Ouro Preto - Brasil
Altitude: 1.116 m. The highest point is Pico de Itacolomi with 1.722 meters.
Population: 66.277
Ouro Preto was founded thanks to gold exploitation, near Itacolomi Mountain, whose richness was the main attraction of the city. Nowadays, it is considered Cultural Heritage.
It is located in Espinhaco Mountain. The temperature average is from 6 to 8 degrees. In June and July it drops to 2 degrees.
Distances:
From Belo Horizonte to Ouro Preto: 90 Km.
Pampulha Airport – 110 km
Confins Airport – 150 km
Distances from other capitals in Brazil:
Rio de Janeiro – 98 km
São Paulo – 618 km
Touristy Places:
Do Oratorio Museum: There are popular speeches, erudite and travels exhibitions; including Francisco Xavier das Conchas speeches.
Da Inconfidencia Museum: There are exhibitions of Aleijandrino works of art, the best sculptor of Brazil.
Sacra de Ouro Preto Art Museum: There are 400 remains that belong to XVII and XIX centuries. It is located in Matriz de Nossa Senhora do Pilar Church.
Tickets price: R$ 3, 00 (half ticket for students) the cost ticket includes a visit to Da Pilar and São Francisco de Paula Church.
Opening hours: Monday to Sunday from 9:00 to 10:45 and 12:00 to 16:45 pm.
Municipal Park da Cachoeira das Andorinhas: Inside, you can observe some rock formations and Das Velas River. It is advisable to visit it in group or with a tourist guide. There is access by São Sebastião Mountain.
Casa dos contos (1784). There are exhibitions of furniture that belongs to XVII and XIX centuries; goods like old bills and documents. It is believed that it was Tiradentes house (the main martyr of Brazil independence).
Telephone: 3551-1444
Opening Hours:
Monday from 14hrs to18hrs
Tuesday to Saturday: from 10hrs to 18hrs.
Sunday from 10hrs to 16hrs.
Ticket price: R$ 3 credit cards are accepted.
Historic Places:
Chafariz da praça
Iglesia Nossa Senhora da Conceição: (1706): It was designed and built by Manuel Francisco Lisboa Aleijandrino’s father. Nowadays, both are buried under the church.
TEL: 3551-3282
Opening hours:
Tuesday to Saturday from 8:30 hrs to 11:30hrs a.m. and from 13h:30 to 17:00hrs.
Sunday from12:00 hrs to 17:00hrs.
Ticket price: R$ 5
Iglesia do padre (1704) It is a baroque architecture, inside is gold. It opens from Tuesday to Sunday from 8:30 to 16:30 and the ticket price is R$ 1, 50.
Iglesia Matriz de Nossa Senhora Do Pilar (1733) It is the second richest church in gold of Brazil, it was constructed with 434 kilos of gold.
Culturales Events
Winter Festival
It is carried out in July from 8 to 29. There are plays, circus, shows and works of art presentations.
Holy Week: The peculiar characteristics of Holy Week are the roads covered with sawdust and flowers for the religious procession. Many chapels are opened to public.
Carnival: It is one of the best carnivals of Minas de Gerais; many students and samba dancers participate in parades by the streets.
ECOTOURISM:
People who love tourism can enjoy in Ouro Preto. It has large natural areas like Itacolomi Park, Brígida, Trovão Mountain and Uaimii lush grove.
The waterfalls are the main attractions and the best places to visit: Castelinho, Falcão, Três Pingos y Bacia do custodio.
The landscape is wonderful. From the top of Trovão Mountain, you can observe Caraca, Da Bocaina, De Ouro Branco, Do Caparao and Itacolomi rivers. Trekking and cavalcades are best options for arriving to the summit.
Italcolomi Park has 7,543 hectares; tourists can walk by paths inside the jungle. For entering, it is necessary to buy a ticket, which costs R$ 10 per person; it is advisable to visit it in April and September because it doesn’t rain a lot.
Da Vale Train (Maria Fumaça)
It can hold up 300 people, Da Vale train works from Thursday to Sunday. It has two departures a day from Ouro Preto at 11:00hrs and 16:00hrs. And two from Mariana city at 9:00hrs and 14:00 hrs.
The train crosses by the city centre, considered cultural heritage of the country. It is possible to appreciate the civilization richness and culture of XVIII century, in the gold period. The trip lasts one and half hour.
Train Station
Ouro Preto’s tickets office: Telephone number :( 31) 3551.7705
It is opened from Wednesday to Sunday from 8:00 to 17:00hrs.
