When you fly from Salvador to Belo Horizonte as I did, it looks like you have arrived in a different country: ‘White’ Brazil. A prime example is the suburb of Pampulha, created as a Garden City to attract the wealthy. I stayed overnight right at the lake in the Pampulha Design Hotel.

To get around there is a system of Community Bike Rentals for only 6 R$ a day, but I could not get it to work online. So I did the full loop around Pampulha Lake on foot: it’s 18.3 km. Along the way, I encountered many commercial bicycle rental shops, so in hindsight that would be a good option to cover the distances.

From my hotel, I walked clockwise, with the Art Museum (pictured) as the first of the four main monuments on my route. This former Casino has been closed for renovations since 2019. It is fenced off and it didn’t look like it will reopen soon. Its close following of the Corbusian principles is visible in its reinforced concrete pylons supporting the main rooms. It is set in landscaped gardens that barely are hanging in there.

Walking onward, I enjoyed the many views towards the other side of the lake. A footpath (also part of the core zone) fully encircles the lake. More recently a separate bike path has been added too. Some red information panels (with the WH logo) can be found that explain minor elements – a kiosk that once was a loading point for lake boats, the water treatment plant, and private residences for example. I think you will only notice those while on foot.

The Ballroom was a pleasant surprise: it felt like a more friendly building. It also has its own small garden and many ceramic tiles. The Yacht (Tennis) Club is closed to tourists, though you can get good views of it from the opposite side of the lake. Also, it is possible to peer through the bricks in the wall – a Corbusian row of pillars and a straight facade show.

The São Francisco De Assis Church is the undoubted star of the Ensemble. I found it closed (while in service) on Sunday morning when I did my walk, but I returned by Uber late in the afternoon to have a look inside. There’s a 5 R$ entrance fee to let you enter the main hall – it’s small but perfectly proportioned. Both inside and outside the use of ceramic tiles (like modern-day azulejos) is brilliant here. I especially liked those on the pulpit.

The Museu Casa Kubitschek (free entry) is worth a visit too. This work of modern architecture was the weekend residence of the founding father of the Pampulha Ensemble, Mayor Juscelino Kubitschek, later president of Brazil.

After the museum, the sightseeing was over and the walk became more of a physical exercise. Large parts of the lake on the western side are overgrown. The views are gone. And I know now the meaning of ‘sinuous’ in the AB evaluation: the artificial lake has many ‘arms’, so there’s always a long detour to follow the shoreline (there are two dams where you can cheat, but I didn’t!).  The path only is interrupted by ‘Mirantes’ – viewpoints, with some benches and toilets too. Most of them have a resident food truck as well, selling cool drinks and snacks.

Although some of the buildings aren’t in the greatest shape, the overall purpose of creating a public space for leisure and exercise has worked well until the present day. While I was there, hundreds of locals were enjoying themselves on a Sunday by cycling, jogging, and visiting the amusement park behind the church.