Betim brings together a range of cultural and nature interests: a house considered its oldest building, traditional skills, a center dedicated to remembering the treatment of leprosy in Brazil, and two natural sites with different opportunities for physical activity. When planning your trip, it helps to first choose your main interest. Architectural history, craft traditions and the history of remembrance raise different questions from a nature experience or a route for walking and cycling.

Cultural Heritage: Architecture and Crafts

Casa da Cultura Josephina Bento is considered Betim’s oldest building. It has been recognized and protected by the municipal government since 1997. This designation puts a single building in the spotlight, while the protection in place since 1997 provides a specific timeframe for its municipal recognition. For travelers interested in architecture and urban history, it is a distinctive cultural point of interest.

Salão do Encontro preserves traditional knowledge and skills from the culture of Minas Gerais through workshops in carpentry, weaving, ceramics and basketry. These practices have been listed as Betim’s intangible cultural heritage since 2017. Unlike a single historic building, the focus here is on skills passed down through generations and several fields of craftsmanship. The workshops span work with wood and textiles, as well as ceramics and woven materials. This makes the cultural connection tangible and distinguishes it from Casa’s architectural heritage.

History of Remembrance

Centro de Memória da Hanseníase Luiz Verganin preserves and presents the history of leprosy treatment in Brazil, with a particular focus on Colônia Santa Isabel. Its nationwide scope and specific focus connect a broader history of treatment with a particular point of reference. This sets the center apart thematically from architectural and craft traditions: its focus is on presenting this history.

Centro de Memória da Hanseníase Luiz Verganin is listed as open Monday to Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. If you are planning to visit the center on a particular day of the week, check the opening hours before your visit.

Nature and Physical Activity

Parque Natural Municipal Felisberto Neves is a protected natural area in the center of Betim, covering approximately 290,000 m². Its diverse fauna and flora are part of the Cerrado and Atlantic Forest biomes; ecological trails are available there. If you are interested in nature within the city, this offers a different focus from the cultural sites: the protected area, its wildlife and plant life, and the possibility of ecological trails shape the nature experience.

Parque Paraopeba Vivo Nelson Flores has a 600-meter route for walking and cycling. The two parks offer different options for planning your visit: at Felisberto Neves, the focus is on the protected natural area and ecological trails; at Paraopeba Vivo, it is on a measured route for walking and cycling. This lets you choose between a natural setting and a clearly defined route for physical activity.

Discover more destinations: Baldim, Itaobim, Pôrto Arrepiado, Santa Bárbara, Marliéria, Santana Dos Montes, Conceição Da Ibitipoca, Unaí.

For the broader travel overview: Minas Gerais.