Carbonate rock, caves and bat colonies characterize Parque Estadual do Sumidouro; the waterfront promenade of Lagoa Central is used for recreation, cycling, walking and sports. If you are looking for hotels in Lagoa Santa, first consider whether karst and caves, outdoor trails, lakeshore or culture should be the focus of your trip.
Karst landscape and protected area
Parque Estadual do Sumidouro is an integral protection unit in the municipalities of Lagoa Santa and Pedro Leopoldo. The 2,004-hectare area was created by State Decree No. 20,375 of January 3, 1980, and established by Law No. 19,998 of December 29, 2011. It serves to protect the environment and cultural heritage, as well as to support research, environmental education and tourism. The landscape includes carbonate rock, springs and sinkholes—places where water emerges or disappears underground—as well as caves with numerous stalactite and stalagmite formations. Cave fauna includes numerous bat colonies; the diverse vegetation includes species from the Cerrado and the Atlantic Forest zone.
Gruta da Lapinha: cave and karst
Gruta da Lapinha lies within Parque Estadual do Sumidouro and also within the APA-Carste de Lagoa Santa. The cave is 511 meters long and 40 meters deep. During a visit, you can observe stalactite and stalagmite formations and processes involved in the formation of the karst landscape. This brings specific rock formations and the development of the karst landscape into focus together.
Trails, cliffs and lakeshore
The park offers the Circuito Lapinha, Trilha da Travessia and Trilha do Sumidouro, as well as three climbing options on the Lapinha rock formations. The climbing options have different levels of difficulty. Along Lagoa Central, the 6,300-meter-long waterfront promenade is used for recreation, cycling, walking and sports. This places named trails and climbing options in the protected area alongside recreational opportunities by the water.
Chapels, Congado and history
Within Fazenda Fidalgo stands Capela de Sant’ana, built in 1745 and protected by the city as tangible cultural heritage. Capela do Rosário was built in the early 19th century and features architectural characteristics typical of 18th-century chapels: its construction date and architectural classification thus refer to different centuries. Santuário Arquidiocesano Nossa Senhora da Saúde is a landmark in the history of Lagoa Santa. Congado is also one of the city’s cultural expressions. In the Fazenda Fidalgo region, a cross marks the place where Dom Rodrigo was buried; it is also regarded as a historical marker of the Bandeira de Fernão Dias.
Local production in Lapinha
The Rota das Doceiras tourist route includes the homes of several local producers in the Lapinha region. There, visitors can learn about the production of sweets, quitandas and handicrafts. Along the waterfront promenade of Lagoa Central, a market offers a variety of food and handcrafted products; the specific selection may vary. Local production and a visit to the market thus complement the city’s nature and culture with a glimpse of regional products.
Discover more destinations: Antunes, Viçosa, Jacutinga, Joaquim Messias, Entre Rios De Minas, Volta Grande, Baependi, Maria da Fé.
For the overview of the wider region: Minas Gerais.
