Central Minas Gerais Voyage Tips and guide

Contents

The Central region of Minas Gerais.

Map of Central Minas Gerais

• -19.928056-43.9419441 Belo Horizonte — a good stopping point on the way to the beautiful colonial towns such as Ouro Preto and Tiradentes
• -20.142778-44.22 Brumadinho — home to the Inhotim Museum of Contemporary Art, a botanic park and contemporary-art expo
• -20.5-43.8577783 Congonhas — a historic mining city that hosts a World Heritage Site
• -20.138889-44.8838894 Divinópolis — a city with beautiful churches, beaches and squares
• -20.378347-43.4164725 Mariana — has many well-preserved colonial buildings and churches
• -20.520833-43.6919446 Ouro Branco — home of the architectural and landscape complex of Capela de Santana and the main house of Fazenda Pé do Morro
• -20.385278-43.5036117 Ouro Preto — one of Brazil's best-preserved colonial towns and a UNESCO World Heritage Site
• -21.135833-44.2619448 São João del Rei — a relaxing colonial mining town
• -18.604444-43.3794459 Serro — well known for its traditional cheese, cultural richness, colonial influence and unique environment
• -19.465833-44.24694410 Sete Lagoas — takes its name from the seven lakes in and around town that provide recreational opportunities
• -21.11-44.17777811 Tiradentes — one of the smallest yet best preserved colonial towns, it boasts some fine examples of 300-year-old buildings

• -20.25-46.51 Serra da Canastra National Park — known for its numerous waterfalls, diverse wildlife and for being a haven for the endangered Brazilian Merganser

• Belo Horizonte's Tancredo Neves/Confins International Airport (CNF ^IATA)

The colonial towns of Mariana, Tiradentes, and Ouro Preto are remarkably well preserved, with the latter being a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Pampulha neighborhood in Belo Horizonte has some of the highlights of Brazil modern architecture, and one of the city's Oscar Niemeyer buildings.

The Inhotim Museum of Contemporary Art in Brumadinho is one of the most important art venues of Brazil. The city also hosts the tourist circuit of Veredas do Paraopeba, which encompasses several landscapes that are considered heritage sites.

The Sanctuary of Bom Jesus Matosinhos in do Congonhas is a complex of church, chapels and magnificent statues of prophets carved by the artist Aleijadinho. It is also a World Heritage Site.

The Catedral de Nossa Senhora da Assunção in Mariana was constructed between 1709 and 1750.

There are several mines near Ouro Preto that offer tours, and the city has many beautiful churches and interesting museums.

Visit the Caraça Natural Reserve near Mariana to explore its waterfalls, rivers, lakes and caves.

The Itacolomi State Park, between Ouro Preto and Mariana, is a park which contains very diverse flora and fauna with many hiking opportunities.

Serra da Canastra National Park has several waterfalls that can be visited.

Tiradentes is well-known amongst food lovers for its food festival in August and its many good regional and modern restaurants.

Divinópolis is known as the largest per capita consumer of beer in the country, so you have trouble finding a place drink there.