November 2022

 

MSC Poesia leaves the Atlantic Ocean in Belém and sails up the Amazon River in the direction of Manaus. One of the most fascinating journeys of the World Cruise 2024. Tangled forests, river villages, boats that look as if they have come out of a novel and birds in a thousand different colours. A thrilling symphony of scents and sounds. Surrounded by the great green lungs of the planet, travellers are transported back to the primordial garden of Eden.

 

Manaus is the incredible capital of the world’s last earthly paradise. It is one of those cities you must visit at least once in your lifetime to really grasp the relationship between nature and human ingenuity. From the moment you arrive, your attention is captured by the unique fusion of ancient and modern dominated by lush nature.

 

At the end of the nineteenth century Manaus was known as “the Paris of the Tropics”. Rubber harvesting led to the accumulation of enormous wealth that was invested in spectacular buildings. The Avenida 7 de Settembro preserves their memory with the Palacio Rio Negro, the Metropolitan Cathedral, the Homen do Norte Museum and the incredible Amazonas, an opera house immortalised by Werner Herzog’s film “Fitzcarraldo”. Mozart’s music, the arias of Verdi and Puccini resounded in the theatre before disappearing in the tropical forest.

 

Today it is nature, the main attraction of Manaus, which offers incredible shows to visitors. The Encontro das Aguas, the meeting point between the dark waters of Rio Negro and the sand-coloured waters of Rio Solimões, is located just a few kilometres from the city. Due to the different temperatures and currents, the two rivers flow in parallel without mixing for several kilometres, in a unique stream of two-tone water. When you visit the Parque do Mindu and the Bosque da Ciência, you really appreciate the importance of the wonderful Amazonian ecosystem, fundamental for life on Earth.

 

Ponta Negra is a lively, evocative place characterised by a mixture of euphoria and the sacred: visitors will be bowled over by Moon Beach and Tupe Beach, the botanical garden with vividly coloured orchids and the buzzing nightlife to the rhythm of the Boi-Bumbà, the captivating music inherited from the Amazonian natives.

 

As you continue to sail along the river, you will see the magnificent Paricatuba, Lion and Love waterfalls, where you can also take a swim when the tide and season allow it.

 

The MSC Poesia stays overnight here so you can experience the vitality of Manaus to the full. The best place for shopping is definitely the Mercado Adolpho Lisboa, inspired by Les Halles in Paris, along with the Galeria Amazonica and the Mercado Moderno. You really are spoilt for choice among the stalls of tropical fruit and vegetables, Amazonian craft shops, spices unique in the world and spectacular fabrics.  Make sure to find some time to taste the local culinary specialities such as Caldeirada de Tambaqui, a fish soup with peppers and tomato, Jambu dried shrimp, and the Tucumã sandwich made with local fruit and cheese.

 

The MSC Poesia World Cruise will dock at 52 destinations in 31 countries on 4 continents: a sensational journey of discovery with many overnight stays, such as that in Manaus, to experience all the charm and beauty of some of the world’s most beautiful destinations.