The hospitality of this Brazilian destination was recognized by travelers in reviews made on the travel platform Booking.com, after staying in accommodations in the state. The only Brazilian representative in the Traveller Review Awards 2021, Minas Gerais celebrated its 300th anniversary last month (02.12) and is known for its remarkable history, culture, and cuisine, as well as its natural beauty.
Check out the list of the most welcoming regions in the world, according to Booking.com:
1st – Taitung Country (Taiwan)
2nd – Prešovský kraj (Slovakia)
3rd – Oberösterreich (Austria)
4th – Tasmania (Australia)
5th – Canterbury (New Zealand)
6th – Nova Scotia (Canada)
7th – Chubut (Argentina)
8th – O’Higgins (Chile)
9th – Iowa (United States)
10th – Minas Gerais (Brazil)
Minas Gerais is home to the largest number of World Heritage Sites declared in Brazil by UNESCO. Examples include the Sanctuary of Senhor Bom Jesus de Matozinhos in Congonhas, with the sculptures of the Prophets by Aleijadinho, and the city of Ouro Preto. It also has the oldest operating theater in the Americas: the Casa da Ópera – Municipal Theater of Ouro Preto.
Its history is filled with striking characteristics of religion, with numerous churches and chapels. Natural beauties are also abundant:
Minas has the 3rd largest waterfall in Brazil, the Tabuleiro waterfall, in Conceição do Mato Dentro. It includes three of the five highest peaks in the country, such as the Bandeira peak in the Caparaó National Park, and houses the 3rd largest lagoon complex in Brazil within the Rio Doce State Park.
In 2019, the culinary diversity of Minas earned the state capital, Belo Horizonte, the title of Creative City of Gastronomy, awarded by UNESCO. Culturally, BH also stands out as the holder of the largest cultural complex in Brazil: the Circuito da Liberdade, which concentrates 15 spaces among museums, cultural centers, and training centers. Finally, Minas Gerais is home to the largest open-air museum in the world (Inhotim) in the city of Brumadinho.
Source: Embratur/By Amanda Costa