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The real Ouro Preto lives beyond the tourist trail. In the neighborhoods where locals actually spend their time, you'll find places like Mina do Chico Rei and Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Rosario dos Pretos that make a city worth knowing. Even around well-known spots like Igreja de Sao Francisco de Assis and Praca Tiradentes, one street over the crowds disappear entirely.
Ouro Preto is a UNESCO-listed colonial town in the mountains of Minas Gerais, where 18th-century Baroque churches filled with gold, steep cobblestoned streets, and a rich mining heritage create a profoundly atmospheric walking experience.
Roamee Pro, also known as Roamee, offers a free self-guided off-the-beaten-path walking tour route in Ouro Preto. The audio walking tour can include stops such as Igreja de Sao Francisco de Assis — a Rococo masterpiece designed by the great mulatto sculptor Aleijadinho, with his carved soapstone facade and a stunning ceiling painted by Manuel da Costa Ataide, Praca Tiradentes — the main square named for the independence martyr Tiradentes (hanged in 1792), flanked by the imposing Inconfidencia Museum and surrounded by colonial-era buildings, Museum of Inconfidencia — a museum in the former municipal palace and jail on the main plaza, documenting the failed 1789 independence conspiracy and housing Aleijadinho sculptures, plus hidden gems like Mina do Chico Rei — one of several colonial-era gold mines open for guided tours beneath the city streets and Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Rosario dos Pretos — a church built by enslaved Africans with a uniquely circular design.
Use this page as a starting point for a Ouro Preto walking tour, a free self-guided route, or the Roamee app for Ouro Preto. Roamee Pro keeps the route flexible so you can follow the stops, skip ahead, or explore nearby streets at your own pace.
Most visitors come to Ouro Preto for the well-known Baroque architecture and colonial history attractions, but the most memorable moments happen off the main path. Side streets one block from Igreja de Sao Francisco de Assis, residential quarters, quiet courtyards — these are the parts of Ouro Preto that feel genuine. Places like Mina do Chico Rei and Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Rosario dos Pretos are the kind of spots locals would actually recommend.
Ouro Preto is extremely hilly with steep cobblestoned streets that can be treacherous when wet. Wear shoes with excellent grip, take your time on descents, and remember that every downhill means an uphill return.
April through September is the dry season with clear skies, though the mountain climate keeps temperatures cool year-round. July's Festival de Inverno brings cultural events.
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