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Where is it? The municipality of Ouro Preto is in the interior of the state of Minas Gerais, in the southeast region of Brazil, and has about 74 thousand inhabitants (2020 census), distributed among its 12 rural districts and central downtown.
How to get there? To get to Ouro Preto from Belo Horizonte, there are several options. If you’re departing from Confins Airport, the best option is to take a bus that drops you off inside the Belo Horizonte bus station. The company offering this service is “Conexão Aeroporto,” which provides hourly buses. Once you arrive at the Belo Horizonte bus station, head to the “Pássaro Verde” counter, the only company that operates buses to Ouro Preto, and purchase your ticket.
Climate: High-altitude tropical climate, characteristic of mountainous regions with rain during December and March. Cold winters and temperate summers.
Temperature (average): Minimum 6°C (43°F) in July. The temperature can reach as low as 2°C (36°F). Maximum: 30°C (82°F) in January.
Ouro Preto’s History: Ouro Preto comes from dark gold (or black gold, in a literal translation), covered with a layer of iron oxide, found in the city. The city 's first name was Vila Rica. Afterwards, it was Vila Rica de Albuquerque, because of Captain General Antônio de Albuquerque Coelho Carvalho, then governor of the captaincies of Minas Gerais and São Paulo. It was D. João V who had the Albuquerque removed from the name, and adopted the Vila Rica de Nossa Senhora do Pilar, to honor the city's patron saint.
Accommodation: In Ouro Preto, republic-style housing (fraternities and sororities) is very common, in which several students live together and help each other adapt to the city and college. Every semester, the International Relations Office provides a catalog with some housing options. The catalog includes information about the available places, photos, and contact information.
Transportation: In addition to buses, there are shared taxis (known as taxi lotação) that circulate around predetermined routes, charging a set price. The taxis that pass through UFOP’s campus are labeled “via Bauxita” or “via campus UFOP.” Another option is private transport apps, such as: 2V, Ubiz Car, Pampam, OP Expert and Rotas Gerais.
Health Care: Urgent Care or Unidade de Pronto Atendimento (UPA): 24h (for urgent matters and emergencies) – (31) 3559-3131
Avenida Américo Renné Giannetti, 555 – Praça Barão de Saramenha, Ouro Preto - MG.
The University has a Basic Health Unit at the Campus Morro do Cruzeiro that offers many medical services for all students and city residents. All of these medical services are free, including for the foreign students.
Cultural Spaces: The Casa da Ópera (Opera House), also known as the Teatro Municipal de Ouro Preto (the Municipal Theater of Ouro Preto), is a spectacle unto itself. The building is the oldest preserved theater in Latin America and it is open for visitation for free from Monday to Sunday from 12 PM to 6 PM.
The city’s movie theater, also housed in a historic building, is known as Cine Teatro Vila Rica. Run by UFOP, the theater offers various free screenings throughout the year in addition to showings organized by students, like CineArq. Check the schedule online: @cinevilarica
The Convention Center of UFOP holds various national and international conferences. It is also used for cultural events like Cine OP and the Winter Festival, and is used as a theater for Ouro Preto.
Where is it? Mariana is a municipality located in the state of Minas Gerais, in the Southeast region of Brazil. According to the 2022 census, its population was 61,387 inhabitants, though the actual population is estimated to fluctuate around 30,000.
The municipality is divided into nine districts, which are primarily engaged in agricultural and handicraft activities.
How to get there? To get to Mariana from Belo Horizonte, there are several options. If you’re departing from Confins Airport, the best option is to take a bus that drops you off inside the Belo Horizonte bus station. The company offering this service is “Conexão Aeroporto,” which provides hourly buses. Once you arrive at the Belo Horizonte bus station, head to the “Pássaro Verde” counter, the only company that operates buses to Mariana, and purchase your ticket.
The best way to explore Mariana is on foot. The city’s main attractions, such as the colonial houses and baroque churches, are located in the Historic Center.
Mariana's History: The history of Mariana is marked by a period of discovery, religiosity, artistic prominence, and the search for gold. It reflects the pioneering spirit of a region that, for three centuries, has preserved riches dating back to Brazil’s colonial era.
On July 16, 1696, São Paulo bandeirantes, led by Salvador Fernandes Furtado de Mendonça, discovered gold in a river they named Ribeirão Nossa Senhora do Carmo. On its banks, the settlement of Nossa Senhora do Carmo was established, quickly assuming a strategic role in the power dynamics driven by gold. The settlement became one of the primary suppliers of gold to Portugal and was soon elevated to the status of the first village in the Captaincy of São Paulo and Minas de Ouro. It also became the first capital of the region.
