-jerking opera at night, you know you’re in a special place. The tiling pattern on the square very much reminds me of Portugal as they have exactly the same one in many of its cities. Thanks for sharing and I hope you had a wonderful festive season 🙂 Aiva xx
LikeLiked by 1 person
A long time since I’ve seen it. Nice walk through.
LikeLiked by 1 person
There is a lot more to do in this city than we expected. 🙂 Maggie
LikeLiked by 1 person
Before blogging and taking pictures I visit Manaus long ago could be 1990. Only some postcards for the memories. Nice pics thanks for the memory nudge. Cheers
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s probably changed since 1990, I think the theatre renovations are more recent. Thanks for reading and commenting! Maggie
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are welcome and thanks for the memories again Cheers
LikeLike
Sad to see such a beautiful town fall into decay 😦 All these historic buildings look no less impressive than those in Europe.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is like a mini-Europe, only many not tended to which was very depressing. It must have been something to see in the early 1900s though. Thanks for reading and commenting Len 🙂 Maggie
LikeLike
I very much enjoyed reading about Manaus, a city I’d heard of but knew little about. That theatre is absolutely beautiful.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, glad you enjoyed reading about Manaus! Maggie
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think the first time I became aware of Manaus was when Brazil was chosen to host the 2014 football (soccer) world cup. Of all host cities, Manaus caught my attention the most for its location at the heart of the Amazon. Teatro Amazonas looks so beautiful and grand! And yet, to think that a building at this scale was built near the jungle really is mind-boggling.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I only heard that Brazil had hosted the previous World Cup when we were there this year! Not a huge soccer fan although it was a great time to be there when the 2022 World Cup was on. It really is remarkable that they built such a gorgeous and heavily decorated building in the middle of the Amazon in the late 1800s. It must have been an impressive site in the city back then. Happy 2023 Bama! Maggie
LikeLiked by 1 person
Happy New Year to you too, Maggie!
LikeLike
What an elegant city Maggie, obviously in its lavish bits but even I think a little in some of its more run down parts. That auditorium is absolutely stunning and I’m glad you found such a bargain in the market. Reckon you’d have been ‘nuts’ not to get such a big bag (sorry). Manaus looks like an architectural wonderland, I would love to see it one day, as well as Lisbon, so that I can compare notes. Excellent article, as always, and so thorough,
LikeLiked by 1 person
There were a few rundown buildings that we really loved and dreamed of restoring. Manaus and quite a few other cities in Brazil that made us feel like we had traveled to Portugal. Such lovely old architecture and different from Spanish. We were nuts because a week later we bought another kilo in another city!! Thanks so much for you comments Leighton! Happy New Year to you both! Maggie
LikeLiked by 1 person
An interesting city for sure, I could only imagine it how it was at its heights back in 1900. The theatre is the proof that nothing can stop people to bring some opulence in the middle of the jungle. Thanks for sharing🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s true, they went to a lot of effort and expense to continue to live in luxury. 😊 Maggie
LikeLiked by 1 person
I had no idea Manaus was so beautiful. Many years ago it was a possible overseas posting for us but it didn’t work out. Now I wonder…
LikeLiked by 1 person
What an interesting job placement! But many years ago it might not have been so nice. It’s only been in the last while that the buildings have been renovated.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I hope to be there in about a month.I hope to be there in about a month.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh great! The jungle will be quite different during rainy season. Are you going anywhere else in Brazil? Enjoy! Maggie
LikeLiked by 1 person
A longer trip, I will publish something on the blog. Iguazu, Santos (Sao Paulo), Rio, Salvador da Bahia, Recife, Fortaleza, Icoaraci, Santarem, Boca da Valeria, Manaus, Parintis, Alter Do Chao. Thank you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh great we’ve been to most of those too! Alter do Chao is one of our favourites 😊. Have a great trip!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you again and Happy New Year.
