Curiosities of Varginha in Brazil !!!

Posted in Americas, Food and Wine, France

Ok so here I am taking you again to wonderful Brazil. A dear country and now a long trip of two weeks taking me to a new spot of Varginha in Minas Gerais. I have updated the post with new text and links using the older pictures for you and me Therefore, let me tell you a bit on curiosities of Varginha in Brazil !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I

Wonderful big country with great ambiance and friends; always a pleasure to visit and Lucky to do it every year since 1988 and lived there in 2008 with last visit in 2017. This time went a bit to new grounds to visit. First I got there from Nantes, Paris CDG and Sao Paulo Guarulhos airport, then later on went to Varghina in the State of Minas Gerais. A wonderful round trip!!(see posts) . Varginha is located in the southern region of Minas. The city is located on the banks of Lake Furnas, and at the same time equidistant from three Brazilian capitals: São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Belo Horizonte. The city is one of the main centers of trade and production of coffee in Brazil and in the world, and is a reference in the production of high quality coffees, in addition to an export hub for the product, draining most of the production in the douth of Minas, making grain trade with several countries.

A bit of history I like tell us that the pioneers from São Paulo through the Paraíba Valley crossed the Serra da Mantiqueira in the region of Embaú gorge, now Passa Quatro. Many traders from São Paulo (the tropeiros) also passed through the region, selling products from São Paulo and Portugal.  The tropeiros, who were regularly passing through Varginha, made, in 1785, a small chapel, close to where the Divino Espírito Santo Matrix Church  is currently located. In 1806, the Chapel of Divino Espírito Santo das Catanduvas was built and, in the same year, the land required by the district  was donated. Then the town was called Catanduvas or Catandubas; word originally from indianTupi, which means “low and closed, rough and thorny, small bush”. Due to the patron saint of the chapel, it was renamed Espírito Santo das Catanduvas.

Varginha was one of the towns that received the most Italian immigration to Brazil in this period. With enormous commitment and workforce, many Italians bought their own land and also started their own businesses, which generated great economic development for Varginha and for the south of Minas in the late 19C and early 20C. Another considerable flow was that of Syrian-Lebanese immigrants, which occurred in the first decades of the 20C, immigrants who lived in most of the products trade in the São Paulo capital. Varginha also received in the seventies several Japanese families, who immigrated as a result of the acquisition by the Japanese of one of the German company at the time, CBC, which had a factory in the city. Nowadays, as a result of the transfer of Taiwanese companies to the region, the city hosts immigrants from Taiwan, who invest, generate jobs and work in Varginha.

The Heritage Foundation on its history: https://fundacaoculturaldevarginha.com.br/historia-de-varginha/

The Heritage Foundation on its heritage monuments : https://fundacaoculturaldevarginha.com.br/patrimoniocultural/bens-protegidos/bens-imoveis/

Upon arriving at Varghina I went straight to the hotel, Grand Enio very modern, nice but had no gel/shampoo in bath! The resto for breakfast was very good indeed. The hotel was in front of the Universidty UNIFAS Santa Luiza; I later in another visit stayed here again. Here I stayed for two nights as well. The best was the breakfast and dinner time here. good dish of picanha beefs with onions in a mayo base sauce with good beers Itaipava premium. More info here: https://www.grandenio.com.br/

varghina hotel grand enio entrance nov15

I was able to go out for lunch to the Recanto Flora, and forgot my camera/phone !!! lol! oh well the place is a typical Minas Gerais cuisine with shop and restaurant overlooking the greens of the fields behind it. Very friendly service was promise if call ahead will cook something typical just for me!  They  have other businesses like a cheese making company in the farm or fazenda casa flora more closer to Très Coraçoes.  The views on this resto search site is just like it for reference and to be back with photos ! here is their Facebook page waiting for the virus nowdays to open again: https://www.facebook.com/RecantoFloraOficial/

For info Varghina has a good bus terminal or rodoviaria with connection to all the big cities like Sao Paulo, Belo Horizonte, Rio de Janeiro etc. More info here: https://www.guichevirtual.com.br/rodoviaria/varginha-mg

varghina gare routiere nov15

There was a big project to open a mall or shopping center just outiside Varghina call Via Café; this is huge and awaiting stores and completion. I am happy to tell you is open and will surely visit if have another opportunity to visit the area. More info (have it on foodie section for stores go to lojas) here: https://viacafegardenshopping.com.br/gastronomia/

The State of Minas Gerais  tourist office on Varginha things to see:  https://www.minasgerais.com.br/pt/destinos/varginha

At the Grand Enio hotel above, we had breakfast all you can eat and room for about 27€! per night. I stayed two nights here enjoying the country life. Their official site: https://grand-enio-e-cantina.minas-gerais-hotels.com/fr/

Therefore, now you know some old nice places in Brazil , known , see posts, this is a huge country , lots of good things to see and do. A wonderful trip to go the inner State of Minas Gerais in Varghina; will stayed on in my memory of good times and good friends; always looking forward to be back. Again, hope you enjoy this post on curiosities of Varginha in Brazil !!! as I

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!

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Published by pedmar10

I am a lover of travels to Europe , Americas , Africa and Asia as well ,who like to share my experiences of the last 53 years with the world, visiting so far 81 countries; living in 6, working in 5, and Citizen of 4, speaking fluently 4 languages. I can deal with sports especially football/soccer and love music, arts, wine collector/drinker, and go out to restaurants, and just visit the world. My background comes all the way from Candelaria and Pajara in Tenerife, Spain where my grandparents came from ;not knowing each other then, to Punta Brava, west of Havana, Cuba. There , my parents born in Cuba met and later on I was born there too. 100% guanche (annexed Tenerife to Spain on April 10 ,1496). I left Cuba as many have to Madrid, Spain where I lived for 4 years. Then, move to Perth Amboy ,New Jersey USA (living there 13 yrs) ; where I completed high school, became a US Citizen, learned to drive a car, and learned English. Afterward, went to the university in Florida, ERAU, and upon graduation decided to moved there to Ormond by the Sea, near Daytona Beach, finally moving North Miami, then Hialeah, then another moved to Silver Lakes division in Miramar, Broward county, Florida; in Florida I lived a total of 18 years. Finally , moved to France in 2003 ,Versailles call me for its royalty, and working in Paris was great. It was time to seek frontiers again and moved to Brech near Auray, Morbihan in Brittany , and later move to not too far Pluvigner. Total so far in France has been 20 years, and counting. Moving average a home every 5.5 years hopefully this will be my last. Cheers All rights reserved. No part of this blog may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means or stored in a retrieval system of any nature, without the written permission of the copyright holder, me. No part of this work may be modified, without the written permission of the holder, me.No part of this work may be exposed to public view in any form or by any means, without identifying the holder as the author, and with the before mentioned permission.

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