Located in the mountains of Serra do Curral, the city of Belo Horizonte was especially designed and built to be the capital of the state of Minas Gerais, in 1898. It was the first city to be planned in Brazil. Its name translates into “beautiful skies” and it was also known as “the garden city” during the 50’s due to the abundance of private and public gardens and the mildness of the weather.
In addition to its natural assets and easy air and highway access (the city lies in the heavily populated and industrialized southeastern region), the capital of the state of Minas Gerais stands out due to the beauty of its architecture, its vocation for commerce and services and a rich artistic and cultural production. As capital of a historically endowed state, Belo Horizonte is a mixture of tradition and modernity, a center for business, conventions and tourism.
The high rate of urbanization in Brazil caused the city to spread much beyond its initial plan and to change its features. Belo Horizonte, which was initially planned for 300 thousand people, has approximately 2.2 million inhabitants nowadays. However, some neighborhoods like Savassi and Santa Teresa still keep their charm, as they haven't been invaded by skyscrapers.
The city attracts tourists for its nightlife, especially the impressive variety of bars, and for the weekly street fair that takes place in its central area and displays a great number of art and craft works in its 3,000 stands.
Weather
Weather forecast for Belo Horizonte by the Weather Channel
The city has a tropical climate (dry in Winter, from June to August, and wet in Summer, from December to February) with annual temperatures ranging from 50º to 90º F. The average temperature is 69.8º F.
Arriving in Belo Horizonte
International flights arrive at the Tancredo Neves/CONFINS International Airport, located at MG 010 highway, "Estrada Velha de Confins". For information on airport services, call 3689.2557/2702.
Being ISO 9000-certified for all its operations, the international airport is deemed to be one of the finest and best equipped in Latin America.
No subway line serves the airport, therefore the traveler can either take a cab or a bus to reach the city. "Executive buses", more comfortable than the regular city bus, leave the airport regularly for the city. The name of the bus company is "Util", and the fare is R$ 10,00 (US$ 5.00, 2001 prices). Buses depart from the Arrivals area. Phone: 3689.2535.
Taxis from the international airport to downtown may cost anything from USD 25 for a regular cab up to USD 30 for a blue-and-white air conditioned cab. Taxis leave from Domestic Arrivals, Gate 2.
Car Rental Agencies can be found at:
- Localiza: Arrivals Area, Toll-Free 0800.99.2000
- Lokamig: Arrivals Area, Phone: 3689.2020
For foreign exchange services:
1st floor, Arrivals Area
Phone: 3689.2160
Several airlines operate between the U.S. and Belo Horizonte. There are no non-stop flights to Belo Horizonte, though. The telephone numbers in Belo Horizonte of the major airlines are:
A second airport, Pampulha Airport, is served by domestic flights only. It is located only 15 min. away from downtown (phone: 3491.6176). There is a shuttle service (bus) between the airports and between both airports and downtown, operated by the city transit authority. The following car rental agencies can be found at the Pampulha Airport:
- Hertz: 3492.1919, Toll-Free: 0800 147300 Localiza: Toll-Free: 0800-99 2000
- Lokamig: 3441.9651, Toll Free 0800.2332
- Unidas: 3491.2550
It is strongly recommended that you see Practical Information on Brazil for entry requirements into Brazil.
Maps
Transportation
Subway - The subway system has 13 miles (21 km) of rail, with 13 stations. Trains run 7 min. apart during rush hour. A subway map can be seen here. For more information, please call 212.8800.
Taxis - Cabs are cheap and can be easily found throughout the city. Cabs can be hailed in the street or requested by phone ("radiotaxis"). Some phone numbers of taxi companies: BH Táxi (3215.8081), Coomotáxi (3418.2020), Coopertáxi (3421.2424), Coopertramo (3454.5757), Rádio Táxi (3418.3434).
Buses - Belo Horizonte's bus terminal is located downtown and has itineraries to all major cities in Brazil. Address: Praça Rio Branco, s/nº - Centro. Phone: 3271.3000 or 8933.
For schedules and itineraries of the regular city buses, contact the local transit authority (BHTrans) at 277-6500. Buses usually connect neighborhoods to the center of the town (Afonso Pena Avenue) in such a way to cross the city in routes from North to South, East to West and vice-versa. (Keep in mind the radial model based on which the city was planned in order to better figure out the connections between neighborhoods.)
Hotels
The hotels listed below have been selected by the Guia Quatro Rodas 2000 (one of the best Brazilian tourist guidebooks, in Portuguese only).
**** Ouro Minas Palace (3429.4001). *** Merit Plaza (3201.9000); Liberty Palace (3282.0900); Grandville (3248.1000); Sol Belo Horizonte (3274.1344); Othon Palace (3273.3844). ** Classic (3282.3366); Wembley Palace (3273.6866).
