Itabirito: Art, History and Landscape

Public art, historic streetscapes, regional cuisine and striking landscapes give Itabirito a multifaceted character. Families travelling here can include a range of interests in their holiday plans: art and history, themed excursions or insights into a local speciality. When choosing a holiday rental, it helps to first consider which of these interests should shape the trip.

Street art tells the story of Itabirito

The Rota Turística de Arte Urbana comprises murals and painted façades in public spaces across Itabirito. These include works at the Complexo Turístico da Estação, the Sine headquarters and the former CEMI sports ground. The route draws attention to art in the urban landscape, rather than locating culture solely in a single exhibition space. For families, it offers a chance to talk together about images, places and their meaning.

At the Complexo Turístico da Estação, a mural depicts notable figures and defining events from Itabirito’s hundred-year history. At approximately half a kilometre long, it is an especially extensive work. The muralism at the Complexo Turístico da Estação is also one of the city’s tourist attractions. The murals thus offer a tangible way to engage with art and local history; the mural itself brings the two together in its portrayal of the city’s history.

Excursions with a range of themes

Jardirêdes is a tourist transport service in Itabirito that offers themed excursions combining culture, art, gastronomy and nature. It appeals to travellers who do not want to limit their stay to a single theme. Those keen to explore historic streetscapes can instead consider the Ecotrilhas Rotas Centenárias, which leads to sights in the historic centres of Boa Viagem and Matozinhos.

Crafts are also part of the tourist offering in the associated municipality. The Rota Turística Jaguara includes the Loja dos Artesãos de Acuruí as a local crafts stop. This gives an excursion a different emphasis from the street art in Itabirito: here, the focus is on local handicrafts. Along the Rio Acima–Acuruí–Glaura section of the Caminho do Sabarabuçu, the route turns right to Acuruí after another kilometre. This direction provides specific guidance for the section described, without implying a connection to any of the other places mentioned.

Regional cuisine and a time-honoured speciality

Pastel de angu is considered intangible cultural heritage in Itabirito and is made using a hundred-year-old recipe. This speciality adds a culinary dimension to the trip and represents a tradition that goes beyond individual sights. Travelling with children, you can discover a regional dish alongside art and landscapes.

The Vagão do Pastel de Angu at the Complexo Turístico da Praça da Estação opened as a place where residents and tourists could try the traditional pastel de angu.

Landscape and heritage protection

The Morro do Cristo, at an elevation of 1,179 metres, lies within the municipality and offers tourists panoramic views of the surrounding landscape. Another notable site is Pico de Itabirito. In 1989, IEPHA-MG designated it as a landscape complex for heritage protection. Municipal Law No. 1668 of 1 October 1991 also concerns its heritage protection. The landscape significance of Pico is thus linked to a clearly documented history of protection.

Cachoeira do Cruzado, also known as Cachoeira do Abacaxi, is in the district of Acuruí, on private land in the associated municipality. Together with Morro do Cristo and Pico de Itabirito, the waterfall shows that each of the municipality’s landscape sites has its own location and access context.

When choosing a holiday rental in Itabirito, you can therefore use your preferred travel profile as a guide: art and urban history, excursions focused on culture and nature, regional cuisine or landscape sites. The attractions described cater to different interests, but do not form a single shared route.

More places to discover: Arcos, Itanhandu, Caparaó, Pouso Alto, Taparuba, Carandaí, Muriaé and Catas Altas.

See the broader travel overview: Minas Gerais.