Literature Tour in Belo Horizonte: Writers' City Walking

Walk the streets where poets lived, hear the stories they wrote

A 3-hour guided walking tour through Belo Horizonte that traces the city's literary history via the writings of Carlos Drummond de Andrade, Pedro Nava, Henriqueta Lisboa and Mário de Andrade. The guide and a local writer lead you from the Church of Boa Viagem through neighborhoods and landmarks the poets knew, comparing their verses and chronicles to the Belo Horizonte that exists today. Children from age 6 are welcome. The tour suits all fitness levels.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Belo Horizonte's literary past

• Meet at Church of Boa Viagem
• Learn foundation story of Belo Horizonte
• Visit interior of the temple
• Discuss first streets and Avenida João Pinheiro
• Talk about historic mansions and writers
• Pause to discuss BH opening party and legends
• Talk about Rua da Bahia and Fernando Sabino
• Visit cultural axis of BH in 1920s
• Discuss Maletta and Fashion Museum
• Stop at Parque Municipal for stories
• Pass Viaduct of Santa Teresa
• End at viewpoint on Rua Sapucaí

The experience

The tour starts at the Church of Boa Viagem, where you'll learn why a city founded in 1701 in the Brazilian hinterland carries the name of a patron saint of sailors and travelers. From there, the walk moves through the planned capital's first streets: Avenida João Pinheiro and the neighborhoods where Fernando Sabino, Carlos Drummond and Aníbal Machado lived and worked. You'll stand in front of the museums and cultural landmarks of the 1920s cultural axis without entering them, but the guide and the writer with you will fill in what those buildings meant to the city's literary scene.

The route takes you past Parque Municipal, across the Viaduct of Santa Teresa (a path Drummond himself walked), and ends at a viewpoint on Rua Sapucaí. Along the way, you'll hear stories about the opening party of Belo Horizonte in 1897, the myths and legends writers recorded, and the lives of the personalities who shaped the city's artistic identity. The guide weaves together poetry, short stories, historical images and the streets as they are now: showing how the modern city sits on top of the one the writers knew.

What’s included

• Guided tour led by a professional guide and a local writer from Belo Horizonte.
• entry to the Church of Boa Viagem.
• stories and historical context at each stop along the literary route.

Before you book

Days and timesSundayDeparts at 09:00

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (16 to 90 years) · Youth (13 to 15 years) · Child (6 to 12 years) · Under 6: can't be booked

GroupUp to 15

Live guidePortuguese

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Boemia e literatura na Belo Horizonte dos anos 1920

Is this one for you?The tour meets at the Church of Boa Viagem and moves through the city on foot, so it works well if you're staying nearby or using public transportation: no car needed to follow the poets' Belo Horizonte.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 15 years); Child (6 to 12 years). Children under 6 can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

Who are the writers whose work this tour is built around?

Carlos Drummond de Andrade, Pedro Nava, Henriqueta Lisboa and Mário de Andrade are the centenary poets and chroniclers whose writings guide the route. Their verses, memoirs and chronicles are woven through the stops to show the Belo Horizonte they lived in and recorded.

Does the tour go inside the museums and churches?

The Church of Boa Viagem is entered so you can see the interior. At the museums and cultural buildings along Avenida João Pinheiro and the 1920s cultural axis, you'll stand at the entrance or front while the guide tells the stories connected to them, but you won't go inside.

What is the walking pace and distance like?

The tour is described as light and covers the city's literary landmarks over 3 hours at a pace suitable for all fitness levels. It is a walking tour through neighborhoods and streets, so comfortable shoes are a good idea.

What happens if I don't speak Portuguese?

The guide leads the tour in Portuguese. If you need the tour in another language, check with the operator before booking.