In 1711, the settlement of Nossa Senhora do Carmo was elevated to the Vila de Nossa Senhora do Ribeirão do Carmo. In 1745, King Dom João V of Portugal granted it city status, renaming it Mariana in honor of his wife, Queen Maria Ana of Austria.
Mariana also became the religious center of the state, as it was designated the seat of the first bishopric of Minas Gerais. To fulfill this role, Bishop Dom Frei Manoel da Cruz was sent from Maranhão. His journey, completed entirely over land, lasted one year and two months, a remarkable achievement during Brazil’s colonial period.
An urban plan for Mariana was developed by Portuguese military engineer José Fernandes Pinto de Alpoim. The city’s layout, characterized by straight streets and rectangular squares, made it the first planned city in Minas Gerais and one of the first in Brazil.
Climate: The climate in Mariana varies greatly. During the summer, the city experiences heavy rainfall, while in winter, the weather is generally pleasant most of the time.
Accommodation: Due to the city’s large and fluctuating population, rental prices can be relatively high. However, Mariana has numerous fraternities and sororities (repúblicas) —mixed, female, and male accommodations—that cater to students, providing an affordable alternative to expensive rents.
Transportation: Municipal transportation in Mariana is free, and it is possible to travel to Ouro Preto by bus. The route is operated by the company Transcotta, with buses running every day of the week at intervals of 20, 30 minutes, or 1 hour. You can check the schedules on the company’s website. Another option is private transport apps.
Health Care: For free medical care, you can visit the city’s Polyclinic, where consultations and examinations are available. The address is R. Wenceslau Braz, 458, Centro. For emergency services, the address is Rua do Contorno, s/n, Colina.
Cultural Spaces: Mariana is known as a city of events, ensuring plenty of leisure options. The Praça Gomes Freire offers various attractions, and depending on the time of year, the city hall organizes free shows. Additionally, the city boasts museums and historic churches.
Where is it? João Monlevade is a Brazilian municipality in the interior of Minas Gerais, in the Southeast region of the country. It is located to the east of the state capital, approximately 110 kilometers away. It covers an area of 99.158 km², with 29.1 km² in urban areas, and its population in 2022 was 80,187 inhabitants.
How to get there? To get to João Monlevade from Belo Horizonte, there are several options. If you’re departing from Confins Airport, the best option is to take a bus that drops you off inside the Belo Horizonte bus station. The company offering this service is “Conexão Aeroporto,” which provides hourly buses. Once you arrive at the Belo Horizonte bus station, head to the “Gontijo” counter and purchase your ticket to João Monlevade. Another option is to download the Buser* bus company app and purchase a ticket.
*The Buser depart from various locations in Belo Horizonte. So, if you choose to travel with Buser, make sure to check the departure location of the bus. You may also need to download a private transport app, such as Uber or 99, to get to the departure point.
João Monlevade’s History: The history of this municipality is closely tied to Jean Antoine Felix Dissandes Monlevade, a French engineer. In the early 19th century, around the year 1818, he settled in São Miguel do Rio Piracicaba, near a Catalan forge. Upon arriving in the lands of the old Arraial de São Miguel, Jean Antoine began the construction of his residence, which would later be named Solar da Fazenda Monlevade. In 1948 the District of João Monlevade was established.
In 1921, the Companhia Siderúrgica Mineira, later known as Belgo Mineira, acquired these sites, establishing itself there in 1939. The urban center grew around the CSBM plant and gained political emancipation in 1964.
Climate: The climate of João Monlevade is characterized as tropical sub-warm semi-humid, with an annual average compensated temperature of 21 °C and an average rainfall of 1,400 mm/year, concentrated between October and April, with December being the wettest month. The hottest month, February, has an average temperature of 23.4 °C, while the coldest month, July, averages 17.7 °C.
Accommodation: In João Monlevade, republic-style housing (fraternities and sororities) is very common, in which several students live together and help each other adapt to the city and college. Every semester, the International Relations Office provides a catalog with some housing options.
Transportation: In addition to buses, there are private transport apps. Students who live at least 1 km away from the UFOP campus are eligible for free bus transportation to and from the university.*
*To use the free transportation, you must contact the city's bus company called Enscon.
Health Care: Polyclinic: Avenida Getúlio Vargas, 2640, Belmonte – (31) 35930-312
Hospital Margarida: Rua Doutor Geraldo Soares de Sá- Vila Tanque – (31) 3859-3144
Cultural Spaces: When visiting João Monlevade, you can explore the Solar de Monlevade Farm, the first residence of its founder, visit the Monlevade Museum of Iron and Steel, the Praça do Povo, the Casa de Cultura, and other tourist attractions in the city.
