market · Belém, PA
Mercado Ver-o-Peso
A market on the edge of the Baía do Guajará, running since the 17th century, with the towers of the Mercado de Ferro (Iron Market) beside it. It brings together fish, herbs, herbal tonics, fruit and smells you will not find anywhere else.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
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About Mercado Ver-o-Peso
Ver-o-Peso is Belém's great market, on the edge of the Baía do Guajará, and one of the best-known places in the Amazon. The complex includes the open-air market, with hundreds of stalls under awnings, the Mercado de Ferro (Iron Market), the Meat Market, the boat dock and the surrounding squares.
The story begins in 1625, when the Casa de Haver o Peso stood there, a post where the Portuguese Crown weighed goods arriving by river and collected taxes. That is where the name comes from ("see the weight"). The Mercado de Ferro, with its pointed towers, opened in 1901, during the rubber era, with an iron structure brought from Europe. The complex has been listed by Iphan (the national heritage institute) since 1977.
At the market you find almost everything the Amazon produces: river fish, açaí, regional fruits, manioc flour, dried shrimp, nuts, medicinal herbs and basketry. It is also a place to eat: at the food stalls you can try fried fish with açaí and dishes with tucupi (a yellow manioc broth).
The ground is flat, but the market is crowded, with wet floors in some stretches and lots of cargo carts moving around. Wear closed-toe shoes and stay alert.
Before you go
Practical information
How much time to set aside
One to two hours is enough to walk through the market, go into the Mercado de Ferro and try something at the food stalls.
Best time
Early in the morning, when the market is in full swing, the boats arrive with fish and açaí and it is less hot; in the afternoon many stalls are already closing.
How to get there
It is on Boulevard Castilho França, on the waterfront of Belém's historic center, next to the Cidade Velha. You can walk from downtown and the Estação das Docas, or take a taxi or ride-hailing car.
Tip
Keep only a little cash at hand and your phone put away, as in any crowded market, and try açaí the Pará way, unsweetened and served with fried fish or manioc flour.
A look at the place
Mercado Ver-o-Peso in pictures
These pictures are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs. They may differ from the place.
Click the picture to enlarge it.
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Mercado Ver-o-Peso
What is the best time to go to Ver-o-Peso?
Early in the morning, when the market is liveliest, the boats arrive with fish and açaí and it is less hot. In the afternoon many stalls are already closing.
Is there an entrance fee for Ver-o-Peso?
No. The market and its halls are open and admission is free; you only pay for what you buy or eat.
Why is it called Ver-o-Peso?
The name, meaning "see the weight," comes from the Casa de Haver o Peso, a post created in 1625 where the Portuguese weighed goods arriving by river and collected taxes.
What should I eat at Ver-o-Peso?
Açaí the Pará way, with fried fish or manioc flour, dishes with tucupi (a yellow manioc broth) and Amazon fruits. There is a section of food stalls inside the market.
What can I buy at Ver-o-Peso?
Regional fruits, manioc flour, dried shrimp, nuts, medicinal herbs, aromatic scents and basketry.