Belo Horizonte



Belo Horizonte is Brazil's sixth largest city and the capital of the state of Minas Gerais. With its orderly grid plan and tree-lined avenues, it's a pleasant metropolis. For travelers, it's a good stopping point on the way to the beautiful colonial towns such as Ouro Preto and Tiradentes.

Understand
Founded in 1897, Belo Horizonte (or simply "BH" (beh-ah-GAH) to locals) is a little over a century old. With a metropolitan population reaching more than 5 million (edging out Salvador), it was built as a planned city to take the place of Ouro Preto as the state's capital. Its layout features square sections delineated by broad avenues, intersected diagonally by smaller streets.

The city lies in the center of the Minas Gerais state, and was intended to bring together the many parts of this very diverse state.

Climate
Belo Horizonte is located at 852 meters (2,795 feet) in altitude and therefore temperatures rarely reach extremes of cold or heat. Maximum temperatures typically reach 29°C (84 °F) in summer and 25°C in winter (77 °F), and the average low in winter is 15 °C (59°F). The rainy season is in the hottest months, between October and March. During these months, thunderstorms are almost daily, with long periods of continuous rain and can flood some parts of the city, causing inconvenience. Due to the Serra do Curral mountains, there is rarely a very strong wind in the city.

By bus
BH is a major national hub for bus travel. There are two intercity bus stations:

When departing from BH, check beforehand, from where your bus departs from.

Approximate travel times from other capitals:
 * Brasília - 10 hours
 * Rio de Janeiro - 7 hours
 * São Paulo - 8 hours

By plane
BH is served by two airports:

By car
You can safely drive to Belo Horizonte from major Brazilian cities, including São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Brasilia and Vitoria. You have to pay toll on the roads from Rio de Janeiro and from São Paulo. All major car rental companies can be found in Brazil. You can also drive from/to the historical cities of Minas Gerais, like Ouro Preto, Tiradentes, Diamantina, São João del Rey, Mariana and others. The roads and the city of Belo Horizonte are GPS mapped. Be sure that the GPS contains the latest version of the maps.

By train
Belo Horizonte is one of very few Brazilian cities with a scheduled long-distance train service. A daily morning train operated by mining giant Companhia Vale do Rio Doce takes around 12 hr to get to Cariacica's Pedro Nolasco station, which is one bridge hop away from Vitória, the island capital of Espírito Santo state. As of Jan 2019, tickets cost R$ 105 for first class (executiva) and R$ 73 for second class (econômica). The central station,, is located in the city centre on ''Av. dos Andradas''.

On foot
If you plan to get around the city center on foot, you might want to take a map. Because the city grid is laid out with both ordinal and diagonal streets, it is very easy to take a wrong turn. Also, the land where the city was built has plenty of hills, so one should wear comfortable shoes to go up and down the streets. At night, stay on the main avenues and streets for safety, because it can be dangerous.

By bus
BH is well served by buses. The SC buses circulate through the downtown area; others serve outlying neighborhoods.

To pay the bus tariff, you can use cash, or the electronic billing card (Cartão BHBUS). For the tourist, its recommended to use cash. As of 2014, you can buy a rechargeable bus card with the onboard agent or the driver for R$12. You can recharge it on some BRT stations, BHTrans offices or even into some buses.

From 2016, the bus tariff is R$3.70 (or R$ 2.65 for some feeder lines or specific lines)

The buses are color-coded:
 * Blue buses go from one region of the city to another, via the city center;
 * Lemonish-and-gray normal and articulated buses are from the municipal BRT service. Usually, they link some specific stations to some region of the city, and are feed by the yellow or green buses, as well. These buses have air conditioned system, and a little more of comfort.
 * Yellow buses are called "circular" (or SC) buses - they circulate within a single city region, and unlike other bus lines, travel in a roughly circular route. Stay on long enough, and you'll eventually loop back to where you originally boarded;
 * Orange buses go from one region of the city to another, without going through downtown (there are very few of these lines). It also serves for the Orange minibuses as well (as known as "Suplementar")
 * Green buses serve BHBUS bus stations, going from a BHBUS station to downtown and then back or connecting two different BHBUS stations.
 * Grey buses (can be identified by the SE prefix in line number), are the special executive service, and it's a more expensive buses, that circulate through some specific regions. These lines have free Wi-Fi and Air Conditioned system.

