Santarém, to little more than two days in boat of Bethlehem, is the second municipality of the state of For and one of the most beautiful cities of the region.
It is scene of the encounter of crystalline waters of the Tapajós river with heavy waters of the Amazon, Santarém was inhabited by the Indians tapajós.
A little the history of this town, that according to the legend drowned to the adulterous women and momificaba to illustrious relatives, is represented in the museum of the city, in center Cultural João Fona.
Ceramic pieces recently found in the archaeological place of the Fazenda Taperinha, in the neighborhood of Santarém, reveal that an outpost existed there pre-Columbian civilization, which has come bringing about new interpretations on the human occupation of the American continent.
To 35 kilometers of downtown, between the river Tapajós and the Muiraquitãs lake, right in the throat of a cove and surrounded by fluvial beaches do Chão, old village of fishermen is Alter.
As old as Santarém - both were founded on 1661 - Alter do Chão was land of the Indians boraris, that as inheritance left to their descendants a rite that lasts five days: the celebration do Sairé, realized in July, is a native commemoration that little by little incorporated religious symbols of the parents indigenous Jesuits to the dances and songs.
At the moment the celebration includes the Divine procession of, with figurantes evoking justice and carrying adorned flags and rods, besides redoblantes of boxes, local rise of spears, litanies, dances folkloric and a great lunch offered by the judges to the participants.