LikeLike
There is nothing I love more than a majestic theatre! I couldn’t stop looking at your pics of it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is almost overwhelming! And I tried to imagine it filled with people dressed up in fancy 1900 clothing. It is a beautiful building. Thanks for reading Claire, Hope you have a Happy 2023!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Happy 2023!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wishing you and your family a Happy New Year.
LikeLike
Amazing opulent architecture! I wonder how they shipped all those grand materials back in the day!
I have read many of your excellent travel essays, this is the first time I recall you mentioning any hint of about possible safety concerns. Thank you for your candor.
LikeLiked by 1 person
They sure went to a lot of trouble to make their new life in Manaus as ‘comfortable’ as they were used to didn’t they. In truth, we haven’t felt unsafe during most of our travels. In all South American countries we expect to be targets of pick-pocketing and are cautious, but that threat was much more real in some parts of Brazil. I’ll be sharing more of these stories as we travel through the country, but the good news is, we were never robbed. The only thing we lost was a sweater I left on the bus. Thanks for your continued support Suzette. Hope you have a wonderful New Year’s Eve! Maggie
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad that you were all safe. And a wonderful New Year to you. As always, safe travels in 2023!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Brazil nuts in Brazil – of course (headslap)! That’s going on my What to Eat Where list!
LikeLiked by 1 person
🤣🤣🤣🤣
LikeLiked by 1 person
ive heard of this city and always imagined it was a sleepy river town, didnt expect it to be full of such amazing architecture! Thanks for sharing!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is not at all what we expected either. Thanks for reading Andy! Maggie
LikeLike
I expected a less grand town for some reason, maybe because in my head it is “just” the gateway to the Amazon. It is also an enigmatic part of my imagination after reading “State of Wonder,” by Ann Patchett – a book that has stayed with me for years after reading it. The main character gets feverishly ill in Manaus and hallucinates in a scary way, so the town has always given me the shivers! Silly, but that’s the kind of stuff that makes me want to visit new and different places – haha!
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re the second person to mention that book. I’ll have to look for it. The town was pretty rough for quite a few years so it’s possible the book was inspired by it then. It’s only been the boom in tourism recently that it has cleaned itself up a bit. But it’s still quite rough around the edges. You should visit, to walay those fears 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow – I just looked back in your comments and saw it was Nicole! It’s a quirky, moody book, but having been to one of its main locales, you would probably really relate to parts of it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
An elegant little piece of history I thought I knew nothing about, until I saw the Ann Patchett book referred to in comments. I didn’t remember the name! If I were ever to go, I’d want to check out the performances in that marvelous theater. Wouldn’t it be something to hear their symphony there?
LikeLiked by 1 person
We heard rehearsals and it was amazing. A live performance would have been great. I really have to checkbout that book!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
The rehearsals must have been a rare treat. You were fortunate to have such good timing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Kind of makes modern buildings look boring, eh?
LikeLiked by 1 person
It really does! Maggie
LikeLiked by 1 person
That theatre is a hard act to follow, Maggie! Opulence on the grand scale. I always enjoy to read stories set in a country I’ve traveled in, but I’m fairly sure I’ll not get to the Amazon. Happy travels in ’23! What have you lined up for this year?
LikeLiked by 1 person
It was so much more opulent than we expected, or likely than was needed 😊 We’re glad to be home for a couple of months but likely traveling to Asia again this spring and summer. Happy 2023!
LikeLike
🤗💗
LikeLike
We really loved our time there . So much to see and do. Such a great area where you visited the theater. And great images. Anita
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Anita, it’s quite an interesting city isn’t it. Maggie
LikeLike
This is a great post with fantastic architecture. Your photography is stunning as usual. That theatre is brilliant. Did not realize it’s a city of over 2 million people. Hi-rises and all.
LikeLiked by 1 person
We were expecting a sleepy, rundown town but it’s a big city with a fascinating history. Maybe your next trip south! Maggie
LikeLike