Travel advisory · BrazilSome governments advise against travel to parts of Brazil.The warnings cover only these areas: Ceilandia, Favelas, Paranoá, Santa Maria, São Sebastião, Venezuela border area.Advice depends on your passport. Read your own government's advice before you book.Official advice

Areas with warnings

Ceilandia · avoid non-essential travel · Italy, US
Favelas · avoid non-essential travel · Germany, Spain, New Zealand, US
Paranoá · avoid non-essential travel · Italy, US
Santa Maria · avoid non-essential travel · Italy, US
São Sebastião · avoid non-essential travel · Italy, US
Venezuela border area · avoid non-essential travel · Germany, France

Also named by one government: 160 km strip along Brazil's land borders (US), Complexo da Maré (Canada), Complexo da Penha (Canada), 20 km strip along the Bolivian border (excluding Pantanal National Park) (Canada), 20 km strip along the Colombian border (Canada), 20 km strip along the French Guiana border (Canada), 20 km strip along the Guyanese border (Canada), 20 km strip along the Paraguayan border (Canada), 20 km strip along the Peruvian border (Canada), 20 km strip along the Surinamese border (Canada), 50 km strip along the Venezuelan border (Canada), Amazonas River and tributaries, Amazonas State (between Codajás and Belém do Solimões) (UK), Border zones (unspecified) (France), Chapada Diamantina National Park (trilha do 21) (Spain), Planaltina (Italy), Samambaia (Italy)

Government	Advice	Updated	Read the advice
United Kingdom (FCDO)	No advice against the whole country (regional advisories)	–	Read the advice
United States (State Dept)	Exercise increased caution (regional advisories)	Aug 31, 2026	Read the advice
Canada (Global Affairs)	Exercise a high degree of caution (regional advisories)	–	Read the advice
Germany (Auswärtiges Amt)	No advice against the whole country (regional advisories)	Oct 27, 2026	Read the advice
New Zealand (SafeTravel)	Exercise increased caution due to high crime rates (regional advisories)	–	Read the advice
France (Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs)	Vigilance renforcée (pays à risque) (regional advisories)	–	Read the advice

Checked daily from the governments' published advice; last checked Nov 2, 2026. RoamLedger summarises official advice; it is not advice from any government.

purple petaled flowers near pathway viewing blue sea

Belo Horizonte

Go for Oscar Niemeyer's modernist buildings in Pampulha, Minas Gerais cooking, and a base for colonial towns and the Inhotim art park.

Find a room in Belo Horizonte Start with the essentials Plan a trip to Belo Horizonte

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Belo Horizonte is the capital of Minas Gerais, a state in southeastern Brazil. The city was founded in 1897 as the new state capital, and its planned street grid still shows that origin. Most visitors come for the modernist buildings in Pampulha, designed with Oscar Niemeyer and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, and for the food, from pão de queijo (cheese bread) to regional dishes sold at the Mercado Central.

The city suits a short break or a stop between Rio de Janeiro and the colonial town of Ouro Preto, a day trip away. Inhotim, a large open-air contemporary art park in nearby Brumadinho, takes a full day on its own. Two to three days covers the main sights. The dry season, May to September, is the most comfortable time for walking and for hiking Serra do Curral, the ridge above the city. The rainy summer months bring heavy afternoon storms.

Belo Horizonte in five

Check whether your flight lands at Confins or PampulhaConfins (CNF) is the international airport, about 40 km from the centre. Pampulha airport (PLU) is much closer to the city and mostly handles domestic flights.Getting around
Set up data before you leave the airportRide apps, maps and banking apps all need a connection, and the drive from Confins to the centre is about an hour. Load an eSIM or buy a local SIM before you land.Phones and eSIM
Carry a card and learn to pay with PixPix is Brazil's instant bank payment, made by scanning a QR code, and many shops, bars and market stalls use it. Cards work in most hotels and restaurants, so carry both.
Book app rides after dark instead of flagging a taxiRide-hailing apps record the driver, car and route, which makes the trip home from bars in Savassi or the centre at night easier to track.
Check the match calendar before you set datesOn match days, Football at Mineirão or Arena MRV brings large crowds to the bars around the stadiums, so check the fixture list before you book a bed.Sport

