The surrounding mountains, the geometric rows of whitewashed buildings, the cobblestone streets and red-tile roofs that climb the hillsides, and the morning mist and evening fog -- all give Ouro Prêto, Brazil's former gold-rush capital, an evocative air, as if at any moment it could be transported back three centuries. Nevertheless, the vibrant student population ensures plenty of modern-day activity, and there are many lodging, dining, and shopping options.
Location: About 210 miles north of Rio. Fly into Belo Horizonte -- the third largest city in Brazil; it's about 60 miles southeast of there
Tasty treat: Queijo do minas, a mild, soft, white cheese often served with fruit or fruit jam
Top outing: Brazil's oldest gold mine, where you can ride an old mining car through the tunnels and see exposed quartz, graphite, and black tourmaline
Where to stay: Luxor Ouro Prêto, a 19th-century lodge-style hotel surrounded by 200-year-old walls
Don't leave without: Shopping for gemstones
Don't miss: Igreja de São Francisco de Assis, the most impressive of the town's many baroque churches
Suggested sights & activities:
- Mina de Ouro de Passagem, the gold mine, 4 km (3 mi) outside of town
- Museu da Mineralogia e das Pedras (Mineralogy and Rocks Museum), an appropriate museum for this town and another must-see
- Museu da Inconfidência, which explains the country's first independence movement
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