A fazenda built around 1760, a canyon with a 100-meter-wide opening and a 50-meter-deep drop, and a variety of cycling routes give Santa Rita De Jacutinga a distinctive character shaped by coffee history and scenery. To plan your visit, first consider whether you are more interested in local history, waterfalls and rock formations, or routes through the countryside. Traditional cuisine and the annual events calendar also offer their own highlights.
Coffee History and City Tour
Fazenda Santa Clara was built around 1760 and was part of the coffee cycle. A guided city tour explores the history and settlement of Santa Rita De Jacutinga and passes through the Túnel Que Chora. The tunnel is part of the city’s railway heritage. Residents and tourists use the cold water from a spring there to cool off. The tour thus connects local history with a specific place where water takes center stage.
Rocky Landscapes and Water
Cânion do Boqueirão is distinguished by a 100-meter-wide opening and a 50-meter-deep drop. A natural pool has formed between its rock walls, and visitors can cross it; conditions may vary depending on the water level. Morro do Batalhão do Elefante is also defined by its rock formations, which resemble the shape of an elephant. Cachoeira Santa Clara is suitable for swimming and photography, adding another water destination to the canyon and rocky landscape.
Cycling Routes with Different Paths
The countryside has several routes for nature walks and cycling trips. The Ciclorrota Santa Clara mostly follows flat terrain and unpaved roads to Fazenda Santa Clara. Its route includes swimming in a waterfall, crossing the Rio Preto into the state of Rio de Janeiro, and then returning to Santa Rita De Jacutinga on a paved road. By contrast, the Ciclorrota Boqueirão follows unpaved roads north of the town to Boqueirão da Mira, passing through Arraial do Cruzeiro and by Cachoeira dos Meireles.
The differences described here can help you choose between these routes: the Santa Clara route links the namesake fazenda with a waterfall swim and a return trip on a paved road. The Boqueirão route leads to a different named destination and passes two named stops. On a larger scale, Ciclo Jacutinga is a 678-kilometer circuit divided into 15 cycling routes. It passes waterfalls, historic farms, villages and landscapes.
Cuisine, Events and Getting There
Traditional cuisine includes Feijão tropeiro, Pão de queijo, Torta de queijo, Bolinho de batata and Frango com palmito. These dishes are sold and served in traditional bars and restaurants in the town center. This gives you a distinct culinary focus to add to a stay that also includes countryside routes or water destinations.
The annual events calendar includes Carnival and Holy Week celebrations, the town and patron saint festivals, ExpoAgro, a handicrafts market, an exhibition of orchids, bromeliads and ornamental plants, an annual band gathering, and the Primavera Expresso Show. Individual event dates and programs may change; check the details before planning your trip around them.
The Gabriel Carreiro bus terminal is located in the center of Santa Rita De Jacutinga and connects the town mainly with several cities in Minas Gerais and the state of Rio de Janeiro. Routes and operators may change. If you plan to travel by bus, check current services for your travel dates.
Discover more destinations: Rio Preto, Santa Luzia, Montes Claros, Santana Do Riacho, São Lourenço, Guarda-Mor, Delfinópolis, IlicÃnea.
For the broader travel guide: Minas Gerais.
