Pousada Santuário do Caraça

Top choice in Minas Gerais


Rooms at this peaceful, one-of-a-kind pousada range from simple shared-bath quartos off the garden courtyard to larger apartamentos (rooms with bathroom), the best of which are in the Ala do Santuário (Sanctuary Wing). All rates include three awesome mineira meals featuring local produce. The big highlight of staying here is the nightly feeding of the wolves. Advance reservations required.

Visit midweek if you can, as it’s easier to see the wolves and appreciate Caraça’s isolation and tranquility without the crowds of weekend escapees from Belo. During less crowded periods breakfast is served in the more intimate downstairs dining room, where you can fry your own eggs on the wood-fired stove. Kids under seven stay for free, and those aged seven to 11 stay half price, making this a superb deal for families.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Minas Gerais attractions

1. Igreja de São Francisco de Paula

19.62 MILES

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…

2. Igreja NS do Rosário

19.72 MILES

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…

3. Casa dos Contos

19.75 MILES

This 18th-century treasury building still retains its historic foundry, where gold was melted down and formed into bars under the watchful eye of the…

5. Praça Tiradentes

19.81 MILES

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…

6. Casa de Tomás Antônio Gonzaga

19.83 MILES

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…

7. Igreja São Francisco de Assis

19.85 MILES

Mariana's loveliest church was designed by Aleijadinho, whose work can also be seen in the pulpits and other interior details. The gorgeous ceiling panels…

8. Igreja NS do Carmo

19.86 MILES

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…