Praça da Liberdade itself is very beautiful! It's surrounded by palm trees and a charming…read morelandscape. It's perfect for taking a walk, during the day or night, with family and friends. And it's specially beautiful at Christmas time. The Cultural Circuit around the square is also amazing! The old public buildings were transformed to be cultural centers, housing history, culture and art, besides nice restaurants and cafés. And you can enjoy all the museums for free! You can't miss this spot in the city! ;)

Wonderful city park a few km southeast of downtown. Entrance is free and it is easily accessible by…read morebus or car (parking costs a symbolic R3.50). The park has something for everyone and hosts occasional events. Set against a backdrop of the Serra das Mangabeiras mountains and perched above the town, the views are outstanding. Near the entrance, there are some manicured grassy fields + water features; great for families. A bit further afield there are sport courts and a skatepark. The rest is mostly natural terrain with pedestrian access (there are occasional busses too) for some mildly strenuous hikes (~5km for the largest loop). There is a huge number of picnic spots scattered through the park (some easily accessible and some less so), so you might as well bring something to nibble on or to imbibe. There's a restaurant / cafeteria too.

A beautiful little mountain just an hour and a half out of Belo Horizonte. You'll find stunning…read moreviews, some small trails, and access to the small church and some religious displays. The mountain is high and solitary enough to have its own ecosystem and flora and fauna, which has been extensively studied; there's several plaques with info about nature and geology. Really a wonderful place for a weekend day retreat (it is possible also to stay here overnight for full-on retreats). There's a small store for snacks and souvenirs and a restaurant that's open on weekends (food not impressive). They also sell a cheese that's cured inside caves on the mountain. Access is by a good quality road and costs R$6 per car.