The Teatro Amazonas is the symbol of Manaus and the most photographed building in the Amazon. Its pink-and-white facade, gilded dome covered in 36,000 tiles in the colours of the Brazilian flag, and the rubber-paved street outside (laid to muffle the sound of carriages arriving late for performances) make it one of the strangest, most extravagant structures in South America.
Guided tours run throughout the day in Portuguese, English and Spanish and cover the auditorium, ballroom, and Noble Salon with its ceiling painted as a view up at the Eiffel Tower. If you can, time your visit for an Amazonas Philharmonic concert — the acoustics are superb and tickets are very cheap. The annual Festival Amazonas de Ópera in April and May fills the building with full opera productions.