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MARIANA is one of the major colonial towns, and in the first half of the eighteenth century was grander by far than its younger rival 12km to the west, Ouro Preto. Despite regular riots and the war between Paulistas and the Portuguese, Mariana was the administrative centre of the gold mines of central Minas until the 1750s. The first governors of Minas had their residence here and the first bishops their palace, and the town proudly celebrated its tercentenary in 1996. Yet today Mariana's churches are far less grand than its illustrious neighbour's, and it's really no more than a large village, albeit one that is steadily expanding. It does, however, have a fine museum and a perfectly preserved colonial centre, mercifully free of steep climbs, that is less crowded and commercialized than Ouro Preto. It's only a twenty-minute bus ride away and if you can't stand the crowds in Ouro Preto you could always stay here instead. There are also at least seven daily buses direct from Belo Horizonte, run by Viacao Passaro Verde, as well as direct services from Sao Paulo (3 daily; 12hr) run by Cristo Rei.
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