Overview
The historic port city of Manaus was once one of the richest and most extravagant in all of Latin America, thanks to its booming rubber production industry.
Description
Today, it is a large city which acts as the gateway to the Brazilian Amazon Rainforest, but traces of the splendour of yesteryear can be found, not least in the form of the magnificent Teatro Amazonas.
Built with the riches of the rubber boom and designed in the Belle Epoque style, the theatre is the defining symbol of Manaus and the focal point of the annual Amazonas Opera Festival. For a few weeks each April and May, some of the globe's finest opera performers and ballet dances venture into the Amazon, wowing crowds with unforgettable performances, each of which further enrich the legendary status of this special venue and transport you back to its heyday.
This time of year is also a wonderful time to embark on an expedition cruise into the Brazilian Amazon. Water levels remain high following the rainy season and glacial melt up in the Peruvian Andes, and so you will also be able to experience the extraordinary flooded forests, as well as another great natural phenomenon; the Meeting of the Waters.