Just an hour’s flight inland from Rio de Janeiro, this Brazilian heartland features a landscape of lush valleys, mountains, rivers, lakes and immense fertile plains. The towns of Ouro Preto, Diamantina, Tiradentes, and Mariana have the finest examples of Baroque art and colonial architecture in the country.

After a day or two exploring the winding cobbled streets and picturesque churches of Minas Gerais, head out into some of Brazil’s most enchanting countryside, riding or walking along old gold trails and taking a dip in the waterfall pools.