--- title: "Minas Gerais, Brazil's Baroque Heart | AuthenticBrazilTravel" description: "Brazil's baroque highlands, privately guided: Ouro Preto, Aleijadinho's prophets at Congonhas, the art of Inhotim and Comida Mineira in three to four days." url: https://www.authenticbraziltravel.com/destinations/minas-gerais/ language: en --- ![Baroque colonial houses and churches climbing the hills of Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais](https://www.authenticbraziltravel.com/images/destinations/minas-gerais-hero.webp) # Minas Gerais, Private Baroque Town Tours Brazil's Baroque Heart The gold-rush highlands of southeast Brazil: the country's finest baroque towns, Aleijadinho's masterpieces, the world-class art of Inhotim and Brazil's most-loved cuisine, Comida Mineira. Three to four privately guided days based in colonial Ouro Preto and the capital Belo Horizonte, with day trips to Mariana, Congonhas and Inhotim. [Request This Trip](https://www.authenticbraziltravel.com/destinations/minas-gerais/#plan) [View Itinerary](https://www.authenticbraziltravel.com/destinations/minas-gerais/#itinerary) [Book a call](https://calendly.com/authenticbraziltravel-info/30min?utm_source=website&utm_medium=destination-hero&utm_content=%2Fdestinations%2Fminas-gerais%2F) - 3-4 days, extendable - Colonial pousada in Ouro Preto + boutique hotel in Belo Horizonte - Ouro Preto & Mariana · Congonhas (Aleijadinho) · Inhotim · Comida Mineira Duration 3-4 days, extendable Accommodation Colonial pousada in Ouro Preto + boutique hotel in Belo Horizonte Highlights Ouro Preto & Mariana · Congonhas (Aleijadinho) · Inhotim · Comida Mineira ## Brazil's baroque heart Long before Rio, the story of modern Brazil was written here, in the cool highlands of Minas Gerais. The gold and gemstones found in these hills in the late seventeenth century set off a rush that built Portugal into a world power and left behind the most beautiful colonial towns in the country. Ouro Preto, the first place in Brazil to be named a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the jewel: painted houses and thirteen baroque churches spilling down steep cobbled streets, still lived-in, still a lively university town rather than a museum. From a base in Ouro Preto and the capital Belo Horizonte, the region opens up in easy day trips. Nearby Mariana, the state's oldest town, hides gilded churches and old gold mines you can walk into. At Congonhas stands the masterpiece of Aleijadinho, the crippled mixed-race sculptor who became the genius of Brazilian baroque: his twelve life-size soapstone prophets guarding the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus, a UNESCO site in their own right. And on the other side of Belo Horizonte, Inhotim blends one of the world's great open-air contemporary-art collections into a 250-hectare botanical garden, a full, unforgettable day. Minas is also, quite simply, where Brazil eats best. Comida Mineira, slow-cooked pork, homemade cheeses, cachaça and the country's finest coffee, is a cuisine in its own right, and half the pleasure of travelling here. We base you in a colonial pousada in Ouro Preto and a boutique hotel in Belo Horizonte, keep the driving short, and fold in the food along the way. It slots neatly onto the end of a Rio trip along the old Estrada Real gold road, or as a cultural counterpoint to the beaches and the Amazon. - UNESCO Ouro Preto - Aleijadinho's prophets - Inhotim art - Comida Mineira 1980 Ouro Preto, Brazil's first UNESCO World Heritage Site ![Baroque churches and colonial rooftops of Ouro Preto seen across the valley](https://www.authenticbraziltravel.com/images/destinations/minas-gerais-ouro-preto.webp) Ouro Preto, the finest baroque townscape in Brazil ![Aleijadinho's soapstone prophet statues at the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus, Congonhas](https://www.authenticbraziltravel.com/images/destinations/minas-gerais-congonhas-prophets.webp) Aleijadinho's Twelve Prophets at Congonhas, a UNESCO masterpiece ## Minas Gerais on the map Minas Gerais sits in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Here's exactly where your journey unfolds on the map of Brazil, one of the handpicked stops in our portfolio. Region Minas Gerais, Brazil Best season April to September (drier, mild); pleasant year-round Recommended stay 4 days Ideal for History, art and food lovers [Plan My Trip](https://www.authenticbraziltravel.com/destinations/minas-gerais/#plan) ## Handpicked experiences in Minas Gerais We don't list every tour, only the ones we'd actually send you on: the unmissable classics, plus a few most visitors never find. Classic ### Ouro Preto historic walking tour Half to full day The old gold capital on foot with your private guide: the gilded interiors of São Francisco de