If you are in Belo Horizonte, you may also want to visit the surrounding cities that also offers a lot of attractions and will surely give you great travel experience.

Ouro Preto

Formerly named as the capital of Minas Gerais, this city is 100km to the northeast of Belo Horizonte.

Ouro Preto is one of the cities of Brazil that has a very rich architecture and a very rich and well-preserved history. It is considered as one of the historic towns of Brazil. Despite the fact that it was formerly the capital of Minas Gerais, it actually is just a small town comprising of about 67000 inhabitants. It is surrounded by hills and creeks. This being said, a tourist can really enjoy the tranquility of this city. That is why it is highly recommended that you spend a night so you can experience peace and quiet during nighttime when most of the tourists have gone.

Easter is one time that you can also visit the city. The month-long observance showcases Ouro Preto’s still intact religious culture of having processions and plays depicting the life of Christ. The town is considered as one of the beautiful places when it comes to architectural designs, still holds works from Aleijadinho, a Baroque sculptor. The city’s churches and bridges also let you sneak a peek into the city’s history.

Tiradentes

The town named after one of the greatest heroes of Brazil, Tiradentes, is also one of the cities that are considered as a historical place.

Walking on the town’s cobblestone streets, you will also see the old churches and other old buildings that are evidence of their rich history.

Santo Antônio is one of these churches and is considered as the finest of all the religious edifices in the city. This was built in 1710 and its façade was designed by Aleijadinho and was one of his last works. The most striking part of the church is the decorations on the ceilings and the carvings on the columns. Museu Padre Toledo is also one attraction in Tiradentes that you shouldn’t miss. Padre Toledo was a priest who was part of what was called the Inconfidêntes. He supported the rebellion against Portugal at that time, who were led by Tiradentes, the revolutionary hero. In the museum, a large part of the collection is from the Museu da Inconfidência of Ouro Preto which was the center of the rebellion. Aside from this, the museum also includes a display of religious art and antique furniture.