Diamantina - Diamantina

Diamantina is a colonial city in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Its 17th-century streets and buildings are witnesses to the country's diamond and gold digging ages, and its historic center has been listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Get in

Distances from:

• Belo Horizonte - 297 Km (180 mi)
• Rio de Janeiro - 732 Km (450 mi)
• Brasília - 724 Km (450 mi)
• São Paulo - 881 Km (550 mi)

By bus

The bus station (rodoviária) is at Largo Dom João, 134. (38) 3531-9176. There are frequent buses from Belo Horizonte by companies São Geraldo and Pássaro Verde (websites in Portuguese only).There is also one daily arrival from São Paulo.

Get around

See

• Capela Imperial do Amparo, Rua do Amparo. Tu-Sa 9AM-noon and 2PM-6PM, Su 8AM-noon. Construction on this chapel began in 1773 and stretched over the next 4 decades. R$1. 
• Casa de Juscelino, Rua São Francisco 241, ☏ 55 38 3531-3607. This former residence of ex-president Juscelino Kubitschek houses a museum dedicated to his life. 
• Casarão do Fórum. One of the most important pieces of colonial architecture, this structure was built as a residence, and later used as a meeting hall for the city council. 
• Diamond Museum (Museu do Diamante), Rua Direita 14, ☏ 55 38 3531-1382. Holds a collection of artifacts from the area's colonial diamond-mining days. 
• Igreja do Bonfim, Rua do Bonfim. Completed sometime before 1771. R$1. 
• Igreja das Mercês, Rua das Mercês. M-F 1PM-5PM, Sa Su 8AM-11AM and noon-5PM. Completed in 1784, this church still holds mass on the fourth Saturday of the month at 5PM. R$1. 
• Igreja da Nossa Senhora do Carmo, Rua do Carmo. Tu-Sa 8AM-noon and 2PM-6PM, Su 8AM-noon. R$2. 
• Igreja São Francisco, Rua São Francisco. Built by the Franciscans in the early 1770s. The interior is being restored. 

Do

• Watch the Vesperatas - open shows of traditional music bands, a large event that takes place on the colonial Quitanda street twice a month (from April to October).

Buy

Eat

• Al-Árabe, ☏ 55 38 3531-2281. Praça Dr. Prado, 124. 
• O Garimpeiro, Av. da Saudade, 265, ☏ 55 38 3532-1040. 
• Trattoria La Dolce Vita, Rua Vieira Coutro, 232, ☏ 55 38 3531-8485. 

Drink

• Espaço B Café, ☏ 55 38 3531-6005. Beco da Tecla, 31. 

Sleep

• Pousada do Garimpo, Av. da Saudade, 265, ☏ 55 38 3532-1040. 
• Pouso da Chica, Rua Macau de Cima, 115, ☏ 55 38 3531-7349. 
• Tijuco, Rua Macau do Meio, 211, ☏ 55 38 3531-1022. 
• Pouso da Chica, Rua Macau de Cima, 115, ☏ 55 38 3531-6190. Check-in: noon, check-out: noon. 

Go next

• Biribiri - A well preserved if tiny 19th-century industrial village, 15km from the city.
• Serro