Assis and the hilltop churches, the mineralogy and sacred-art museums, the artisan workshops working soapstone and gemstones, and the story of the 1789 independence conspiracy that began right here. Steep and cobbled, taken at your pace. Classic ### Mariana & a colonial gold mine Half day A short hop from Ouro Preto to Mariana, the oldest town in Minas and its first capital: a serene main square lined with baroque churches, one holding a rare German pipe organ still played in concert. Nearby you can descend into the Mina da Passagem, an old gold mine you enter by mine cart, deep under the hills that started it all. Signature ### Congonhas: Aleijadinho's Twelve Prophets Half day (en route) The single greatest work of Brazilian baroque, and easily woven into the transfer between Belo Horizonte and Ouro Preto. On the terrace of the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus de Matosinhos stand twelve life-size prophets carved in soapstone by Aleijadinho, each in mid-gesture, mid-sentence. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, and unforgettable up close. Signature ### Inhotim: open-air art & botanical garden Full day One of the world's great contemporary-art destinations, a day trip from Belo Horizonte. Monumental installations sit in purpose-built pavilions across 250 hectares of botanical garden, home to some 5,000 plant species and one of the finest palm collections anywhere. Bring your swimwear, there are pools and shaded lakes, it is as much a day in nature as in a gallery. Classic ### Belo Horizonte: Pampulha & Praça da Liberdade Half day The modern counterpoint to the baroque. Around the Pampulha lake stands Oscar Niemeyer's early masterwork, the curving church of São Francisco, part of a UNESCO-listed modernist ensemble. Then the tree-lined Praça da Liberdade with its cluster of museums, and the vast Mercado Central, the best possible introduction to the flavours of Minas. Signature ### Comida Mineira food & cachaça tasting Half day The reason many travellers fall for Minas. A guided taste of the state's celebrated country cooking, cheeses matured on the farm (one method recognised as Brazilian cultural heritage), pão de queijo, slow pork and beans, doce de leite, paired with artisanal cachaça and the country's best coffee. We can do this in a Belo Horizonte institution or a farmhouse table in the hills. Insider tip ### Serra do Cipó or Caraça nature escape 1-2 days (add-on) For those with a little longer, the mountains behind the towns. The Serra do Cipó national park is a garden of waterfalls, springs and rare orchids; at the old Caraça monastery, high in the Espinhaço range, the priest still sets out meat each night and wild maned wolves come to the steps. A quiet, wild counterweight to the baroque. ## Your day-by-day journey This is just one example of how your days could unfold, every itinerary is private and fully tailored, so we gladly reshape it around your pace, interests and travel dates. 2. ![Oscar Niemeyer's curved São Francisco church reflected in the Pampulha lake, Belo Horizonte](https://www.authenticbraziltravel.com/images/destinations/minas-gerais-belo-horizonte.webp) Day 1 ### Arrival in Belo Horizonte Your private guide meets you at Confins airport and transfers you into Belo Horizonte, the modern capital and gateway to the region. If you arrive with energy, we begin gently: the Niemeyer architecture around the Pampulha lake, the museums of the Praça da Liberdade, and a first wander through the Mercado Central, a delicious introduction to the flavours of Minas over a coffee and a warm pão de queijo. Overnight in a boutique hotel in the Savassi or Lourdes district. - Airport pickup - Pampulha (Niemeyer) - Mercado Central 3. ![Aleijadinho's soapstone prophets on the terrace of the Bom Jesus sanctuary, Congonhas](https://www.authenticbraziltravel.com/images/destinations/minas-gerais-congonhas-prophets.webp) Day 2 ### Congonhas & on to Ouro Preto We drive south towards the historic towns, stopping at Congonhas to stand before Aleijadinho's Twelve Prophets at the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus, the high point of Brazilian baroque sculpture. From there it is a short, scenic road to Ouro Preto, where you settle into a colonial pousada in the heart of the old town. An easy first evening wandering the cobbled streets as the churches light up. Overnight in Ouro Preto. - Aleijadinho prophets - Scenic transfer - Ouro Preto by night 4. ![Steep cobbled street of colonial houses and a baroque church tower in Ouro Preto](https://www.authenticbraziltravel.com/images/destinations/minas-gerais-ouro-preto-aerial.webp) Day 3 ### Ouro Preto in depth & Mariana A full, privately guided day in and around the old gold capital. In Ouro Preto: the gilded São Francisco de