Praça Tiradentes
Everything on footThe main square and the streets around it, with museums, churches, bars and restaurants.
Town guide
Things to do in Ouro Preto
A baroque gold-rush town of steep cobbled streets and golden churches in the hills of Minas Gerais. One of the most beautiful colonial towns in South America, and a lively student town too.
5
Hostels in the city
8.6
Average, from 346 reviews
1980
Became a UNESCO site
2–3
Days to do it properly
Black gold and baroque churches
Ouro Preto, 'black gold', was the capital of Brazil's 18th-century gold rush, when Minas Gerais produced more gold than anywhere in the world. The wealth built a town of baroque churches, mansions and fountains on steep hillsides, and when the gold ran out and the capital moved to Belo Horizonte, the town was left almost intact. It became one of Brazil's first UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1980.
Its churches are its treasures, especially those decorated by the sculptor Aleijadinho, Brazil's greatest baroque artist, and the painter Manuel da Costa Ataíde. The town also played a central role in the Inconfidência Mineira, an early independence plot, and its leader Tiradentes is a national hero.
Today Ouro Preto is also a university town, with student republics in old mansions and a lively nightlife. Give it two or three days, and wear good shoes: the streets are some of the steepest you will ever walk.
Where to base yourself
Stay in the historic centre around Praça Tiradentes, where the sights, restaurants and bars are all within a steep walk.
Near São Francisco de Assis
Churches, craft marketThe streets around Aleijadinho's masterpiece, a short walk from the square.
Pilar
Quieter, historicThe neighbourhood around the Pilar church, below the main square.
Orange labels are neighbourhoods, dots are the 5 top-rated hostels. Map data from OpenStreetMap contributors.
Things to do
Things to do in Ouro Preto
Start at Praça Tiradentes, the main square, with the Museu da Inconfidência in the old town hall and jail. From there, the town's churches are a short, steep walk in every direction. The São Francisco de Assis church is considered Aleijadinho's masterpiece, with his carvings and Ataíde's painted ceiling, and the Nossa Senhora do Pilar church is one of the richest in Brazil, its interior covered in gold.
Go underground at the Mina da Passagem, in nearby Mariana, one of the oldest gold mines in the region, with a flooded lake deep inside, or at the Mina do Chico Rei in town. The small soapstone and craft markets sell carvings by local artisans.
Nearby, Mariana, the first capital of Minas Gerais, is a quieter colonial town a short ride away, and the hills around Ouro Preto have trails and waterfalls, including the Itacolomi State Park.
Free things
And what it costs nothing to do
Ouro Preto itself is free to wander, and its streets are as much the attraction as its churches. Climb to the viewpoints around town for views over the red roofs and church towers, especially at sunset.
Praça Tiradentes is the town's living room, busy day and night, and the craft market in front of the São Francisco church is free to browse.
Many churches charge a small entry fee, but some have free days or open free for mass.
Food and drink
Eating and drinking
Minas Gerais has some of the best food in Brazil, slow-cooked on wood stoves. Pão de queijo, cheese bread, was born here, and you will eat it at every breakfast. Tutu à mineira, a mash of beans with pork and cabbage, frango com quiabo, chicken with okra, and feijão tropeiro, beans with bacon and egg, are the classics.
Local cheeses and doce de leite are the desserts, and cachaça from Minas is some of the most prized in the country.
Por quilo restaurants serve comida mineira at lunch, and the student bars keep prices low in the evening.
Nightlife
Going out
Ouro Preto is a university town, and its nightlife reflects it. Bars around Praça Tiradentes and the streets nearby fill with students, especially from Thursday to Saturday.
The student republics, old houses shared by students, sometimes hold parties open to visitors. Carnival in Ouro Preto is one of the most famous in Minas Gerais, with the republics at the heart of it.
The streets are steep and slippery, so take care walking home.
Getting around
Getting around
The historic centre is walkable, but very steep. Local buses and taxis are available for the outskirts and Mariana.
Buses connect Ouro Preto with Belo Horizonte, around two hours away, where the nearest major airport, Confins, is. Buses also run to Rio and São Paulo.
A historic tourist train has run between Ouro Preto and Mariana at times; check if it is operating when you visit.
Costs
What Ouro Preto costs
Ouro Preto is good value. Dorm beds run from around €10 to €14, and comida mineira lunches are cheap and filling.
Church and museum entry fees are small, and the gold mine tours are the main extra.
Cards and Pix are accepted almost everywhere. Prices rise during Carnival and festivals.
Safety
Safety and scams
Ouro Preto is generally safe. Take normal care with belongings at night and during big events like Carnival.
The biggest danger is the streets themselves: steep, cobbled and slippery when wet. Wear shoes with good grip and take your time.
In an emergency, call 190 for police or 192 for an ambulance.
Worth leaving town for
More colonial towns and the hills of Minas Gerais.
Mariana
The first capital of Minas Gerais, quieter and colonial.
Mina da Passagem
An old gold mine with an underground lake.
Tiradentes
A small, picturesque colonial town known for its food.
Inhotim
A huge contemporary art park in a botanical garden.
What's on
What is on while you are there
Carnival and Holy Week are the highlights.
February or March
Carnival
Ouro Preto
One of the best-known carnivals in Minas Gerais, centred on the student republics.
Holy Week
Semana Santa
Ouro Preto
Processions over streets carpeted with coloured sawdust and flowers.
Hostels
Where to stay
The highest-rated hostels in Ouro Preto, straight from Hostelworld. Prices and availability are live on each property page.
La Musica Hostel Ouro Preto
Dorms from €11 a night
See dates and book
Nuh Hostel
Dorms from €8 a night
See dates and book
Escadaria Vila Rica Pousada & Hostel
Rooms from €14 a night
See dates and book
Hostel uai
Dorms from €11 a night
See dates and book
É Hostel
Dorms from €11 a night
See dates and book
When to go
April to September is dry and mild, with cool nights. October to March brings rain. Carnival and Holy Week are the busiest times.
Jan
Rainy
Feb
Carnival
Mar
Rain easing
Apr
Holy Week processions
May
Dry and mild
Jun
Cool nights, winter festivals
Jul
Winter holidays
Aug
Dry and sunny
Sep
Warmer, still dry
Oct
Rains begin
Nov
Rainy
Dec
Rainy, festive
Bar height is temperature. Colour is how busy it gets:
quiet
busy
peak
Average highs, rounded. Winter nights can be cold at altitude.
What your trip will cost
Per night, for one person, based on Ouro Preto prices.
Treat these as a guide. Carnival costs more.
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- Beds—
- Food and drink—
- Getting around—
- Doing things—
Ouro Preto questions
The ones we get asked most.
How do I get to Ouro Preto?
By bus from Belo Horizonte, around two hours. Confins airport, near Belo Horizonte, is the nearest major airport.
How many days do you need in Ouro Preto?
Two to three: one for the centre and churches, one for the mines and Mariana.
Who was Aleijadinho?
Brazil's greatest baroque sculptor and architect, whose work fills Ouro Preto's churches, especially São Francisco de Assis.
Is Ouro Preto hilly?
Very. The streets are some of the steepest you will walk, so wear good shoes.
What should I eat in Ouro Preto?
Pão de queijo, tutu à mineira, frango com quiabo and doce de leite, with a local cachaça.
When is the best time to visit Ouro Preto?
April to September for dry weather. Holy Week and Carnival are spectacular but busy.
Is Ouro Preto safe?
Generally, yes. Take normal care at night and during big events.
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