Minas Gerais - Brasil

Minas Gerais is the biggest State of the south east region of Brazil.

Its capital, Belo Horizonte, was the first planned city of the country.

Minas Gerais holds many remains of its colonial past such as antique cities, houses, museums and baroque churches.

This city is specially proud of its history whose lemma is "freedom": liberas quae sera tamen, love your own land - Las mil y una Minas - as it was said by Guimarães Rosa.

Belo Horizonte

Belo Horizonte is the capital of Minas Gerais. It is also called Belô or Beagá.

This city is placed 366 miles from Sao Paulo and 266 miles from Rio de Janeiro.

It has an agreeable weather during the whole year.

Belo Horizonte is considered the first entrance to the country with the purpose of visiting the other colonial cities of Brazil.

The tourist infrastructure is satisfactory, it counts with airports, restaurants and hotels.

Passing by the city, it is recommendable to stopover in the grouts and caverns which present amazing rupestrine paintings and rocky formations made by stalactites. Some famous caverns are:

Gruta do Maquiné
It is situated in Cordisburgo, 133 kilometres from Belo Horizonte.
Information telephone contact: 3715-1078.

Gruta da Lapinha
It is located in Lagoa Santa, 42 kilometres from Belo Horizonte.
Information telephone contact: 3689-8422.

Gruta Rei do Mato
It is placed in Sete Lagos, 76 kilometres from Belo Horizonte.
Information telephone contact: 3773-0888.

Congohas
82 kilometres from Belo Horizonte.

This is a historic city that is part of the rich cultural legacy of Minas Gerais.

Its particular name, Congonhas, comes from a plant´s name (Congonha), in the Tupi Language: "Kô gôi" that means "what sustains something" or "what beats something".

This plant was employed to elaborate a special tea, which, according to local residents, can be beneficial to control many diseases.

In 1985, The UNESCO gave the title of Cultural Human Patrimony to the Sanctuary of Bueno Jesús de Matozinhos.

Diamantica

285 kilometres from Belo Horizonte.

Another historic city that conforms the rich cultural legacy of Minas Gerais.

Diamantina is a region of mines that was developed as a consequence of the diamonds´ exploration. Its name is also a result of such activity.

The Portuguese people who arrived in 1691, from the Sabará region, in search of gold, were astonished because of the diamonds´ discovery.

Such finding brought a huge prosperity to the region and contributed to the establishment of a particular Portuguese culture and history in this colony.

Ouro Preto
99 kilometres from Belo Horizonte.

It is also a historic city that is part of the rich cultural legacy of Minas Gerais.

This city used to be an antique Villa Rica (rich location), that was created in 1698 thanks to the discovery of gold in its land.

In this sense, the origins of this city lies in the detection of great quantities of gold during The XVII and XVIII Centuries. This finding generated a crucial moment in the history of Brazil: La Inconfidencia Mineira.

Ouro Preto contains ancient houses, churches and palaces; the most of them were constructed in the gold époque.

This city also keeps the title of Cultural Human Patrimony that was invested by The UNESCO.

Sao Joao del Rei

185 kilometres from Belo Horizonte, to the south east of Minas Gerais.

Other historic city that conforms the rich cultural legacy of Minas Gerais.

Sao João del Rei obtained a considerable importance during the exploration of gold in many territories of the city.

It is well known because of its traditional and religious celebrations during Semana Santa (The Holy Week).

Its beautiful churches are an obligatory part of a tourist journey, among them (35 churches) it is possible to mention: Sao Francisco de Asís, Nossa Senhora del Carmo, Nossa Senhora del Rosario and Nossa Senhora de las Mercedes.

A nice activity is travelling on the locomotory "Maria Fumaça".

Tiradentes

215 kilometres from Belo Horizonte.

This is a historic city that is part of the rich cultural legacy of Minas Gerais.

Its population is situated under the mountains of Sao Jose and next to the border of The Das Mortes River.

This is a nice and important cultural site, a historic patrimony that is employed as a scenery (a set) for diverse films, series and soap operas.

This city is popular because of its traditional and religious celebrations too. Among them, it is possible to mention:

The Carnival, The Holy Week and The Cinema Festival on January and February; The Week of The Inconfidencia, on April; The Holy Trinities Jubilee on May and June; The Encounter of Harley Davidson ´s Admirers and Collectors on July; and The Gatronomic Festival on August.

Tiradentes

Not far from Belo Horizonte.

This ancient city contains some beautiful pieces of colonial architecture like The Teatrín Municipal (Municipal Theatre) and the little chapel of Nossa Senhora de la O.

Monte Verde

497 kilometres from Belo Horizonte.

This is an alpine region that belongs to the sierra of Minas Gerais.

It is located in The Mantequeira Sierra. It is part of the frontier with Sao Paulo. It is 1.600 meters height.

The small city of Monte Verde seems a little European city. Its first residents were German, Italian and Swiss immigrants who left part of their culture in this region.

The typical architecture, surrounded by mountains and the sierra, is one of its main attractiveness, as well as the culinary culture and the European craftsmanship.