We love this little city forest and museum! Been a handful of times since I discovered it two…read moremonths ago. Great for making small and longer walks in relative solitude, with a good chance to spot wildlife. You'll run into the occasional school class and family but it's very quiet compared to other parks. The exhibits include natural history (eg dinosaurs, mineralogy), some arts, biology (the human body exhibition is nice although the interactive portions were non-functional when we visited), and medicinal and other plants. There is a cafeteria and organized walks and other activities during school holidays. Entry is R10 for adults. There is ample parking for cars. Also easily accessible by public transport; it is about 10 minutes walk from the Santa Ines metro station.

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.