Where are you going for New Year´s Eve ( part III) ?

by Antonella Kann

Still not ready to decide your whereabouts for the last evening of the year? I would guess that by now, at least half of the readers know where they want to do on December 31st, one third doesn´t have a clue and the rest, well….is still thinking.


So I just want to help those who haven´t made up their mind. Good luck! Notice that this time we are far away from the beaches!

Located in the state of Minas Gerais, at 1900 meters above sea level, Do Lado de Lá is the highest pousada in Brazil. And a haven for nature lovers. But don´t expect luxury or pampering: there´ll be neither in-room massage nor personal 24hrs butler in this rustic pousada.

You feel like you are on top of the world, surrounded by the Atlantic forest, waterfalls and vegetation. And that´s all the luxurious atmosphere of the Serra do Papagaio, in Aiuruoca, a region located almost 270 kilometres from Rio de Janeiro. Even the name of the place is hard to pronounce - and even harder to remember.

With such a conspicuous name, which means On the Other Side www.doladodela.com.br has less than 10 accommodations and those range from standard rooms with shared bathroom up to bungalows with private Jacuzzi. As you have probably guessed, it’s an all-inclusive establishment (there´s nowhere else to eat, anyway!), with honest and simple home-made food cooked in the old fashioned way – on the woodstove.

A destination like Pirenópolis don´t come much more original than that. It´s not exactly in the middle of nowhere, but sure is off the beaten track as a New Year´s hub. But it´s a very attractive colonial town located in the state of Goiás. It´s tiny, genuine, and has small but comfortable pousadas and surprisingly good restaurants.

You can also amuse yourself by digging into antiques shops offering furniture and delicious old bric-à-brac. And, of course, there are the traditional small stores selling all sorts of regional artifacts. But strolling around the town is likely to find locations to captivate the eye.

the cachoeira do Abade, a few miles from the center of Pirenopolis


The local cachaça also is a must-try experience. There are more than a hundred labels waiting for you in several small bars. And, as you´re likely to be using your feet instead of your car ( which should definitely be left in the parking lot of your pousada!) feel free to go wild! But do drive to the nearby sites for amazing hikes and god refreshing plunges in waterfalls. Oh, sorry, I almost forgot: try the pousada O Casarão ( www.ocasarao.pirenopolis.tur.br tel. 62 3331 2662)

Most beautiful folkloric event : the Cavalhadas of Pirenópolis:

by Antonella Kann

Chances are you ( and most of the Brazilians) never heard about this event. It´s called the Cavalhadas and it´s been happening for more than a century in a little colonial town called Pirenópolis, in the state of Goiás, only 140 kilometers from Brasilia.



This is one of the most genuine folkloric Brazilian festivity, which takes place in May, right after the Festa do Divino, another popular event which attracts visitors from all over the state.

The Cavalhadas is a dramatic representation of the war between the Moors and the Christians, and the “armies” simulate a medieval battle in a open-air arena. The show is free for anyone to attend.

Unfortunately, as there´s not much publicity in the press or tv, it ends up being quite tourist-free. Which is good in a in way, as the place don´t get packed as Carnival, for instance.

But on the other side, it´s a pity that the Cavalhadas, although very traditional, have been kept as a regional secret for decades. I would even say that it´s a shame, as it´s very colorful, authentic, alive and impossibly beautiful.

You will be walking down the cobbled stone streets of Pirenópolis and bump into one of those characters...

The “soldiers” from both the Moors and the Christian sides will be riding around the town, in their garnments, as well as dozens of masked riders strolling the streets on all sorts of horses and donkeys, causing a paraphernalia which is impossible to describe.

The people who are participating in the event are always very friendly and will tolerate your presence while tending their animals. And will even offer you a beer. By the way, this is also the land of the cachaça. There are more than a hundred types waiting for you in several small bars. And, as you´re likely to be using your feet instead of your car ( which should definitely be left in the parking lot of your pousada!) feel free to go wild!

The atmosphere is simply… fantastic. It´s unbelievable how imagination works for these people!

After gazing at all sorts of characters, you can also amuse yourself by digging into antiques shops offering furniture and delicious old bric-à-brac. And, of course, there are the traditional small stores selling all sorts of regional artifacts.

On the day of the “battle”, instead of getting into the stadium very early, try to spot the “armies” getting ready for the event. The making-off starts at dawn, usually around 4 o´clock in the morning. It goes on until the show begins.

But let´s talk about Pirenópolis for a change, an attractive colonial town in itself, with small but comfortable pousadas and good restaurants.