Tiradentes

Tiradentes was a gold settlement called Sao Jose del Rei until it was renamed in 1889 for Joaquim Jose da Silva Xavier, the Inconfidencia conspirator executed in 1792 who was born nearby. The town is small and almost entirely eighteenth century: cobbled streets, whitewashed houses with coloured window frames, and the Matriz de Santo Antonio, whose interior is among the most heavily gilded in Minas, with a facade attributed to Aleijadinho and an organ brought from Portugal in 1798. A steam train built in the 1880s still runs the twelve kilometres to Sao Joao del Rei on weekends. Tiradentes has become a weekend destination for Sao Paulo and Rio, with restaurants well beyond what a town this size would otherwise carry, and a large food festival each August.

What you actually see

• The Matriz de Santo Antonio - one of the most gilded interiors in Minas.
• A working steam train - the 1880s line to Sao Joao del Rei at weekends.
• An eighteenth-century town - cobbles and painted frames almost throughout.
• A restaurant scene - far larger than the town's size would suggest.

When to go

April to September. Two days. Weekdays are much quieter.

Honest expectations

Weekends and the August festival bring crowds and sharply raised prices, and accommodation books out. The cobbles are hard walking. The church restricts photography. Out of season some restaurants close midweek.

Nearby

Sao Joao del Rei is along the train line; Congonhas is north.