This is in many ways the most important city park in Belo Horizonte. It is centrally located, has a…read morelong history, and is a place where people of all walks of life go to relax, get some physical activity in, or insofar this is possible, enjoy nature. The facilities are generally very good, with grassy areas, paved and unpaved paths, bathrooms, playgrounds, and workout areas. During the weekends and school holidays (and maybe evenings) there is an area with amusement rides; fun for the family but better to avoid if you hope to get a bit of tranquility. Other organized activities inside the park are limited, although on weekends there is often a music truck stationed by the main entrance on Alfonso Pena (next to the Feira Hippie). There are also many street vendors. This park is of a decent size but gets very busy - especially on weekends. If it is your only option to get away from the concrete jungle it isn't bad, but it is not "nature" obviously. There is some security at the entrances and police presence in the park, but this doesn't mean it is all fully safe; don't let your belonging linger and be a bit careful flashing phones and wallets.

A small park in Buritis neighborhood with lots of grass to spread out and relax (with plenty of…read moreshade), a playground for kids, an area with typical workout gear, and a football and volleyball court (concrete floor). A small creek runs through, providing more fun for kids. At the entrance there is a small 'book-exchange'; you can take a book after leaving behind one you no longer need/want. There's on street parking around the corner from the entrance on Rua Allesandra Salum Cadar.

Great day out in the ecological park of the Vale Verde cachaça distillery. It's fun for the whole…read morefamily here with a restaurant, farm animals, a playground, many different papagaios and other cool birds, short hikes and a few adrenaline activities. We've been here a few times and enjoyed the tirolesa (zip line), the climbing wall, the boats on the lake and the labyrinth. There's also arvorismo (looked relatively tame), pony & horse cart rides, pula-pulas, and ball walk on the lake. You pay R20 for entry (kids half price, under 6 free) but then also have to pay for all activities (most are R12). The lanchonete is ok; the restaurant charges R44 for buffet lunch, which seems a bit steep. You can of course bring your own drinks and snacks -don't know if it's officially allowed but there's no bag check. In the end, this is a great place to relax on weekends and you can buy cachaça at prices that are a bit better than retail.