Minas Gerais · Brazil
In the destination Historic Towns of Minas Gerais (Estrada Real).
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
The city
Diamantina preserves streets and mansions linked to diamond mining in the Serra do Espinhaço (mountain range). Walking through the center and experiencing the local music culture help you discover the town beyond its facades.
5 places to stay in Diamantina.
3 places picked to eat.
What to know before you go.
The local experience
A wattle-and-daub townhouse with wooden balconies where Chica da Silva lived with the diamond contractor João Fernandes de Oliveira between 1763 and 1771. Listed as a heritage site in 1950, it temporarily houses the Museu do Diamante (Diamond Museum), whose main building is being restored.
Discover Casa de Chica da Silva
An 18th-century wattle-and-daub house where the former president lived as a child and teenager. Turned into a museum, it displays personal belongings, photographs, a library and guitars used in serestas (serenades).
Discover Casa de Juscelino Kubitschek
Two late-18th-century mansions joined by a covered walkway over the street, which served as a residence for intendants, a school and an orphanage. Restored, the complex belongs to UFMG (Federal University of Minas Gerais) and welcomes visitors.
Discover Casa da Glória e Passadiço
Built in 1834 as a resting place and trading post for tropeiros (mule drivers), it has a wooden structure with half-moon arches. On Praça Barão de Guaicuí, it hosts a handicraft fair, traditional food and music on weekends.
A workers' village built around a textile factory founded in 1876 and closed in 1973, about 14 km from the center. The complex, listed by Iepha (the Minas Gerais state heritage institute) in 1998, is next to the Parque Estadual do Biribiri, with waterfalls.