Train Schedule
Wednesday and Thursday
It is advisable to check, if it is available to the telephone number :( 31)3557-3844
Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Mariana Train Station- departures at 9:00 and 14:00hrs.
Ouro Preto train station- departures at 11:00 and 14:00 hrs.
Train ticket prices:
One way ticket: R$18, 00, half ticket: R$9, 00.
Round trip ticket: R$30, 00, half ticket: R$15, 00.
Children from 0 a 5 years old: free entering
Children older than 12 years old, older than 60 years old and students pay half ticket.
Reservations
Groups more than ten people can make reservations to telefax: (31)3557-3844 o by e-mail to renata.maia@cvrd.com.br.
* The train ticket should be bought 30 minutes in advance.
Courtesy ticket for groups
Te courtesy tickets are available for groups more than 20 people, with 5% discount. The touristy group has to show their Embratur and AGTOP Card, for having a courtesy ticket.
GASTRONOMY:
Brazil has specialized gastronomy in minera food, among them the pork cutlet with canjica (a cream of corn) is a traditional food. Don’t loose the opportunity to taste “el tutu de frijoles” with thigh pork and tropeiro kidney beans with sausage.
RESTAURANTS
The most recommended restaurants in Ouro Preto are:
Bené da Flauta
Dirección: São Francisco de Assis, Nº. 32, Centro.
Ópera Café
Dirección: Rua Conde de Bobadela, Nº: 75 Centro.
O Passo
Dirección: Rua São José, Nº: 56 Centro.
How to arrive to Ouro Preto
Bus Station in Ouro Preto (TEL: (31) 3559-3252)
It is recommended to ask about the departing schedules of buses and the companies that provide this service.
Bus companies
Below, we have the most popular companies in Brazil and their telephone numbers for useful information to tourist.
Pássaro Verde: (31) 3551-1081
Util, São Geraldo e Gontijo: (31) 3551-3166
Transcotta: (31) 3551-2385
Vale do Ouro e Itapemirm: (31) 3551-5679
Atual – 0800 7040560
Departures from Ouro Preto to Belo Horizonte.
Pássaro Verde Bus Company
Journey duration: 1h45 min.
Monday to Saturday - 6h30, 7h, 8h30, 9h40, 10h30, 12h10, 13h, 14h10, 15h, 16h10, 17h, 18h, 18h30, 19h30, 20h, 21h30
Sundays - 7h, 8h30, 9h40, 10h30, 11h30, 12h10, 14h10, 15h, 16h, 16h10, 17h, 18h, 18h30, 19h30, 20h, 21h30.
Departures from Belo Horizonte to Ouro Preto.
Monday to Saturday - 6h, 7h, 8h, 8h30, 9h,30, 10h, 11h15, 12h, 13h15, 14h, 15h15, 16h, 17h15, 19h, 20h15, 23h.
Sundays - 6h, 7h, 8h, 8h30, 9h30, 10h, 12h, 13h15, 14h, 15h15, 16h, 17h15, 17h45, 18h, 18h30, 19h, 20h15, 21h, 23h
Deapartures from Ouro Preto to Rio de Janeiro.
Viação útil
Daily departures - 22h
Departures from Ouro Preto to São Paulo.
Daily departures - 7h05, 8h e 20h.
Departures from São Paulo to Ouro Preto
Daily departures - 11h, 19h45 e 21h
Friday - 22h.
Useful telephone numbers
Touristy information
Telephone: 3551-2665 and 3559-3269
Fire brigade:
Conselheiro Santana Street, 14 – Pilar
Telephone: (31) 3559-3308 e 193 (24 hours assistance)
Police:
Juscelino Kubitschek Street, 63
Telephone: (31) 3551-3222 e 194 (24 hours assistance)
Some advices for tourists:
· If you travel by bus, arrive at the Bus Station.
· The free park is located in front of information and touristy desk.
· Many monuments are closed on Monday. Be sure about the visiting hours when you plan your visit.
· In all the monuments, people buy ticket for visiting it.
· It is not allowed to take photos, nor films inside the monuments.
· Bags, cameras and rucksacks should be kept in the appropriated places in the above mentioned monuments.
· It is advisable to wear comfortable shoes, for walking the streets.
· Walking is the best way to enjoy appreciating streets, stores and museums.
· Carry warm clothes, even in summer.
· Use only tourist guides of Tourism Department or Embratur.
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