Assis, the hilltop churches and viewpoints, the museums and the soapstone and gemstone workshops. In the afternoon a short drive to Mariana, the state's oldest town, with its baroque churches and, if you like, a descent into a colonial gold mine. Back to Ouro Preto for a Comida Mineira dinner. Overnight in Ouro Preto. - Ouro Preto churches - Mariana & gold mine - Comida Mineira dinner 5. ![Open-air contemporary art pavilion among tropical gardens at Inhotim, Brumadinho](https://www.authenticbraziltravel.com/images/destinations/minas-gerais-inhotim.webp) Day 4 · Finale ### Inhotim, or onward How you finish is yours to choose. Art lovers add a night back in Belo Horizonte for a full day at Inhotim, the extraordinary open-air museum and botanical garden at Brumadinho. Others prefer to keep it tight and transfer back to Confins for an onward flight, or to carry on down the old Estrada Real gold road towards Rio de Janeiro. We plan the ending around your route and your flights, and tell you honestly what is worth the extra time. - Inhotim option - Confins onward - Estrada Real to Rio ## Where Brazil's story, and its finest cooking, began Tell us your dates and we'll build Minas Gerais into your route, an easy flight or the classic Estrada Real drive from Rio de Janeiro. [Plan My Trip](https://www.authenticbraziltravel.com/destinations/minas-gerais/#plan) ## Included in every journey ### Private local guide Your own English- or German-speaking guide who knows the baroque towns, the art and the history, and the best table in every town. ### All private transfers Confins airport, both hotels and every excursion in a private, air-conditioned vehicle, with the scenic stops built into the drive. ### Hand-picked stays A characterful colonial pousada in the heart of Ouro Preto and a personally vetted boutique hotel in Belo Horizonte, short walks from the best of each. ### Art, history & cuisine, built in Ouro Preto and Mariana, the Congonhas prophets, optional Inhotim and the food of Minas are woven into your days, the living region, not a rushed checklist. ## Where to go next The places we most love to combine with Minas Gerais, woven into one private, tailor-made journey. ### [Rio de Janeiro](https://www.authenticbraziltravel.com/destinations/rio-de-janeiro/) The Marvellous City, Privately Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Overview Sugarloaf at golden hour, hidden Santa Teresa ateliers and a beach day with no schedule. Rio de Janeiro with a private host who knows the city beyond the postcards. View journey ### [São Paulo](https://www.authenticbraziltravel.com/destinations/sao-paulo/) Your Gateway to Brazil, Privately Guided São Paulo, Brazil Overview Brazil's biggest city and its main international gateway, a smart, money-saving start or end to your trip, with private English- or German-speaking guides, half- and full-day city tours, coastal day trips and a food scene like nowhere else in the country. View journey ### [Salvador da Bahia](https://www.authenticbraziltravel.com/destinations/salvador/) The Heart of Afro-Brazil Bahia, Brazil Overview Brazil's first capital and the beating heart of Afro-Brazilian culture. Two to three privately guided days: the UNESCO Pelourinho and its museums, a Bahian food tour, an authentic capoeira taster, day trips into the Recôncavo and to Itaparica, and a beach finish at Praia do Forte. View journey ## Weave Minas Gerais into a bigger journey Minas Gerais features in these guided multi-stop journeys across Brazil, or we weave it into a tailor-made route of your own. ### [Culture & History](https://www.authenticbraziltravel.com/journeys/culture-and-history/) Journey Brazil's gold road, from the port to the mines View ## Frequently asked questions How many days do I need in Minas Gerais? + Three to four days is the sweet spot. That comfortably covers Belo Horizonte, the Congonhas prophets, and Ouro Preto with a half-day in Mariana, based in just two hotels with short drives. Add a fourth or fifth day if you'd like a full day at Inhotim, or a nature escape into the Serra do Cipó. It combines beautifully with Rio de Janeiro, either a short flight or the classic Estrada Real drive. Should I add Tiradentes and São João del-Rei? + Honestly, for most trips we'd say no. Tiradentes is charming, but it sits well south of the Ouro Preto and Belo Horizonte cluster, so it means extra nights and a long drive back to Confins airport, which adds cost, and it doesn't add much history you won't already have seen, and felt more vividly, in Ouro Preto, Mariana and Congonhas. We'd rather keep your route tight and your days rich. If you have a real appetite for more colonial towns and the time to enjoy them, we'll happily build it in, but we'll always tell you the trade-off first. How do I get to Minas