Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
peaceful to unwind and appreciate the leisurely pace of life in small-town Minas.
There are six colonial churches (nominally open Tues to Sat 1-5pm, and Sun for
services; R$2).
Capela de Santa Rita and around
Praça Modesto J Oliveira (MG-010) • Tues-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat 9am-1pm • Free •
T
38 3541 1221
Serro is dominated by the eighteenth-century pilgrimage chapel of
Capela de
Santa
Rita
, high above the centre - there are fine
views
across the village and towards the
surrounding countryside from here. The church is something of a town symbol, with
most eagle-eyed residents claiming they can tell the time from the chapel clock, even
from the base of the hill. The most pleasant (if exhausting) way to reach the chapel is
via the 57 stone steps cut into the slope from central
Praça João Pinheiro
, home of the
larger
Igreja Nossa Senhora do Carmo
, inaugurated in 1781.
2
Igreja da Matriz de Nossa Senhora da Conceição
Praça Matriz • Daily noon-4pm • R$2
A short walk east along Rua Alferes Luís Pinto from Praça João Pinheiro brings
you to the twin Chinese-influenced towers of the
Igreja da Matriz de Nossa Senhora
da Conceição
. Dating from the 1770s, the church is one of the biggest and most
beautiful Baroque churches in the state; the ornate ceiling painting of a Madonna
surrounded by clouds, angels and baubles was painted by Manuel Antônio Fonseca
in 1888.
Chácara do Barão do Serro
Rua Maria José de Morais 84 • Tues-Sat 1-5pm • Free •
T
38 3541 2005
Easily recognizable from a clump of palms on the other side of the valley (a five-minute
walk from the Conceição church) is the
Chácara do Barão do Serro
, which now houses
the town's Centro Cultural. The old house is a fascinating example of a nineteenth-
century
casa grande
, and you are free to wander through the main building and the
former slaves' quarters outside.
Museu Regional
Praça Cristiano Ottoni 72 • Tues-Sat noon-5.30pm, Sun 9am-noon • R$2 •
T
38 3541 1440
Serro's
Museu Regional
, housed in the eighteenth-century Casa dos Ottoni a short
walk from the Chácara do Barão do Serro, contains a reasonable collection of period
drawings and paintings, kitchen equipment and furniture belonging to the once
influential Ottoni family. From the front of the museum you get a good view of the
finest buildings in the town, including the enormous
Casa do Barão de Diamantina
,
clinging to the hillside, beautifully restored and now a school.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
SERRO
By bus
The rodoviária
(
T
38 3541 1366) is almost in the
centre at Praça Ângelo Miranda, so you can ignore the
attentions of the taxi drivers and walk uphill for some 30m
to the heart of the village. Buses run to Diamantina (2 daily;
2.5hr) and Belo Horizonte (4 daily; 6hr).
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
Pousada Do Queijo
Rua Nagib Bamhed 7
T
38 3541
2622.
Rooms
are small and simple, but the views are
fantastic, there's a basic bre
akfast a
nd it's in the centre of
town. Free wi-fi throughout.
R$140
Restaurante Itacolomi
T
38 3541 1227.
There are few places to eat in Serro, but
try this simple canteen, which has a good
por quilo
buffet
of regional dishes at lunch and an à la carte menu in the
evening.
Daily 11.30am-3pm & 5.30-10.30pm.
Praça João Pinheiro 20
