Belo Horizonte
Opened in 2010, the Museu das Minas e do Metal traces the economic, cultural and social history of mining in Minas Gerais, with multiple floors of mineral…
Must-see attractions in Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais
The triple-naved Matriz de NS de Conceição, finished in 1720, is a fascinating blend of Asian arts and Portuguese baroque, with gold leaf, red Chinese…
Minas Gerais
Tiradentes' sprawling central square is a social gathering point and a prime venue for special events such as the annual Festival de Cultura e Gastronomia.
Minas Gerais
Ouro Preto's vast cobblestoned central square is surrounded by some of the city’s finest museums and churches, and serves as the centerpiece for city wide…
Minas Gerais
One block downhill from Praça Minas Gerais, this leafy square is an inviting place to sit and watch the world go by, with a pond, a gazebo and park…
Museu Regional São João del Rei
Minas Gerais
One of the best regional museums in Minas Gerais, this 19th-century colonial mansion houses three floors of antique furniture, sacred art and assorted…
Minas Gerais
Built between 1766 and 1772, this lovely church was a group effort by the area’s most important artists. It features a facade and two side altars by…
Minas Gerais
Aleijadinho was instrumental in the decoration of the Igreja NS do Carmo. His touch is everywhere, especially in the faces of São Simão and São João da…
Igreja de São Francisco de Assis
Belo Horizonte
On the banks of Pampulha's artificial lake, Niemayer's striking modernist church, with interior tiles and paintings by Portinari, is an architectural…
Minas Gerais
Just downhill from town, the Chácara do Barão do Serro is a lovely old mansion affording a glimpse of 19th-century baronial life in Serro.
Minas Gerais
Housed in a historic gold foundry dating to 1730, the Museu do Ouro displays art and artifacts of Sabará’s glory years.
Museu Arquidiocesano de Arte Sacra
Minas Gerais
Mariana's sacred art museum features sculptures by Aleijadinho, paintings by Ataíde and other religious objects.
Minas Gerais
Dating to 1785, this striking yellow church on São Thomé's leafy central square is the town's centerpiece.
Minas Gerais
For great mountain views at sunset and sunrise, head up to the lookout 500m above town.
Minas Gerais
Connected by a vivid-blue 2nd-story passageway (built to obscure nuns from public view during the building's 102-year stint as an orphanage and school),…
Minas Gerais
Built between 1701 and 1704 and named after one of the original bandeirantes (roaming adventurers who spent the 17th and 18th centuries exploring Brazil’s…
Minas Gerais
Dedicated to 18th-century Brazilian priest and revolutionary hero Padre Toledo, this historical museum occupies the 18-room house where Padre Toledo…
Museu de Ciência e Técnica da Escola de Minas
Minas Gerais
In the old governor’s palace above Praça Tiradentes, this museum features dazzling gemstones from around the world. Even if you skip the museum itself, it…
Minas Gerais
Sticking out like a sore thumb amid the 18th-century streets of Congonhas, this striking modernist museum houses replicas of Aleijadinho's The Prophets,…
Museu Histórico Abílio Barreto
Belo Horizonte
The centerpiece of this museum, southwest of Savassi, is a renovated colonial farmhouse, the solitary remnant of Curral del Rey, the rural village…
Minas Gerais
This is the most famous of several oratórios (glass-encased niches containing images of saints) built on street corners around town by early-18th-century…
Minas Gerais
At the far end of the valley is the attractive century-old Casarão do Matutu, the headquarters of AMA-Matutu, a community organization dedicated to…
Minas Gerais
This fine colonial mansion was the home of diamond contractor João Fernandes de Oliveira and his longtime partner, the former slave Chica da Silva, whose…
Belo Horizonte
Occupying a grand 19th-century building that formerly housed the Minas Gerais Senate, this museum features a mix of paintings and sculptures by mineiro…
Minas Gerais
Between Praça JK and the cathedral is the house of Padre Rolim, one of the Inconfidentes. It’s now the Museu do Diamante, exhibiting religious art, old…
Minas Gerais
Initiated in 1762 and completed in 1823, this beautiful baroque church is the final destination for Ouro Preto's colorful Easter Sunday processions. It's…
Minas Gerais
The park entrance is 2km steeply uphill from the nearest town, Alto do Caparaó. There's a staffed ranger booth here offering general park information, but…
Belo Horizonte
This art museum, with its cute garden designed by landscape architect Roberto Burle Marx, originally served as a casino and shows the obvious modernist…
Minas Gerais
On Mariana's central square, this church was severely damaged by fire in 1999, but still retains its original rococo chancel (the only element to have…
Igreja NS do Rosário dos Pretos
Minas Gerais
The half-built Igreja de NS do Rosário dos Pretos – started and financed by slaves but never finished – now stands as a memorial to the abolition of…
Belo Horizonte
This former dance hall on Pampulha's lakeshore, designed by Oscar Niemeyer with grounds by landscape architect Burle Marx, now holds all types of…
Minas Gerais
Spanning three centuries, this museum's collection includes vestments, ex votos and hundreds of other historical liturgical objects from Tiradentes'…
Minas Gerais
Marked with a plaque, this 18th-century building is the spot where Gonzaga and the other Inconfidentes conspired to put an end to Portuguese rule in…
Minas Gerais
In a building that served as the public jail between 1737 and 1850, this museum has a small but impressive collection of art from the city’s churches.
Igreja do Bom Jesus do Matozinhos
Minas Gerais
Dating to 1781, this church at the foot of town is adorned with frescoes and woodwork beautifully painted in shades of red, blue, white and pink.
Minas Gerais
Built in colonial style between 1930 and 1940 on the site of a much older church, Diamantina's cathedral dominates the historic center.
Minas Gerais
This raw stone church, built from local quartzite, is a prime example of São Thomé's rustic traditional architecture.
Igreja de São Francisco de Assis
Minas Gerais
Dating to 1775, this church is typical of the Brazilian rococo style with its gilded interior ornamentation.
Minas Gerais
This simple church was built in 1719 to honor the patron saint who was protector of the slaves.
Igreja de São Francisco de Paula
Minas Gerais
This 19th-century church, the last to be constructed during Ouro Preto's colonial period, serves as a convenient landmark, perched high on the hillside…
