4 Days Colonial Cities Explorer Tour Package
Duration: 4 Days / 3 Nights
Priced From: $1, 699 pp dbl. occ.
Date: Jan - Dec
Itinerary
Day 1: Belo Horizonte/ Colonial Cities Explorer (Congohas/ Sao Joao/ Tiradentes)
Upon arrival in Belo Horizonte, you are met and transferred through scenic countryside to Congonhas do Campo. Congonhas contains important works from the Golden Age of Brazil. You shall visit the main points of interests including Aleijadinho's sculptural masterpieces of the twelve Prophets, carved in soapstone and his sculptural representation of the Via Crucis (Stations of the Cross), done in polychromatic woodwork. The set of life-sized sculptures is Brazil's greatest artistic treasure. Continue to Sao Joao del Rey (also spelled Rei) for lunch and then a visit to the churches of St Francis of Assisi, Our Lady of Carmel and Rosario. Mid-afternoon departure for Tiradentes, the first settlement in the Rio das Mortes region when gold was found in 1702. Tiradentes, who was born here, became a national hero while participating in the Inconfidincia Mineira (1789), a republican liberation movement in Minas Gerais that was repressed by the Portuguese.
Pousada Solar Da Ponte (L,D)
Day 2: Colonial Cities Explorer (Tiradentes/ Mariana/ Ouro Preto)
Tiradentes preserves the colonial-era feeling better than almost any other in Minas Gerais. Pink slate streets, an occasional horse-drawn cart, lace curtains and brightly painted shutters contribute to a feeling of tranquility. You begin your touring with a visit to the St. Antonio church and the house of Father Toledo. Then drive 180 km to Mariana. Mariana, originally called Royal Village of Our Lady of Carmel, was founded in 1696 and was for a short time the capital of the State of Minas Gerais. In 1745 it received its present name which was in honor of Queen Maria Ana. A walk down its picturesque streets allows you to see houses which date from the beginning of the XVIII century, with their balconies of wood, iron and even soapstone. In Minas Gerais Plaza, the churches of St. Francis of Assissi with its richly sculptured door, our Lady of Carmel, the City Hall and the Pillory can be found. Later continue to Ouro Preto.
Hotel Solar de Rosario (B,L,D)
Day 3: Colonial Cities Explorer (Ouro Preto)
Built on rocky ground in the low mountains south of Belo Horizonte, Ouro Preto ("Black Gold", named because the gold found was covered in a thin black layer of iron oxide) was founded in 1711 and declared a national monument in 1933. Its cobblestone streets wind up and down steep hills crowned with 13 churches. Mansions, fountains, churches, vistas of terraced gardens, ruins, towers shining with colored tiles, all blend together to maintain a delightful 18th century atmosphere. You enjoy a full day visit to the main points of interest in Ouro Preto: Church of St.Francis of Assisi, a masterpiece of Brazilian religious architecture, designed and sculpted in wood and soapstone by Aleijadinho; Museum of the School of Mines which gives a complete mineralogical view of Brazil, in addition to displays of geological artifacts from other countries; Church of Our Lady of Pilar, a church that marked the culmination of Golden Age architecture, with carved works painted entirely in gold. Lunch will be a taste of typical Mineira dishes of the regions: Feijão Tropeiro and Tutu à Mineira (two different dishes using beans). To have an idea of the richness of the Ouro Preto soil we can only say that the Imperial Topaz, one of our most beautiful and enviable stones is, to this day, only found in Ouro Preto. Casa dos Contos a beautiful 18th century building that houses today a collection of gold coins of the colonial period.
Hotel Solar de Rosario (B,L,D)
Day 4: Ouro Preto / Belo Horizonte/ Depart
Return to Belo Horizonte for your departing flight. (B)
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12/08
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