Situated in the river valley where the Velhas and Sabara rivers merge, the cobble-stoned streets of Sabara unfold the history of the legendary mining and exploring era. Sabara is only 25 minutes from Belo Horizonte and contains some of the most celebrated baroque churches in Brazil, such as the Igreja do Carmo and the Igreja do Rosario. It also boasts the glorious Teatro Municipal, the only Elizabethan theatre in South America. Besides the historic architecture Sabara also has lively festivals throughout the year, arts and crafts for sale, and delicious regional food to try.

With its two level balconies and elegant interior, the Teatro Municipal is a beautiful and majestic performance space. Being the only theatre of its kind in the entire continent Sabara is well worth a visit for this reason alone. Of course there are some amazing baroque churches that shouldn't be missed, such as the Church of Our Lady Carmel, which displays the carvings and sculptures by Aleijaninho. One of the most important historical structures in Brazil is the Igreja Nossa Senhora do O, which is quite impressive with its detailed and colorful paintings of European and Oriental influence.

Founded in 1711, Sabara was one of the three original mining towns of Minas Gerais. Toward the end of the mining era Sabara became more populated and productive than Mariana and Ouro Preto. The town continued to grow after Belo Horizonte became the state capital, but remained a small version of the larger surrounding towns.

There are daily buses from Belo Horizonte that run every 15 minutes. You can catch the municipal bus 1059 that leaves from Aveninda do Contorno and Rua Caetes starting at 5:45 am. If you plan on returning, the last bus leaves Sabara at 10:30 pm. There are also daily buses from Rio via the BR-040, Brasilia (BR-040), and Sao Paulo (BR-381). By air the closest airport is the Pampulha in Belo Horizonte.

Tourism has been on the rise in recent years and now the town offers several small and quaint farm hotels. If you decide to extend your stay the Pousada Solar dos Sepulveda offers affordable and cozy rooms conveniently located in the center of town.

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