Some companies sometimes use temporary replacements buses with the wrong color, so even thought the colors can help, always pay attention to the line number.

If you are outside the downtown area (and wish to go there), take a blue bus headed in that direction. As there is no bus map, remember its number to find your way back. Keep in mind that the return route may be on a different street than where you got off. Check BHTrans-Ônibus official website of the city hall BHTrans which may not be very functional when it is off the air, if this occurs the best alternative is the BHTrans website, plan your trip by consulting the route and the bus schedule from Belo Horizonte.

The buses are complicated and are excruciatingly slow and crowded during rush hours. Don't go anywhere by yourself without properly planning your itinerary first.

By train
The Metrô. snakes through the city, from Eldorado northeast to Vilarinho, tangential to the north side of downtown. Lagoinha Station is near the rodoviária (bus station), Gameleira Station is near the ExpoMinas Convention Center and Minas Shopping Station is near the Mall of the same name and Ouro Minas Palace Hotel. Unfortunately, unlike subways in developed countries or in São Paulo, the Metrô lines, even though connecting the two biggest cities in the metro area, Belo Horizonte and Contagem, do not cover most of the city and outside the stations can be dangerous (true for São Paulo's). New lines have been planned and when completed will connect downtown to Pampulha and Savassi, the two most visited neighborhoods.

By taxi
Taxis inside the safe are generally considered very safe (if a bit expensive).

The main taxi companies in Belo Horizonte include Hutaxi, Jo Taxi, Intertaxi, Pitangui and Protaxi. Most cabs in Belo Horizonte are painted white - however, starting from 2012, there are some so-called "special" cabs which are black (and are marked as such). Inside the city, all cabs work with taximeters. However, in case of travelling to the countryside or others states, the fare can be discussed.

There are also radio taxis such as Coopertramo ((31) 3454-5757) which can be booked and the fare discussed beforehand. It's a common way of getting from the airport to the city and the other way around. They have booths in Confins airport. Their cars are all dark blue.

By e-hailing
Belo Horizonte is covered by some e-hailing services, Uber being the largest of them. Notable e-hailing services in the city, are:


 * Uber (covers neighboring cities, like Contagem, Betim and Confins Airport as well)
 * Cabify

By car
You can rent cars at the Confins Airport or at Pampulha Airport. All major car rental companies, like Localiza and Hertz have booths at the airports. It is a long drive from Confins airport to downtown Belo Horizonte. Be sure to get a GPS with new maps, since there were some modifications on main avenues for the World Cup. You can also rent a car at other places around the city.

See
Note that a lot of places including museums, the parque municipal and the Mangueira park are closed on Mondays.


