Sixteen hectares of native Amazon rainforest preserved inside the city, with a small zoo of local wildlife.
The zoo section is modest but the animals are at least Amazonian natives rather than the usual international collection. Manatees, caimans, toucans, and various primates make appearances. The botanical garden labels many of the trees, which is useful if you want to put names to the species you will encounter if you travel further into the Amazon.
The bosque is in the Marco neighborhood, a bit further from the center than most tourist sights. A taxi or bus ride of about 20 minutes from Cidade Velha is the practical way to get there.
A story
Most cities destroy their forests to grow. Belém preserved 16 hectares of native Amazonian rainforest right in the urban grid and turned it into a botanical garden and zoo. The Bosque Rodrigues Alves — opened in 1867 — feels genuinely wild: the canopy closes overhead, the air drops a few degrees, and you hear howler monkeys before you see them. Trails wind through native trees, past ponds with giant water lilies, and along enclosures with manatees, giant otters, and native birds.