by ELLIOT BROWN FROM ENGLAND
So you are contemplating a visit to Ouro Preto! In February 2020, my wife and I (British, in our early 70’s) were holidaying in Rio de Janeiro (our fifth visit!) and thought that a change of scene was called for. Ouro Preto looked interesting and pretty when we had seen it featured on the Michael Palin TV programme on Brazil so we made our plans accordingly.
We booked a 1 hour direct flight from Rio to Belo Horizonte, took a pre-booked taxi to Ouro Preto, spent 3 nights (4 full days) there, taxi back to BH and a flight back. The taxi was a big mistake – the driver spent the 2.5 hour drive juggling steering wheel, gear stick and 2 mobile phones. However, when we arrived in Ouro Preto we were just delighted with our decision – what a stunning, beautiful town! We stayed at the lovely Pousada Solar da Opera right in the centre: quaint, comfortable, clean and hospitable, but surrounded by shops, bars and restaurants. There is a little café / bakery on site offering a good breakfast and a free afternoon tea.
The only down side (for me) was the array of jewellers on the street making beautiful jewellery with local gemstones. My wife demolished our carefully worked-out budget within hours.
Our best decision was having Sueli as a private guide. We chose her African Heritage tour, Basic Ouro Preto tour and the Mariana tour (about 10 hours officially, but she spent a lot more time with us). The tours were really excellent: Sueli took care to ensure that we were going at a comfortable pace and seeing what most interested us. Churches, museums, gold mines, historical buildings: absolutely fascinating. At the end of our first rather long day, Sueli joined us for a drink on the terrace of the Grand Hotel. Looking out over the pretty town and the beautiful hills while relaxing with a beer was a real delight.
We asked to travel to Mariana with her on the local bus which was an experience in itself. On the way we visited the Minas da Passagem gold mine, which we had seen on the Michael Palin programme: this was brilliant, with a journey on an underground railway and a guided tour of the mine workings. At our request, Sueli also took us to the mineralogy museum in Ouro Preto – fascinating.
In addition to sharing her knowledge of the local history and sights, Sueli gave us an insight into current Brazilian politics and social issues. She also arranged private dance lessons – my wife and I are enthusiastic ballroom dancers and we wanted some authentic Brazilian routines. We have now added Forro, Samba da Gafieira and Samba no Peé to our repertoire.
Sueli had also reassured us that going out in Ouro Preto was safe, given common sense precautions and we wandered around the town without any anxiety. Our stay was enhanced by the excellent local restaurants. We only eat vegetarian and fish which we feared might be a problem but we had no difficulty other than self-induced from over-indulging.
Not wishing to repeat our experience with the taxi we asked Sueli to arrange our return journey to Belo Horizonte – her choice was excellent – a smart vehicle with a safe, professional driver! A perfect end to a really memorable trip.
So what would this set you back? For two people, including return flights with checked in bags from Rio, private taxi transfers, Bed and Breakfast, private tours – probably £500 GBP (3000 Rs, 600 USD). Main meals, dance lessons – and jewellery extra!