Parque Municipal Américo Renné Giannetti is the lung of downtown Belo Horizonte — 18 hectares of paths, lakes, and tropical trees right behind Praça da Estação. It was designed as part of the original 1894 city plan and has been a public park since the city was founded.
Inside the park there are two artificial lakes (with rental boats on the larger one), an aviary with macaws and toucans, a children's playground, and several formal gardens. The Palácio das Artes complex sits in the southwest corner. It is the obvious break point in any walk through the centro.