Vassouras in Brazil

The best way to explore Vassouras is on foot. Starting at the

, walk as far as the

, the former railway station. Recently restored, it is now the headquarters of the Universidade de Vassouras. Continue straight on to the

, where you will find the most important old houses and public buildings, all dating from the 19th century. Note the neoclassical influence. One of these old 'baronial' houses is now the

At the top end of the main

is the church of

, the most important in the city, completed in 1853 in neoclassical style. Behind the church is the small

, surrounded by huge fig trees. Allegedly there is one fig tree for each of the rich coffee barons who lived in Vassouras in the last century. Keep on walking until you come to the cemetery. A visit is recommended; most of the wealthiest men of Brazil's second empire are buried here. Rich mausolea decorated with Italian and Portuguese marble sculptures show the competition among the families. Two of the most important clans are represented: the Teixeira Leite family and the Correa e Castro family. On the grave of Monsenhor Rios, a Catholic priest who died in 1866, a strange purple flower blooms every year in November on the Day of the Dead. Its intense smell is reminiscent of rotting flesh. Scientists have studied it, but have reached no conclusion as to what it is. The flower vanishes after a few days and the small bush lives on until January or February. It is now protected by a small iron fence and a number of miracles are reported to have occurred there.

Back at Praça Barão de Campo Belo, on Rua Barão de Vassouras, is the

, the former residence of a coffee baron, later converted into the town's court. It is currently closed for restoration as it has been badly attacked by termites. Turn right and at the end of Rua Dr Fernandes Junior you will find the fascinating

.

Another possibility is a guided visit to the food technology centre at the

, close to the main

. Here students learn how to process fruit, vegetables, meat and also how to work in a brewery. Most of the hotels can arrange a weekend guided visit.

As yet, Vassouras lacks a well-developed tourist infrastructure. There is a lot to see around the city, especially the old

, but they are only just starting to open to the public. The majority of them are privately owned and can only be visited with a prior appointment. The bigger hotels can arrange guided tours with transport at weekends. During the week, the only option is to go by car, as some of the

are a long way away, down dirt roads. The best

in the vicinity are:

,

,

and

. More information can be obtained from the

or from the

.

.

Like Vassouras,

is a historical monument and its history follows much the same pattern, with wealth from the coffee trade followed by some small-scale industry and agriculture. There are a number of

nearby and, in the town, a faculty of medicine. Information is available from the

.

.

About 35 km from Valença is

, another town in the coffee zone. Although it did not become as wealthy as Vassouras or Valença, it still has some fine 19th-century houses and is much more peaceful. In Conservatória, local farm produce can be bought, as well as blankets, macramé and crochet work. A local custom is the serenade through the streets; serenaders meet at the

. There are a few moderate and cheap hotels in town.