From Pampulha to the churches of Aleijadinho

The modernist Pampulha complex by Niemeyer, Burle Marx and Portinari, the Mercado Central and Inhotim, 60 km away, from Belo Horizonte; then Ouro Preto, at 1,179 m, with the churches of the gold cycle, the sculptures of Aleijadinho, the paintings of Mestre Ataíde and the Museu da Inconfidência.

Day by day Open the itinerary in the app

Belo Horizonte → Ouro Preto · 5–7 days

The route on the map, in the itinerary’s order.

BrazilBelo Horizonte
Days
3
When
May–Sep
Per person/day
Explore costsGuide estimate
Cost scope
Per person per day: accommodation, meals, urban transport, visits and a small allowance for extras. Flights excluded; larger purchases vary. Editorial estimate, not a quote.
BrazilOuro Preto
Days
2–4
When
May–Sep
Per person/day
Explore costsGuide estimate
Cost scope
Per person per day: accommodation, meals, urban transport, visits and a small allowance for extras. Flights excluded; larger purchases vary. Editorial estimate, not a quote.

Who it is for

For anyone who enjoys architecture and art, from baroque to contemporary, and Minas Gerais market food.

Not for anyone who struggles with hills, since Ouro Preto is explored on foot along uneven stone streets that climb and drop all the time.

The strategy

Belo Horizonte comes first, arriving at Confins, 38 km from the centre. Keep a full day for Inhotim and put Pampulha between Wednesday and Friday, when the little church, the Casa do Baile and the Museu Casa Kubitschek are all open on the same day. For Ouro Preto, Pássaro Verde buses leave from Belo Horizonte bus station and cover the 96 km of road. Plan your Ouro Preto days away from Monday, when almost all the churches and museums close, and stay in the historic centre. There is no direct bus from Ouro Preto to the airport: the return goes through Belo Horizonte bus station, or it is about 2h20 by car to Confins. May to September is the dry season.

What you will see

Igreja São Francisco de Assis, Belo Horizonte. The Igrejinha da Pampulha is the best-known building of Oscar Niemeyer's ensemble: parabolic concrete vaults, until then used only in hangars, serve as structure and wall at once.
Igreja de São Francisco de Assis, Ouro Preto. The church of the Third Order of Saint Francis, begun in 1766, follows a design by Aleijadinho, who also made the portal, the reliefs and the soapstone pulpits.