This commercial hub in northern Minas Gerais has grown from a cattle-ranching town into a regional economic center with 400,000 residents and three universities.
Montes Claros sits in northern Minas Gerais, where the Cerrado meets Caatinga ecosystems. Walk past the Cathedral of Nossa Senhora Aparecida, a colonial-era church with white towers and arched doorways, then explore the Lapa Grande caves to see an underground river stretching over a kilometer. The city’s universities, including Unimontes and UFMG, shape daily life here. Local restaurants serve shredded Carne de Sol paired with Arroz com Pequi rice, a dish flavored with yellow pequi fruit. Founded in the 18th century as a frontier outpost, the city now links northern Minas Gerais through its airport and factories producing textiles and furniture. Dry winters bring cooler nights, while summer temperatures often reach 35°C, with streets shaded by cashew and mango trees.
Exploring Nature Around Montes Claros
Join guided tours through the Lapa Grande Environmental Protection Area to walk alongside a 1.1 km underground river inside limestone caves. Guides point out stalactites and 3,000-year-old rock paintings left by early inhabitants. Parque Sapucaia covers 78 hectares of Cerrado vegetation, with dirt trails leading to hilltop views of the city skyline. At Parque GuimarĂŁes Rosa, follow wooden footbridges over the Carrapato stream to spot kingfishers and egrets in the morning. Parque Municipal Milton Prates includes a small zoo with monkeys and toucans, plus a lake where capybaras gather at dusk.
Historical Sites and Cultural Spaces
Igrejinha dos Morrinhos, a chapel built in 1837 from rust-colored sandstone, retains original wooden altars and faded frescoes. The Cathedral of Nossa Senhora Aparecida downtown features stained-glass windows showing Saint George and other Brazilian religious figures. Regional Museum of Northern Minas displays arrowheads from Tapuias tribes, colonial-era farming tools, and photographs of 19th-century cotton traders. Near the railway station, brick warehouses from the 1880s still have iron hooks used to lift cargo onto trains. Modern murals along Avenida Donato Quintino depict abstract shapes and local legends in bright blues and yellows.
Food Markets and Traditional Dishes
Order Carne de Sol shredded and fried with onions, served with cassava flour or stuffed into golden cheese bread at family-run eateries. Arroz com Pequi requires careful eating—the pequi fruit’s tiny spines can stick to your tongue if bitten. Central Market on Rua Coronel Celestino sells rounds of queijo Minas cheese wrapped in banana leaves and bottles of cachaça flavored with tamarind or cashew fruit. Near Praça da Matriz, street vendors fry pastel de angu, a crispy cornmeal pastry filled with spiced pork or chicken. During June festivals, try canjica, a warm porridge made with white corn, coconut milk, and cinnamon.
Universities and Local Industries
Unimontes University trains teachers and nurses in red-brick buildings near Parque Sapucaia, while UFMG’s engineering campus hosts robotics workshops in glass-walled labs. Over 8,000 students rent rooms in shared houses near Rua Major Lopes, fueling demand for budget cafes and late-night snack bars. Factories along the BR-122 highway produce denim jeans, wooden chairs, and smoked sausages shipped to SĂŁo Paulo and BrasĂlia. Farmers in surrounding valleys grow cassava and sugarcane, transporting crops to market in trucks piled high with woven baskets. Montes Claros Airport handles daily flights carrying machinery parts, medical supplies, and passengers connecting to Belo Horizonte.
Annual Festivals and Events
In August, the Festa Nacional do Pequi fills Parque de Exposições with stalls selling pequi ice cream, fried pequi petals, and liqueurs made from the fruit. Chefs compete to create dishes like pequi-stuffed chicken or pequi-flavored brigadeiros. June’s São João festival lights bonfires in Parque Sapucaia, with couples dancing quadrilha under paper lanterns. October’s Montes Claros Film Festival screens documentaries about Cerrado wildlife conservation at the Teatro Municipal, followed by Q&A sessions with directors.
Travel Tips and Logistics
Learn basic Portuguese phrases like “Quanto custa?” (How much?) and “Aceita cartão?” (Do you take cards?), as English is rarely spoken outside university areas. Montes Claros Airport has eight daily flights to Belo Horizonte; a taxi to downtown takes 20 minutes and costs about 30 BRL. Furnished apartments near Parque Milton Prates rent for 1,200–1,800 BRL monthly, often including Wi-Fi and air conditioning. Wear sturdy shoes with grip for cave tours, and carry a refillable water bottle—tap water is safe but has a strong chlorine taste. Check vaccination records before visiting rural areas; clinics near Praça Doutor Carlos require yellow fever proof for some guided hikes.