Flats
Countryside Hotels
Restaurants
Regional Cuisine
The typical cuisine of the state of Minas Gerais is very well represented in its capital. Pork chops, pork and beef tenderloin, chicken with okra and homemade sausages are some of the specialties to be partaken after a shot of cachaça, the Brazilian national drink, which may come in every possible fruit flavor; for desert there is an array of homemade fruit preserves and the traditional doce de leite (a milk caramel) served with cheese from the numerous farms of the state. In fact, cheese made Minas Gerais to be nationally renowned. It comes in special flavours, like the yellow types "queijo cavalo" and "queijo do Reino" and the white "queijo de Minas", a real trademark of the State.
Some of the best restaurants for regional cuisine are:
- Xapuri, rua Mandacaru 260,Pampulha, phone 3496.6198;
- Emporium, Av. Afonso Pena 4034, Mangabeiras, phone 3281.1277;
- Dona Lucinha, rua Sergipe 811, Savassi, phone 3261.5930;
- Cozinha de Minas, Av. do Contorno 4570, Funcionários, phone 3227.1579;
- Chico Mineiro, rua Alagoas 626, Savassi, phone 3261.3237;
International Cuisine
-
French - Taste Vin (3292.5423); Empório Santa Rita (3261.1222);
-
Italian - Vecchio Sogno (3292.5251); Splendido (3227.6446); Dona Derna (3223.6954);
-
Japanese - Sushi Naka (3287.2714);
-
Portuguese - Portugália (3296-5329); Verde Gaio (3275-4122).
Tourist Office
Museums
Museu Histórico Abílio Barreto
Address: Rua Bernardo Mascarenhas
Phone: 3277.8575
Hours: 10am to 5pm, closed on Monday
Located in a restored farmhouse (originally built before the foundation of the city), it displays regional furniture and objects from the 18th and 19th century.
Museu de Arte da Pampulha
Address: Av. Otacílio Negrão de Lima, 16585, Pampulha
Phone: 3443-4533
Hours: 9am to 7pm, closed on Monday
Brazilian painters and sculptors.
Museu Mineiro
Address: Av. João Pinheiro, 342, Centro
Phone: 3269-1168
Hours: 10am to 5pm, Sat/Sun 10am to 4pm, closed on Munday
Religious art and temporary exhibitions.
Street Fairs
Created in 1969, this fair gathers 3,000 exhibitors who display their art and craftwork including furniture, jewelry, clothes, shoes and toys, as well as paintings and sculptures. It draws a huge crowd to the central area of the city every Sunday morning.
Antiques, music, regional cuisine and drinks bring people to this fair on Saturday afternoons.
Interesting Places
Igreja de São Francisco de Assis (Pampulha)
Address: Av. Otacílio Negrão de Lima - Pampulha
Phone: 3491.2319
Hours: 8:30am to 12pm/13:30pm to 18pm, Sat/Sun 9am to 6pm
The Church of Saint Francis of Assisi was opened in 1943. built with bold lines, it features mosaics on the sides of the nave. Inside the visitor will find the Via Sacra, comprising 14 panels by famous Brazilian painter Portinari - considered his most significant work. The gardens were designed by Brazilian architect Burle Marx.
Parque das Mangabeiras
Address: Acesso Sul - Av. Anel da Serra or Acesso Norte - Av. Bandeirantes
Phone: 3227.0199
Hours: 8am to 6pm, closed on Monday
The Mangabeiras Park is one of the largest city parks in the country, with green areas occupying most of its 2.3 million sq. m. The park, which has a research and environmental education center, is open to the whole community and has several leisure options.
Estádio Mineirão
Address: Av. Antônio Abrahão Caram, 1001 - Pampulha
Phone: 3499.1100
Hours: 8am to 6pm
Opened in 1965, the Mineirão Soccer Stadium is the world's second largest covered stadium, sitting 130 thousand people.
Nightlife
Nightlife is one of the main attractions of Belo Horizonte. The youth gathers in bars for drinks and small appetizers while they chat about daily life. The ambiance in bars is lively and friendly and there is no hurry, no pressure to leave the table. At late hours (generally starting at 11 p.m.) people flock to the nightclubs where they can dance till the early morning.
Bars and nightclubs are more abundant in the following neighborhoods: Savassi, São Pedro, Santo Agostinho, Santa Teresa, Mangabeiras, Gutierrez and Floresta.
Shopping
Stores are usually open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.. Malls are open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. from Monday to Saturday; on Sundays and holidays only movie theaters, coffee shops and restaurants are open in malls, from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m.
- BH Shopping: BR 356, 3049, phone: (0800) 31.9001 - Belvedere
- Diamond Mall: Av. Olegário Maciel, 1600, phone: 292.9000 - Lourdes
- Minas Shopping: Av. Cristiano Machado, 4000, phone: 426.1241 - União
- Shopping Del Rey: Av. Presidente Carlos Luz, 3001, phone: 415.6340 - Caiçara
Basic Information
