D/WT+LT
Diamantina
A visual Guide to UNESCO World Heritage City Diamantina
I. The City of Diamonds
UNESCO World Heritage City; Terminus of the fabled Estrada Real; Bastion of Portuguese colonial architecture; former diamond-mining capital of the world; and shining exemplar of the “diamond in the rough” cliché. Somehow, little Diamantina (pop. 49,500) manages to be all this and more (burgeoning college town; “musical city of Minas”; hometown of Juscelino Kubisheck and Chica da Silva; etc.), while remaining virtually undiscovered even by mineiros.
Add it all up, and you have a bonafide world traveler’s dream: a tourist mecca without tourists, smack in the middle of one of the most enchanting settings on earth.
Caminho dos Escravos, Diamantina
II. The Caminho dos Escravos
Most of Brazil’s colonial-era roads—and certainly the most visually arresting ones—were built by slaves, but in the Espinhaço, there is only one “Caminho dos Escravos” (literally, Way of the Slaves): an impressive 20-km stone cascade running north/south between Diamantina & Mendanha (pop. 639).
As notorious for its steep trajectory as it is for its checkered history (slave-drivers, bandits, and miners comprised most of its foot traffic), the Caminho stands as a stark reminder of what Brazil was—and how it got there. Remarkably well-maintained throughout the decades (really; some of the modern highways in the region are worse), it features incredible views and numerous stretches of original & recently restored roadway.
Vesperata, Downtown Diamantina
III. Vesperata
From diamonds & stately architecture to former presidents & raucous Carnaval celebrations, Diamantina has more than its fair share of claims to fame. It’s a bit ironic (and endearing?), then, that its most beloved tradition has become the humble Vesperata, a festive nighttime open-air serenade by the hometown band. (Plot twist: the musicians are the ones up in the windows & on verandas, while those of us getting serenaded are down on the street).
Vesperatas are a (mostly) semi-weekly affair, so the dates don’t always line up (a good reason to book quickly!). Should we happen to be in town to catch one, you should prepare yourself for an unforgettable evening of samba & bossa nova, Musica Popular Brasileira (MPB), Beatles, and sing-along wedding rock tunes (really).
Tunes aside, there isn’t a party on earth where we’d rather celebrate what is often the final night of our time together.
