Alva Design, Minas Gerais

Condé Nast TravelerNov 27, 2025

The Brazilian State of Minas Gerais Is a Design Lover's Dream

From the city of Belo Horizonte to the art park of Inhotim, this southeastern corner of Brazil has a rich history of blending traditionalism and creativity.

Workshop crafting homewares from soapstone

20 things in this story

Cozinha TupísRestaurantCulinary flagship at Mercado Novo
Central MarketMarketBelo Horizonte market with cheese, wine, coffee, and crafts
Fasano Belo HorizonteHotelQuietly sumptuous hotel in Belo Horizonte
Praça da LiberdadeParkOffers eclectic architectural snapshot of Belo Horizonte
Pampulha Modern EnsembleSightUrban park commissioned by Juscelino Kubitschek in 1941
Church of Saint Francis of AssisiSightNiemeyer's church with a sinuous roof in Pampulha
InhotimNature reserveMuseum and botanical garden founded by Bernardo Paz
Clara ArteHotelTransformed ruin overlooking Inhotim's tropical canopy
O Ateliê de CéramicaRestaurantCeramics workshop run by Daniel Romeiro and Luiza Soares
Mercado CentralMarketStalls in Belo Horizonte with Mineiro ingredients
Alva DesignPlaceWorkshop crafting homewares from soapstone
Cozinha Santo AntônioRestaurantCharming restaurant using Mineiro ingredients
Pé PalitoPlaceAppointment-only furniture gallery in Belo Horizonte
Conjunto JKNeighborhoodApartment complex, one of Niemeyer's last buildings
Lygia PapePlaceArtist with a pavilion at Inhotim
Rebeca CarapiáPlaceArtist with cast-iron-and-copper glyphs at Inhotim
Paulo NazarethPlaceArtist who planted a living banana grove at Inhotim
Mercado NovoMarket
Yayoi KusamaPlace
Robert IrwinPlace

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The Brazilian State of Minas Gerais Is a Design Lover's Dream