Estrada Real - São Guaratingueta

Guaratingueta is a well-established city in the state of São Paolo. It gets its name from a phrase in the Tupi language that means "many white herons" due to the abundance of herons along the Paraiba do Sul River that flows around the southern and eastern edge of the city.

Drawn to the minerals hidden in the Minas Gerais, the Portuguese arrived in the 16th century and settled the area. By the 18th century it became a supply station for those travelling from the interior and another century later grew as a coffee producer. For a period of time during the mid-1800s coffee was used as hard currency, increasing the city’s wealth and standing. Immigration in the city increased with the introduction of the steam railway, providing much needed manpower especially as slavery was abolished.

By the 20th century arable lands were depleted of their nutrients and coffee production was in decline. Economic attention was geared towards industrialisation, commerce, tourism and education. New universities sprung up with courses geared towards aeronautics, technology and engineering.

A notable figure from Guaratingueta was cardiologist Euryclides de Jesus Zerbini, who in 1963 established the internationally recognised Heart Institute in São Paolo and in 1968 performed the first heart transplant in South America.

Tucked away on the outskirts of the city is the Frei Galvão Sanctuary where a white life-sized statue of Friar Galvão stands on a pedestal outside the entrance. Born locally in 1739, the friar entered a Jesuit-seminary when he was 13 years old and later joined a Franciscan Order.

During his lifetime, the friar built a church, a hermitage and friary. He spent considerable time as preacher, confessor, spiritual leader, and friary porter, as well as drafting guidelines on how to live a religious life. Dedicated to his work, the friar grew within the Order’s ranks. However, his construction of the hermitage did not come without any challenges. Politicians who disliked the community intervened more than once, but the friar was committed to the cause and with the Portuguese Viceroy’s assistance the hermitage was finally completed. Today, the hermitage is a UNESCO site and a museum of sacred art. In 2007, the friar was canonised by the Vatican making him the first Brazilian-born person to obtain this status.



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Estrada Real - Cruzilia

During the 17th and 18th centuries, Cruzilia served as a crossroad on the Estrada Real where tropeiros, prospectors, and salesmen passed through, travelling between the coastal cities and the interior of Minas Gerais. Today, it is renowned for its cheese and a museum about Brazil's own breed of horses.

The cheese factory’s history dates to 1948 when the owner, Jose Moreira de Almeida, ran a small stall in São Paolo but had big dreams of manufacturing his own cheese. Taking a ride along the Estrada Real, Almeida chose Cruzilia because of its favourable environmental conditions. There he began the production of all types of cheeses from soft brie and camembert to gorgonzola, cheeses of European origins like gruyere and emmental, and Brazilian specialties such as Minas spherical. Of course, I couldn’t leave without a few samples in my bag to snack on later.

My next stop was the Museum of Mangalarga Marchador Horse, which tells the story of Brazil's national horse. Cruzilia was the birthplace of this breed of horses with as many as half million of them spread throughout Brazil. The breed is a result of crossing Portugal’s highly valued Alter Real horses with local stock. The cross-bred horses are known for their elegance, beauty, docile temperament and riding suitability. The Mangalarga Breeders Association was founded in 1934 to ensure the preservation and registration of these unique bloodlines. As such, Marchador horses “must pass rigid standards for conformation, gait, performance and endurance”. Medium in height with silky coats the Marchador horse does not trot, moving from an ambling gait into a canter. Because of its willing nature and smooth gait, the Marchador horse makes for a pleasant ride on long journeys.

Satisfied with my learning experience, I pushed on towards São Lourenço.



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Estrada Real - Carrancas

Surrounded by mountains and waterfalls, Carrancas is a small agricultural village. In the early 1700s a number of families, hailing from São Paolo headed into the interior looking for gold. Arriving in the region of Carrancas they found the land fertile and hoped to discover gold. Settling down, the first structure built was a chapel, and the village was named Nossa Senhora do Rio Grande. The village went through several name changes until it settled on Carrancas. As the village grew, agriculture developed, including bananas, corn, coffee and beans, as well as dairy and cattle farming.

The gold rush era passed and although gold was never found in the area, Carrancas gained its reputation as the land of waterfalls drawing visitors to its crystalline waters. A large number of waterfalls are located close to each other, making planning essential. 

When narrowing down my options, I chose Esmeralda Waterfall for its clear, emerald-green pool. Another must-do experience was the natural slide at Zilda Waterfall. At 20ft (6m) long and about 6.5ft (2m) wide, the slide was accessible by ascending a stone trail. Slippery at times, a hand rope for balance was installed beside the trail. This was not an opportunity I was going to miss. After carefully navigating my way to the top, I let out a joyful “Woo-hoo!” as I slid down into the refreshing pool.

After many more turns on the slide, I packed up and returned to the village to fill my belly with pururuca queijo, a cheese crackling dish that was made famous by a local restaurant in Carrancas.

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