- BEST FOR: Foodies.
- WHERE: In the region of Serra da Canastra, in the state of Minas Gerais.
- WHEN: All year round.
- HOW LONG: At least 2 days.
An expedition to the Serra da Canastra, in Minas Gerais, and its exquisite cheese.
Minas Gerais is to Brazil what France is to the world. The birthplace of intellectuals, writers and musicians, its rich culture coexists with the true Mineira cuisine, expressing deep-rooted Brazilian cultures and customs. If France has its wines, Minas has cachaça. And the state is second to none in cheeses, the highlight being cheese from the Canastra region.
Stories you’ll be able to tell when you get back:
There is a magical place in Brazil that gives its name to a cheese of rare quality. Production of this cheese is certified by Brazil’s Institute for Historical and Artistic Heritage, IPHAN (Instituto do Patrimônio Histórico e Artístico Nacional) as an intangible Brazilian asset, and it is given a geographical appellation seal; consumers and chefs from all over Brazil covet this cheese as a gourmet delicacy. This will be an experience bringing together cultural and culinary elements, with a “mineira” welcome in the Serra landscape.
HIGHLIGHTS
An immersive experience in cheese culture, and an expedition to the Serra da Canastra range. The surround of the Serra da Canastra National Park, preserve an area of outstanding beauty with waterfalls, streams and the source of the River São Francisco. Additionally there are plenty of tours and adventures to take part in, and in this landscape you will find the Minas cheese-producing farms, the highlight of which is the Brazilian culinary heritage cheese Queijo da Canastra.
- Making, and then bringing away your own cheese.
- Parque Nacional da Serra da Canastra—highlight: the Casca D’Anta falls (or cachoeira).