 * Pampulha - This 1940s neighborhood has some of the highlights of Brazil modern architecture, including the São Francisco de Assis Church, designed by the famous architect Oscar Niemeyer (designer of the United Nations building in NYC and also Brasilia, Brazil's capital) . The building is not shocking by itself, until you realize it was meant to be a church. Not surprisingly, the Catholic Church refused to consecrate it for more than one decade. Next to the church, there's the Parque Guanabara, an amusement park that is small, but worth visiting. In Pampulha lies the world-famous Iate Tenis Clube, founded along with the Pampulha Architectural Complex designed by Oscar Niemeyer. Invitations to the club can be bought at the place (they are free if you know someone affiliated to the club). The Pampulha Modern Ensemble is listed as a world heritage site.
 * Mineirão Stadium - One of the largest and newly renovated stadiums in Brazil, where several matches from the FIFA Federation Coup (2013) and FIFA World Cup (2014) were played including the infamous 1-7 semifinal loss in Brazil v Germany. It is located at Pampulha neighborhood.
 * Mangabeiras Park - This is an amazing place for nature lovers, a place where the Cerrado mixes with the Atlantic Forest, this is a great visit for children and family.
 * Praça da Liberdade - A beautiful palm tree-lined square, sidelined by interesting buildings from the 19th century, including the seat of the State Government, and a curvaceous (yes, you can use this word to describe an Oscar Niemeyer building) edifice from the 1960s. Also museums and a Planetarium (you can get tickets for free)
 * Alta Vila Tower - Located in the district of Nova Lima, (Belo Horizonte city Metro area), this tower offers a spectacular view of Belo Horizonte and its surrounding mountains. On the main floor is the Hard Rock Cafe - Belo Horizonte.
 * Parque Municipal - An oasis of green right in the centre of downtown. Based on French parks, it has small lagoons where you can rent a boat or feed the ducks. It has the Casa Maluca (Crazy House), the Casa dos Pneus and a small amusement park - three places where children always like to play.
 * Museu de Ciencias Naturais - Take the Metro to the Gameleira station, go NW to the PUC campus, and turn right. Diverse mollusks, whales, and Brazilian forest animals. A new exhibit is under construction. Admission: R$3.
 * Museu de Ciencias Naturais - Take the Metro to the Gameleira station, go NW to the PUC campus, and turn right. Diverse mollusks, whales, and Brazilian forest animals. A new exhibit is under construction. Admission: R$3.

Do

 * Watch the sunset at Parque das Mangabeiras.
 * See the metropolitan area illuminated at night by visiting Praça do Papa, in the Mangabeiras district (recommended for those with a car).
 * Take a seat in one of the many bars scattered throughout the city. There is a myth that Belo Horizonte is the city with the most bars per capita in the country. The motto is "If there is no sea, let's go to the bar"
 * Sit down in a square and strike up a conversation.
 * If you have a few days available on your trip, visit Serra do Cipó National Park . 100km from BH, it is a great place for camping, mountaineering, trekking, caving and other extreme activities. With a good tourist infrastructure, it is also suitable for those who like to rest close to nature. Access via the MG 10 highway.

Events

 * Arraial de Belo. To celebrate the June festivals, a type of typical Brazilian party, this traditional contest chooses the best typical dance group. The event takes place annually in June and July and is accompanied by great craft fairs and typical foods that take place in various parts of the city.
 * Axé Brazil. Largest Bahian music event outside Bahia. It happens every year at the Mineirão Stadium, usually in March or April. In 2010 it will be on April 9th ​​and 10th.
 * Comida di Buteco. Gastronomic festival held annually, where several bars in the city compete with dishes created by themselves. It is a great opportunity to taste good dishes and meet a lot of beautiful people, as during this period the bars are packed with festival lovers. The event usually takes place between April and May.

Theater and Dance

 * Campanha de Popularização do Teatro e da Dança (Campaign to populize Theatre and Dance). Theater and dance pieces by large groups from the Minas Gerais art scene. The campaign is already traditional and takes place every year, in January and February.
 * Festa da França (Feast of France). Carried out by the community and the French consulate to commemorate the 14th of July (Date of the Fall of the Bastille). The event includes the sale of typical French wines, food and products, as well as cultural presentations. Occurs in the month of July.
 * Festa Tradicional Italiana (Traditional Italian Feast). Annual event that promotes integration between Brazilians, Italians and Italian descendants. The party has shows and stands with typical food and products. It takes place in the second half of May and is promoted by ACIBRA MG
 * Festival Internacional de Teatro (International Theater Festival). FIT is a biennial event, in even years, that brings theater groups from all over the world to Belo Horizonte. The presentations take place in various parts of the city, both in theaters and on stages set up in streets, squares and parks. FIT takes place between the months of June and August.
 * Expocachaça. Fair of one of the most traditional products in Minas, cachaça. Concurrent with ExpoAgro, Expocachaça offers visitors a wide variety of brands from the best producers in the state available for purchase and tasting. The event takes place between May and June at the ExpoMinas convention center.
 * Mines Tchê. Fair of typical Gaucho products held annually in Belo Horizonte. It takes place in April, usually at Serraria Souza Pinto, an event space in the capital.
 * Pop Rock Brazil. Big Pop and Rock music festival. It happens every year, in the 2nd semester.
 * Savassi Festival. Annual Jazz Festival that takes place in July, with concerts in various parts of the city.

