Getting There

By Car -- From Belo Horizonte take the BR-040 for some 30km (19 miles), then turn onto the BR-356 to Ouro Preto. From Rio de Janeiro take the BR-040 highway as far as Conselheiro Lafaiete, then follow the Estrada Real to Ouro Preto. From São Paulo follow the BR-381 to Lavras and then take the BR-265 to Barbacena. In Barbacena take the BR-040 in the direction of Belo Horizonte.

From Belo Horizonte's Pampulha or Confins airport (Pampulha is about 40km/25 miles closer to Ouro Preto than Confins airport), it's possible to negotiate with a taxi to take you straight to Ouro Preto for a set fee (expect to pay around R$150-R$200, depending on your bargaining skills) or you can take the bus.

By Bus -- Regular buses connect from Rio (7 hr.), São Paulo (11 hr.), and Belo Horizonte (2 hr.) to Ouro Preto. Util runs a nightly 11:30pm bus from Rio to Ouro Preto, arriving first thing in the morning (tel. 021/2518-1133 in Rio, or 031/3551-3166 in Ouro Preto); tickets cost R$71 for a regular seat and R$115 for a comfortable almost bedlike seat (leito). Cristo Rei has three daily departures between São Paulo Bresser Station (tel. 011/3692-4073) and Ouro Preto (tel. 031/3551-1777). Passaro Verde runs at least 20 buses a day between Belo Horizonte and Ouro Preto (tel. 031/3073-7575). Tickets cost R$22. The Ouro Preto bus station is a R$10 taxi ride from the historic core.

Tourist Information

Ouro Preto Tourist Information is at Rua Claudio Manuel 61 (tel. 031/3559-3544; daily 8am-6pm). For tour guides, contact the Ouro Preto Tour Guide Association at tel. 031/3551-2655. A 4-hour English-language tour of Ouro Preto (with up to 10 people) costs R$100.

Fast Facts -- Banco do Brasil, Rua São José 189 (tel. 031/3551-2663), has a 24-hour ATM. This branch will also exchange U.S. dollars. Almost next door, the HSBC, Rua São José 201 (tel. 031/3551-2048), also has ATMs. Cyber House, Rua Conde Bobadela 109 (tel. 031/3552-2048), is open daily from 10am to 8pm.

When to Go to Ouro Preto & Mariana

Avoid visiting Ouro Preto and Mariana on Monday, as the majority of churches, museums, and attractions are closed. To take advantage of lower room rates in either town, visit Tuesday through Friday. Everything is open but not as busy as on the weekends.

A Taxi Tour

Many of the city's taxi drivers will also agree to a full- or half-day sightseeing rate. This is an ideal option for visiting Mariana or getting out into the countryside.

Parking

City Layout

Ouro Preto is a city of twisting, turning streets that seem to change names at every corner, but despite this it's remarkably hard to get lost. Thanks to the ever-present incline you can usually pick out your destination -- be it church, museum, or square -- either above or below you. The main square in the center of the city is the Praça Tiradentes. The Museu da Inconfidência stands on one side of the square and the University of Ouro Preto on the other. Running downhill out of the square are two parallel streets -- Rua Sen. Rocha Lagoa and Rua Conde de Bobadela (aka Rua Direita) -- packed with restaurants, pubs, and shops. Following those streets will lead via a number of twists and turns first to the Praça Reinaldo Alves de Brito with its lovely sculpted fountain, and below that to the Igreja Matriz N.S. do Pilar. Below that again -- possibly on the Rua Antonio Albuquerque, though there are several other routes -- stands the lovelyIgreja N.S. do Rosario.

Head downhill on the other side of Praça Tiradentes, and you'll come to the Largo de Coimbra, site of the Igreja São Francisco de Assis. Continue following the street down the hillside to the next important church, the Matriz N.S. da Conceição and the next-door Aleijadinho Museum. Past this church, strolling alongRua Bernardo Vasconcelos, the street crosses a lovely stone bridge before it starts to climb very steeply. At the top -- the view is worth the effort, but if you're feeling lazy you can always take a cab from the main square for R$6 -- stands the Matriz Santa Efigenia dos Pretos, built by communities of slaves who were not permitted to worship in other churches. Note the Afro-Brazilian motifs, such as shells and goat horns. Retracing your steps down the steep street, you will be rewarded with a beautiful view of the city.

Bring good walking shoes. All the streets are cobblestone, and the sidewalks and steps are often carved out of uneven stones.

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