Gerais, and is Inhotim worth it? + You fly into Belo Horizonte's Confins international airport (frequent connections from Rio and São Paulo), where your guide meets you; from there everything is a short private drive. Inhotim, near Brumadinho on the far side of Belo Horizonte, is genuinely world-class and well worth a full day if you love contemporary art or gardens, but it sits in the opposite direction from Ouro Preto, so we build it as a dedicated day from Belo Horizonte rather than squeezing it into the baroque loop. When is the best time to visit Minas Gerais? + The highland climate is mild all year. The dry season, roughly April to September, brings the clearest, most comfortable days for walking the cobbled towns; the wetter months (October to March) are greener and warmer with afternoon showers that rarely spoil a day. Easter and the town festivals are atmospheric in the baroque cities but busier, we'll plan around the calendar either way. Is Minas Gerais safe, and can I do it without Portuguese? + The historic towns are among the calmest, most welcoming places to travel in Brazil, and Ouro Preto in particular is a safe, lively university town. Belo Horizonte is a big city and rewards the same sensible city habits as any other, which is exactly what your private guide is there for. Very little English is spoken once you leave the main hotels, so a bilingual local guide is what turns a good trip into an easy one. What does Minas Gerais cost? + Privately guided trips through Minas Gerais start from US$1,100 per person for four days on the ground, with accommodation, transfers and guiding included. Flights, international and domestic, are not part of that. The distances between the baroque towns are what make this more than a city stay, so the vehicle, the season and how many days a local historian travels with you move the figure. Your written proposal states the exact total before anything is confirmed. From our journal ## Read before you go to Minas Gerais Written from Brazil, where we live, with the practical questions answered first. [All journal posts](https://www.authenticbraziltravel.com/blog/) ### [Minas Gerais: Brazil's Baroque Heart, and How to See It Well](https://www.authenticbraziltravel.com/blog/minas-gerais-baroque-towns/) 5 min read The gold-rush towns of Minas Gerais hold Brazil's finest baroque, Aleijadinho's masterpieces and its best-loved cuisine. Here's what to see, and the tight, well-paced route we actually recommend. Read the guide - ### [Brazilian Food: What to Eat Where, Region by Region](https://www.authenticbraziltravel.com/blog/brazilian-food-guide/) 6 min read Brazilian food is not one cuisine. Moqueca and acarajé in Bahia, cheese in Minas Gerais, churrasco in the south, feijoada in Rio, river fish in the Amazon, and what a real caipirinha is by law. - ### [Brazil in Two Weeks: Real Routes, Real Costs](https://www.authenticbraziltravel.com/blog/brazil-itinerary-2-weeks/) 7 min read Four two-week routes through Brazil that actually work, what each one costs per person, and the honest answer to whether three weeks is worth it. [All journal posts](https://www.authenticbraziltravel.com/blog/) ## What travelling with us was actually like - > My wife and I have always been thrilled by Brazil, but we had never dared to organise the trip ourselves. Authentic Brazil Travel planned the whole journey for us, including some destinations we did not know. The trip was superbly organised, the guides were great, the accommodations lovely and the transfers punctual. Thanks to the wonderful guides and their tips we felt safe the entire time and got to discover a lot of new things. Gladly again! Ali Siblani Germany Google review · August 2026 · translated - > I had an excellent experience with Authentic Brazil Travel. They coordinated my trip across several cities in Brazil, including Salvador, Foz do Iguaçu, Rio de Janeiro, and Florianópolis, and everything was handled professionally and smoothly. … I would definitely recommend this agency to anyone looking for reliable and professional assistance when planning travel within Brazil. Great service from beginning to end! Juancarlos Marcano USA Google review · August 2026 - > Me and my family had a great experience. Communication was hassle free and they always cared for our needs and safety. Sindre Jakobsen Norway Google review · July 2026 [Read all reviews on Google](https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJSfLb3hU7J5URipiU_l6zmNk) A little Brazilian sunshine ## Your Brazil starts here. A few ideas are all we need to start planning something personal. - 24h response - Completely non-binding - Personal consultation Rather compose it yourself, stop by stop? [Design your own journey](https://www.authenticbraziltravel.com/my-journey/)