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The best photos of Ouro Preto aren't always at the obvious landmarks. Sure, Igreja de Sao Francisco de Assis and Praca Tiradentes will fill your camera roll, but the real magic is in the side streets, the reflected light, and the unexpected angles that only reveal themselves to those exploring on foot. Seek out Mina do Chico Rei for the kind of shot that no one else is posting.
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 photography 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.
Ouro Preto attracts visitors for Baroque architecture and colonial history, and Igreja de Sao Francisco de Assis and Praca Tiradentes and every landmark doubles as a photography opportunity when you know where to stand and when the light is best. A photography-focused walk pays attention to reflections, leading lines, and street scenes between the landmarks. Hidden photogenic spots like Mina do Chico Rei reward those who wander off the main path.
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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