Fronteira: Water, Handicrafts and City History

The Rio Grande runs through Fronteira and lends the destination a character that is quite different from its cultural attractions. The river offers opportunities for sport fishing and kayaking. There are also waterfalls, traditional handicrafts and a town layout with wide, tree-lined avenues. When planning your trip, you can first consider whether you would like to focus mainly on water and activities, culture or the character of the town.

Rio Grande and Waterfalls

At Cachoeira do Domingão, water flows over a rock face into a large swimming pool. The waterfall offers a specific destination for a nature outing, while the Rio Grande provides other ways to enjoy the water, including sport fishing and kayaking. If you enjoy being active outdoors, you will find a range of options here: the waterfall as a striking landscape feature, and activities on the river. Barra do Monjolo campsite offers nature experiences on the banks of the Rio Grande.

Cachoeira do Monjolo also offers a special experience: supervised abseiling with qualified professionals is available there. This activity is different from kayaking and sport fishing, as well as from spending time by a swimming pool.

Fronteira was planned with the aim of attracting tourists because there were several waterfalls along the Rio Grande. This was part of the original idea behind the town. The water landscape is therefore not just a present-day focus for excursions, but also part of the tourism vision that shaped Fronteira's planning.

Townscape, Handicrafts and Local Culture

Fronteira is one of the region's few planned municipalities. Wide, tree-lined avenues and planned urban infrastructure define the character of the town. This perspective on the town complements the nature experiences along the river: during your stay, you can explore not only the water and landscape, but also the town's design.

You can learn about local handicrafts through two distinct examples. Since 2005, the Associação dos Artesãos de Fronteira has been producing handicrafts on traditional hand-operated looms from Minas Gerais. Casa do Artesanato de Fronteira is a cultural space featuring local handicrafts made using traditional techniques passed down through generations. Together, these facts show both a specific way of working by hand and the passing on of skills. For travellers interested in local culture as well as nature and outdoor activities, handicrafts offer a focus of their own.

Feira Livre is also one of Fronteira's major tourist attractions. Folia de Santos Reis is one of the town's cultural events. The market and tradition thus complement the impressions offered by the townscape and handicrafts. These cultural attractions offer a different way to discover Fronteira from spending a day focused mainly on the Rio Grande and its waterfalls.

Another prominent symbol of the town is Bernardão. It is associated with the founding of Fronteira in the early 1940s; visitors view it up close and take photos. Beernardão is a different thing: this craft beer is produced by residents in Fronteira. The two names refer to different sides of the town—a symbol associated with its founding and a local product.

Choosing the Right Focus

When looking for a holiday apartment or house in Fronteira, you can start by considering what kind of stay you want. Waterfalls, river activities and nature experiences make a good focus for landscapes and outdoor pursuits; handicrafts, Feira Livre, Folia de Santos Reis and the townscape offer other highlights. Fronteira can be reached via paved highways; the main access route is the Transbrasiliana BR-153. Which accommodation is right for you depends on which aspects of the destination interest you most—this does not establish specific distances between accommodation and attractions.

For further inspiration, you can also explore Fronteira and Água Comprida, Bicas, Belo Vale, Espera Feliz, Carmópolis de Minas, Belo Oriente and Bocaiúva.

For the broader travel overview: Minas Gerais.