Gold Rush to Baroque Masterpieces: 48 Hours in Ouro Preto's Historic Center

Start your Ouro Preto adventure where all good Brazilian experiences should begin—at a local café with a strong cup of coffee. The Café Geraes near the main square serves the region's mountain-grown beans with the reverence they deserve, paired with pão de queijo (cheese bread) that puts stadium pretzels to shame.

After fueling up, tackle the São Francisco de Assis Church first thing in the morning before the tour groups arrive. This masterpiece by Aleijadinho (Brazil's answer to Michelangelo) showcases what happens when European baroque meets Brazilian tropical exuberance. The soapstone carvings are so detailed you'll swear they might start moving when you look away.

For lunch, duck into Restaurante Casa dos Contos for your first taste of Minas Gerais cuisine—hearty comfort food that's been sustaining miners and artists for centuries. Their feijão tropeiro (bean and pork dish) is the culinary equivalent of a walk-off home run.

Spend your afternoon getting deliberately lost in the twisted cobblestone streets. These aren't your typical grid-pattern city blocks—they follow the contours of the mountains and the whims of 18th-century urban planning (or lack thereof). Wear your comfortable walking shoes because these steep inclines and uneven stones are brutal on fashion footwear.

No visit to Ouro Preto is complete without understanding the gold that gave this city its name and funded its architectural splendor. The Mina do Chico Rei offers guided tours into the belly of an 18th-century gold mine, where you'll experience the claustrophobic conditions enslaved miners endured. It's a sobering counterpoint to the opulence above ground.

After emerging back into daylight, make your way to the Museu da Inconfidência in Tiradentes Square. Housed in the former town hall, it tells the story of Brazil's first independence movement. The museum's collection of baroque art alone is worth the price of admission.

As afternoon fades, grab your collapsible water bottle and hike up to Santa Efigênia Church for sunset. The panoramic views of Ouro Preto's terracotta rooftops against the backdrop of verdant mountains is the perfect closing shot for your first day. I've watched baseball games in 37 stadiums across America, but few views compare to Ouro Preto at golden hour.

For dinner, Restaurante Bené da Flauta serves traditional Mineiro cuisine with live regional music. Their pork loin with tutu (seasoned bean purée) pairs beautifully with a caipirinha made with local cachaça.

Begin your second day with breakfast at your pousada (Brazilian B&B)—most serve homemade cakes, tropical fruits, and strong coffee that'll put stadium concession coffee to shame. Then head to the Feira de Artesanato (craft market) near Tiradentes Square, where local artisans sell everything from soapstone carvings to handwoven textiles.

Ouro Preto's artisanal traditions date back centuries, with techniques passed down through generations. I've found some of my most treasured souvenirs in markets like this—pieces with soul that tell a story far better than any mass-produced magnet ever could. Consider picking up some traditional Minas cheese or Brazilian coffee beans to bring home flavors of your journey.

After shopping, explore the Nossa Senhora do Pilar Church, arguably the most opulent in town with over 400kg of gold leaf adorning its interior. The contrast between the humble exterior and the explosion of gilded glory inside is a metaphor for Ouro Preto itself—unpretentious on the surface but concealing immense riches.

For lunch, Restaurante O Passo offers contemporary takes on Mineiro classics with a rooftop terrace view that's worth the splurge. Their pumpkin stuffed with shrimp in a coconut sauce is a flavor combination that knocks it out of the park.

Spend your final afternoon in Ouro Preto visiting the Casa dos Contos (House of Accounts), once the royal treasury where all that glittering gold was weighed and taxed before being shipped to Portugal. The building itself is a masterpiece of colonial architecture, with its imposing stone façade and interior courtyard.

Afterward, treat yourself to some of Brazil's finest chocolates at Chocolates Ouro Preto. The store offers handcrafted confections infused with local flavors like cachaça and tropical fruits. Their brigadeiros (Brazilian chocolate truffles) make perfect gifts—if they survive the trip home without being devoured.

Before dinner, enjoy a final sunset stroll along the Rua Direita, pausing at the various mirantes (viewpoints) to soak in different perspectives of this remarkable city. I recommend bringing your insect repellent as the twilight hours can bring out mosquitoes in the warmer months.

Cap your Ouro Preto experience with dinner at Restaurante Quinto do Ouro, where the feijoada (Brazil's national dish of black beans and pork) comes with all the traditional accompaniments. Pair it with a caipirinha and toast to the golden city that's captured your heart, just as it did mine.