Mercado Central de Belo Horizonte

The market opened in 1929 and occupies a full block under one roof, with something like four hundred stalls arranged in aisles by trade: Minas cheeses stacked in wheels by age and origin, cachaca in hundreds of bottlings including infusions with everything from herbs to whole preserved fruit, dried goods, spices, birds, plants and religious articles. The other function is eating and drinking. Bars inside serve the standard Belo Horizonte bar food - fried pork rinds, sausage, liver and onions with jiló, and the famous version at Bar da Lora - with beer from mid-morning, and Saturday lunchtime here is a fixed institution of the city. It is a working market for residents first and visitors second.

What you actually see

• Minas cheeses by age and origin - wheels stacked across whole stalls.
• Hundreds of cachacas - bottlings and infusions from across the state.
• Bars inside the market - the standard city bar food and beer from morning.
• Four hundred stalls under one roof - trades grouped along the aisles.

When to go

All year; Saturday for the full effect. Two hours, longer if you eat.

Honest expectations

Saturdays are extremely crowded and bars have no space to sit. The centre around it needs normal city caution. Some stalls quote inflated prices to obvious visitors. It closes early on Sundays.

Nearby

Praca da Liberdade and the museums are south; Pampulha is north.