Confusingly, Belem Val de Cans International Airport is also known as Júlio Cezar Ribeiro Airport to locals. If you hire a car here, you'll find this busy regional air hub stands just three miles north of Belem city centre, close to the shore of the Baía do Guajará. The Baía is part of the Pará River that Belem stands near the mouth of, on the far northern coast of Brazil. The Belem Val de Cans airport has a large modern air-conditioned terminal building and six boarding gates. Some of its facilities however are shared with the Brazilian Air Force.
If you've hired a car at Belem International Airport you'll be able to explore the city. Roads from the airport lead straight into the old centre. Belem is university and cathedral city; a mix of traditional shady colonial squares and modern skyscrapers. You'll spot mango trees everywhere. Historic buildings to see include the 17th-cenutry Santo Alexandre church, the old harbour-side market and the museum. There's a bohemian nightlife to enjoy too with small bars, theatres, live music and exotic street food. Belem is also a starting point for journeys up the Amazon and around the islands of the Amazon Delta.
