Jequitinhonha Valley

The Jequitinhonha Valley is the region in the northeast of Minas Gerais watered by the Jequitinhonha River and its tributaries, such as the Araçuaí. The river rises in the Serra do Espinhaço and flows eastward toward Bahia, where it reaches the Atlantic. Along its course there are old towns, rural communities and a landscape of hills, plateaus and vegetation transitional between cerrado and caatinga.

The valley became known nationwide for its popular culture. The dolls and clay figures made by craftswomen in rural communities circulate in markets and museums, and each village has its own style. Choirs and groups that perform traditional songs preserve benditos, work songs and festive music collected in homes and on the farms.

Araçuaí, on the banks of the river that gives it its name, is the main town of the Middle Jequitinhonha. There the Dutch Franciscan friar Frei Chico founded the Coral Trovadores do Vale and, together with artist Lira Marques, created the Araçuaí Museum, dedicated to the region’s religiosity and customs. The Festa do Rosário, with the brotherhood’s drummers, usually takes place in October.

The climate is hot and dry for much of the year. On November 19, 2023, the National Institute of Meteorology station in Araçuaí recorded 44.8 °C, the highest temperature ever measured in Brazil. Diamantina, high in the valley, belongs to another destination: the historical towns of Minas.

This destination brings together 1 city: Araçuaí.