Buy

 * BH Shopping. BH's oldest and largest shopping malls, with shops, a food court, movie theatre and games. It's in the Belvedere area and close to Nova Lima road.
 * Shopping Del Rey. Another of BH's oldest and largest shopping malls, with shops, food court, movie theatre and games.
 * Minas Shopping. Among the largest shopping malls, with shops, a food court, movie theatre and games. Metrô station nearby.
 * Diamond Mall. A very refined (and usually expensive) shopping center.
 * Pátio Savassi. Also very refined (and usually expensive) shopping center, in the heart of Savassi.
 * Mercado Central, Av. Augusto de Lima and R. Curitiba. A large, traditional indoor market founded in 1929 where you can find tofu, whole grains, cheese, meat, herbs, traditional foods, religious articles, fruit, live birds, pots, souvenirs and lots of other stuff. It's one of the most visited places in the city.
 * Hippie Fair, Av. Afonso Pena in front of the Municipal Park. Opens every Sunday, from 08:00-14:00. This artesian fair is one of the largest in the country and offers everything from crafts to jewelry, furniture to souvenir, clothing to food. Receives from up to 100,000 people every Sunday. Definitively worth the visit.

Eat
Minas Gerais is renowned for its cuisine across Brazil, and is the origin of many famous foods such as pão de queijo (small baked roll made with cheese and cassava flour) and feijoada (black bean and meat stew). Like elsewhere in Brazil, restaurant food is typically served in some variation of a buffet.

Mid-range
For a good sample of traditional mineira food, here are some options:



For great international food, here are some options:



Drink

 * People from BH are famous for their love of bars. The central Savassi neighborhood has dozens of bars. Also, at São Lucas neighborhood, on Contorno Avenue, you will find "Sociedad Pub", one of the best Pubs in town (Contorno Av., n.3849). The city is widely known (although without any confirmation) as the city with most bars per capita in the world. Some clubs that charge a cover are overrated and expensive.  The outdoor bar scene is the authentic Brazilian experience. Good places to look for a bar:
 * Avenida Prudente de Morais
 * Rua Marília de Dirceu (follow it while it becomes Rua Curitiba and then Rua São Paulo—yeah, that's how streets work in Belo Horizonte)
 * Rua Pium-í crossing with Rua Passatempo
 * Avenida Fleming (only if you are in the Pampulha region)
 * You may know it only as an ingredient in vitamin pills, but here you can get fresh acerola puree in orange juice squeezed before your eyes. This is called a vitamina with good reason. The fruit is perishable and is stored on ice. Other fruits prepared the same way are abacaxi (pineapple), açaí, banana, and mamão (papaya).
 * Although Savassi is the place to go on Friday and Saturday nights, Trevo Five Place (close to the Hard Rock Cafe) is a great spot on Thursday nights. The dancing is great however the environment is not for the cautious.
 * The state of Minas Gerais is famous for their cachaça (distilled spirit similar to rum made from sugarcane juice). It is the main ingredient of the famous caipirinha cocktail, but Brazilians enjoy drinking it straight as well.
 * Another great drink is a sweet tasting wine-like substance called pronounced "catuaba".
 * If your looking for some dancing and clubbing visit naSala . For sure the best nightlife in town. Expect to meet beautiful people.

