Manaus is the capital city of Amazonas, Brasil's largest state, and an urban center surrounded by the most extensive tropical forest in the world.
Manaus is known as Paris dos Trópicos (Paris of the Tropics), due to its intense modernization during the rubber cycle (a period of great economic and social growth in Brasil). Manaus is located right in the middle of the Amazon rainforest. From the rubber cycle, the city inherited beautiful buildings, built with fine materials imported from Europe. The city’s main attraction is the Amazonas Theater, with its colorful dome made of 36 thousand pieces of glazed ceramics.
Manaus is the capital city of the State of Amazonas, it stands out as the main metropolis of the region and is the natural entrance to the forest. Boats are the main means of transportation to the jungle hotels, that allow visitors to see the Encontro das Águas (water clash) of the Rio Negro and Solimões, to dive with pink dolphins in Anavilhanas and visit seaside resorts such as the Praia da Lua.
Tours in large rivers or narrow creeks also provide contact with coastal communities, and provide the opportunity to meet the Indian influence in its core. One of these influences is the local cuisine, with its exotic dishes. Among the dishes that arouse curiosity is the tacacá, a species of soup prepared with tucupi, dried shrimp, cassava and jambu leaves.
Among the fish, the main ones are the tambaqui, matrinxã, jaraqui, tucunaré and pirarucu, baked, stewed or fried. For dessert, we recommend local fruits, such as açaí, cupuaçu, graviola, araçá, buriti and taperebá. These delicacies can be tried in several restaurants in town, from the edge of Praia de Ponta Negra and even in street kiosks.
During the Rio 2016 Games ™, Manaus will host six football games in the Amazon Arena, that has capacity for over 45,500 thousand people.