Things to Do in Belo Horizonte

Belo Horizonte packs a surprising punch for visitors: a UNESCO World Heritage modernist complex, Brazil’s best bar and food scene, one of the world’s largest open-air contemporary art museums just outside the city, and easy access to colonial gold-rush towns. The city rewards travelers who stay 3-4 days rather than treating it as a one-night stopover between Rio and the interior. Here are the best things to do in Belo Horizonte, from architectural landmarks to underground samba bars.

Things to Do in Belo Horizonte: Architectural Landmarks

Pampulha Modern Ensemble (UNESCO World Heritage)

The crown jewel of Belo Horizonte’s attractions, the Pampulha Modern Ensemble earned UNESCO World Heritage status in 2016. Built in the 1940s around an artificial lake in the Pampulha neighborhood, this cluster of buildings was Oscar Niemeyer’s first major project, with landscape design by Roberto Burle Marx and tile murals by Candido Portinari. The star attraction is the Church of Saint Francis of Assisi (Igreja Sao Francisco de Assis), with its distinctive parabolic concrete vaults and blue-and-white Portinari tile panels depicting the life of St. Francis. The church is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9am to 5pm and entry costs R$10 (approx. US$2). Also on the lake: the Museu de Arte da Pampulha (MAP), housed in a former casino with a stunning Burle Marx garden. MAP is open Wednesday through Sunday 10am-5pm with free entry. Take an Uber from Savassi for about R$25 (US$5) or bus 5106 from the city center. Plan 3-4 hours to walk the full 18km lakeshore circuit.

Praca da Liberdade and the Cultural Circuit

Liberty Square (Praca da Liberdade) is the historic heart of Belo Horizonte, a palm-lined plaza flanked by neoclassical and art deco government buildings from the city’s 1897 founding. The square itself makes a pleasant 30-minute stroll, but the real draw is the Circuito Cultural Praca da Liberdade, a collection of 12 museums and cultural centres housed in the surrounding heritage buildings. Key stops: Memorial Minas Gerais Vale (free, Wednesday-Sunday 10am-6pm) for an interactive journey through Minas Gerais history and culture; Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil (CCBB-BH, free, Wednesday-Monday 10am-10pm) with rotating international art exhibitions; and the Museu das Minas e do Metal (free, Tuesday-Sunday 10am-6pm) in a striking pink building with exhibits on the state’s mining heritage. All are within a 5-minute walk of each other. Start at Memorial Minas Gerais Vale on the north side of the square and work your way around.

Things to Do in Belo Horizonte: Food and Markets

Mercado Central

Belo Horizonte’s Central Market is a sensory assault in the best possible way: over 400 stalls spread across a city block near the bus station, selling everything from live chickens to artisanal cachaca. Open Monday through Saturday 7am to 6pm and Sundays 7am to 1pm. Go hungry: the market’s food stalls serve some of the best mineira cuisine in the city. Do not miss the pasteis (deep-fried pastries, R$8-15) at Bar da Loira (stall 77), the liver with jilo at Casa Cheia (stall 59), and a glass of cold cachaca at any of the dozen botecos scattered throughout. Budget 2-3 hours to wander without a map; getting slightly lost is part of the experience. The market gets crowded on Saturdays from 10am onward, so arrive by 9am if you want breathing room. Nearest metro: Estacao Central (5-minute walk).

Boteco Crawl in Santa Tereza

Belo Horizonte calls itself the “bar capital of Brazil” with over 14,000 bars, more per capita than any other Brazilian city. The bohemian neighborhood of Santa Tereza is the epicentre, its streets lined with traditional botecos where locals gather for cold beer (cerveja gelada), petiscos (bar snacks), and live samba. Start at Bar do Orlando (Rua Salinas 1514), a no-frills institution since 1958 famous for its bolinho de feijao (bean fritters, R$12) and pork ribs (R$45). Then walk 5 minutes to Bolao (Rua Marmore 260), where the file acebolado (steak with onions, R$38) and chope (draft beer, R$7) flow from midday until late. For live samba on Wednesdays and Fridays after 8pm, head to Bar do Ze (Rua Itambe 260). Most botecos open from 11am and stay busy until midnight or later. Uber from Savassi to Santa Tereza costs about R$15 (US$3).

Things to Do in Belo Horizonte: Parks and Outdoors

Mangabeiras Park and Serra do Curral Viewpoint

The Serra do Curral mountain ridge provides Belo Horizonte’s dramatic backdrop, and Parque das Mangabeiras at its base is the city’s largest green space at 2.3 million square metres. The park has 28km of walking trails, sports courts, playgrounds, and the best viewpoint of the city skyline from Mirante das Mangabeiras. Open Tuesday through Sunday 8am to 5pm (until 6pm in summer), entry is free. For the postcard shot of BH against the mountains, continue to Mirante do Mangabeiras (Rua do Mirante 50), a viewpoint just outside the park entrance that is open 24 hours and free. The viewpoint is popular at sunset, especially during the dry season (April-September) when visibility is clearest. Take Uber from the city centre (R$20-25) or bus 8103 from Praca Sete.

Inhotim Institute (Day Trip)

Located 60km west of Belo Horizonte in Brumadinho, Inhotim is the world’s largest open-air contemporary art museum and one of Brazil’s most extraordinary cultural experiences. Spread across 140 hectares of botanical gardens designed by Roberto Burle Marx, Inhotim houses over 500 artworks by Brazilian and international artists in 23 dedicated gallery pavilions. Plan a full day: the site is vast and you will walk 8-12km between pavilions. Open Wednesday through Friday 9:30am to 4:30pm, weekends and holidays 9:30am to 5:30pm. Entry costs R$50 (approx. US$10) Wednesday-Friday, R$60 weekends. Take the dedicated Inhotim bus from Belo Horizonte’s rodoviaria (bus station) for R$80 round-trip (2-hour journey), book ahead at saritur.com.br. Alternatively, an Uber costs about R$120-150 each way. The park’s restaurant (Tamboril) serves excellent mineiro food (R$60-90 per person) but you can also bring a picnic. Start at the pink pavilion (Galeria Adriana Varejao) near the entrance and work your way clockwise around the lake, hitting the major pavilions: Cosmococa (Helio Oiticica), Beam Drop (Chris Burden), and the Doug Aitken sonic pavilion hidden in the forest.

Ouro Preto (Day Trip)

The colonial gold-rush town of Ouro Preto sits 100km southeast of Belo Horizonte and makes an essential day trip. This UNESCO World Heritage site is a perfectly preserved 18th-century mining town clinging to steep hillsides, its cobblestone streets lined with ornate baroque churches by Aleijadinho, Brazil’s most famous colonial sculptor and architect. The town has 13 churches; the must-sees are Igreja de Sao Francisco de Assis (Aleijadinho’s masterpiece, R$10 entry) and Igreja do Pilar with its 434kg of gold leaf interior (R$12). Buses depart Belo Horizonte’s rodoviaria for Ouro Preto hourly from 6am to 11pm with Passaro Verde (passaroverde.com.br), taking 2 hours and costing R$45 each way. Leave by 7am to arrive by 9am, giving you a full day to explore before the last bus back at 8pm. Wear sturdy walking shoes: Ouro Preto’s streets are a relentless workout of steep inclines and uneven cobblestones.

For more planning help, check our best time to visit guide to pick the ideal season for these activities, and browse the events and festivals calendar for seasonal happenings that might overlap with your visit.