Sleep
Major high-rise hotels are generally on Av. Afonso Pena or at Savassi neighborhood, while mid-range and budget accommodations are clustered around the train station.

Stay healthy
To keep hydrated, drink bottled water or water from drinking fountains, usually located at malls.

Tap water provided by COPASA (sole provider for the city) is regarded as fully potable (filtered, sterilized, PH controlled and fluoridated), but it is important to note that due to historical unreliability of water supply in Brazil, the vast majority of buildings have water tanks, so even if it is provided by COPASA, if you are unsure of the sanitary conditions of the building water tank, you should avoid drinking it before filtering, boiling or ozonizing it.

Even though bottled water in Brazil is labeled as “mineral water”, you should be careful and use good sense when buying it. Cases of tap water and untreated water being bottled and labeled as “mineral” are not uncommon. Always check the color of the water, the general aspect of the bottle and the seal. Some Brazilians are used to untreated water but it is very likely that tourists will have serious issues with it, including diarrhea, vomits, fever, headaches and muscular pain. It is usually safer to drink COPASA tap water then bootleg bottled water.

Free healthcare is widely available, but waiting times may be long (even on minor emergencies), for non urgent cases go to the free “Posto de Saúde” near where you are staying (there are plenty all over the city). Private hospitals usually have faster service and better facilities and you can pay your treatment with either cash or with your insurance. Check with your insurance company the hospitals and clinics covered beforehand. If you have any allergies or known health problems, it is wise to learn some Portuguese words to describe it as it is very likely most of the hospital staff won’t speak English except for more qualified MDs, nurses and social workers. Although you might not see any initial difference, nurses are divided into “college nurses”, “technical nurses” and “auxiliary nurses”. You are more likely to find an English speaker among the college nurses (they are called Enfermeira or Enfermeiro and usually act as sector supervisors in a hospital).

Belo Horizonte can get very hot during summer, so avoid staying out in the sun for too long, specially between 10:00 and 15:00. Even though it is not on the coast, sunscreen is advisable, especially if you have light skin.

Public restrooms can be found at malls and public buildings. A small fee may apply. Also, bars and restaurants are required by law to have a restroom available to its customers, but even if you are not buying anything, just ask nicely and they will let you use it.

Smoking in Belo Horizonte is banned from closed buildings. This includes malls, restaurants, bars (except if you are sitting outside), clubs, public buildings, airports and others. Smoking has been increasingly regarded as a bad habit and even on the sidewalk people might get annoyed by it, so it is best to smoke privately or away from non smokers.

Stay safe
When crossing the street, watch for motorcycles, which can appear out of nowhere and sometimes ignore stop signs. At some intersections with divided streets, you can cross only one side at once.

Minas has both the military police (polícia militar) who are the enforcers of the law at street level, however not linked to the Brazilian Military and the civilian police (polícia civil) who conduct further investigations like the British CID. Most officers don't have a knowledge of basic English. The uniform of the Minas Gerais state military police is brown.

The emergency number (by which you can reach the military police) is 190.

The city has its own police, the Municipal Guard, the uniform is blue and officers are found in parks, near monuments, schools, hospitals.

The city suffers from crime related to drugs. Avoid walking alone at night or carrying expensive electronics such as cameras, notebooks, iPods or jewelry. It is not uncommon to be mugged at traffic lights or walking during the day or night. Tourists can be easily identified by bad guys as people who carry electronics carelessly and seem to be always wondering where are they going. Be discreet.

If someone mugs you, don't resist. You could be killed.

By net

 * MP Games, Rua dos Inconfidentes 868, between Pernambuco and Paraíba, Savassi. You can bring your laptop.

Wifi is readily available in many bars and restaurants throughout the city.

By phone
The area code for Belo Horizonte is 31. The code for Oi, the phone company that runs most of the phone booths in the city, is also 31. So to call Belo from outside using Oi, you dial 031 31 and the desired number, for example: from São Paulo to Belo, dial 03131 xxxx-xxxx. But to make a local call, you don't have to dial 31 at all, just the eight digits. Sometimes, it depends, because there are many other cities surrounding Belo, with the same area code, so you might be dialling the long distance code, using 31. Dialing from or to Ouro Preto, to or from Belo, you need to dial 03131 xxxx-xxxx.

There are other long distance companies codes available, which can be used to make calls, such as Embratel (21), Intelig (23), which provides long distance calls with suitable rates, to or from Brazil, and to other countries.

Cope
Belo Horizonte has a good network of hospitals. The main hospital area of the city is located downtown, close to the Municipal Park, where it is possible to find lots of healthcare institutions such as hospitals, clinics, and laboratories.

Drug stores
Araújo Drugstore - +55 31 3270-5000

Onofre Drugstore - +55 31 3115-1515

Pacheco Drugstore - +55 31 3489-1300

Droga Raia - 0800 774 4040

Free rescue and ambulance service
This can be requested by a free call to one of two institutions: SAMU (the acronym for the health emergency service) - Phone: 192 or Fire Department - Phone: 193.

Consulates

 * 🇷🇴 Romania

Go next
Hostels and private rooms are available in the following towns. All of them have direct connections by intercity bus from Belo Horizonte. For more details, look into the 'Get In' section of any of the destinations:

in the south-east:

 * Ouro Preto – 100 km. With its unique beauty and precious streets, houses, churches and historic buildings. It was the first Brazilian city to be named a World Heritage Site. The town has the richest ensemble of Baroque buildings in the America. Ouro Preto is one of the most popular travel destinations in Brazil.
 * Viçosa – 220 km. It is a city that attracts many people from Brazil and other countries due to scientific-academic events that take place around universities, totaling approximately 500 events annually. Its population is mostly made up of young people, which gives the city its own dynamic, in addition to the large number of parties that take place during the week.

in the west:

 * Brumadinho – 50 km. In the botanic park Inhotim are lagoons and all kinds of palm trees. It has galleries and pieces from various contemporary artists. The nearby Serra da Moeda is a place for extreme sports.
 * Divinopolis – 120 km. The highlights are the Lake of Roses and the beach at Carmo do Cajuru.
 * Capitólio – 280 km. It has become a tourism destination due to its beautiful waterfalls and clear water rivers. The Furnas Canyon is the main attraction with its stone walls enclosed by a lake formed by a dam. The nickname for the city is "Queen of the Lakes".
 * Passos – 380 km. It's near Capitólio and also at the Furnas Canyon. Passos is famous for its good parties, which include shows, bars and night clubs.

in the south:

 * São João del Rei – 190 km. It is the largest of the colonial mining towns in Minas Gerais. There is a steam locomotive to the nearby town of Tiradentes.
 * Lavras – 240 km. In the Ecological Park Quedas do Rio Bonito are swimming pools, walking trails, a tree climbing circuit, a gazebo overlooking the entire park, zip line and a lagoon with pedal boats. You can make a tour on the funnel dam.
 * Juiz de Fora – 270 km. The presence of immigrants – especially from Portugal, Italy, Germany, Syria and Lebanon and more recently China – throughout its history has given the city a cosmopolitan spirit and diverse cuisine. It's a gay-friendly city. It's nickname is "Manchester Mineira". From there to Petrópolis.
 * São Thomé das Letras – 310 km. It is a tourist city, known for its stone buildings, natural jungle, waterfalls, caves and its mystical climate that attract people from all over the world. Mystics seek the city as a refuge to meditate and seek the peace the that city offers.

in the north-west:

 * Uberlândia – 540 km. A very modern cosmopolitan city, the second largest city in the state. It offers its visitors delicious cuisine, historic districts and trips to numerous waterfalls. From there to Brasília

Belo Horizonte is an entryway to more of the country's most important colonial towns. Private rooms are offered in:


 * Congonhas - 83 km
 * Tiradentes - 194 km
 * Diamantina - 290 km