Things to do in Belo Horizonte

See all attractions in Belo Horizonte

Landmark · Belo HorizonteBank of Brazil Cultural CenterArrive early to allow time to collect your free ticket.

a group of people standing in front of a building

Sight · Belo HorizonteInstituto de Arte Contemporânea Inhotim

a stadium lit up at night with lights on

Museum · Belo HorizonteBrazilian Football MuseumConsider going at an off-peak time for a less crowded visit.

Free trip plannerPlan a trip to Belo HorizontePut the places you like in Belo Horizonte on a map, give them days, and let one button order each day. Free, with no account.Plan a trip

Need to know

Currency: Real (BRL)
Entry: Visa-free for many passports; check the eVisa rules before you fly Read more
Emergency: 190 police, 192 ambulance, 193 fire
Tipping: Restaurant bills often include a 10% service charge; check the bill before adding a tip
Time: UTC-3, no daylight saving

Weather by month

Rainy days

Best
Good
Mixed
Poor

JanuaryRain17 rainy daysHigh27°Low19°Rainy season
FebruaryRain16 rainy daysHigh27°Low19°Hot, rainy
MarchPartly cloudy12 rainy daysHigh28°Low18°Rains easing
AprilPartly cloudy8 rainy daysHigh27°Low17°Mild, showers
MayClear4 rainy daysHigh26°Low15°Dry, mild
JuneClear1 rainy dayHigh25°Low14°Dry, cool nights
JulyClear1 rainy dayHigh25°Low13°Dry, sunny
AugustClear3 rainy daysHigh27°Low14°Dry, sunny
SeptemberClear4 rainy daysHigh30°Low17°Dry, warming
OctoberRain13 rainy daysHigh29°Low18°Hot, dry
NovemberRain18 rainy daysHigh27°Low18°Rains return
DecemberRain20 rainy daysHigh27°Low19°Rainy season

Average daily high and low in Belo Horizonte, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.

Right now in Belo Horizonte

Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.

Feels like: 29°
Humidity: 58%
Wind: 8 km/h
Chance of rain: 89%

Minas Gerais

05:43 PM

Monday, November 2

GMT-3

Today28°19°89%Monday: Rain. High 28°, Low 19°. Chance of rain 89%.
Tue28°18°75%Tuesday: Drizzle. High 28°, Low 18°. Chance of rain 75%.
Wed30°18°69%Wednesday: Thunderstorms. High 30°, Low 18°. Chance of rain 69%.
Thu30°19°46%Thursday: Drizzle. High 30°, Low 19°. Chance of rain 46%.
Fri30°20°84%Friday: Drizzle. High 30°, Low 20°. Chance of rain 84%.
Sat30°20°98%Saturday: Thunderstorms. High 30°, Low 20°. Chance of rain 98%.
Sun30°15°89%Sunday: Drizzle. High 30°, Low 15°. Chance of rain 89%.

Updated 03:28 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com

Money

Mid-market rate1 USD = 5.437 BRL

Amount

Converted to

BRL · Brazilian Real

Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API

What's on in Belo Horizonte

Concerts, festivals and big events in and around the city

Events calendar

Coming up

Day trips by train

Ouro Pretoabout 2 hours by busA colonial mining town with steep streets and baroque churches, best seen on foot.
Inhotimabout 1 hour by carAn open-air contemporary art park with galleries and gardens, which takes a full day.
Tiradentesabout 3.5 hours by roadA small hill town with a historic centre and a steam train on weekends in season.

Before you go to Belo Horizonte

eSIM for Belo HorizonteRide apps and maps from ConfinsRead the guide

Insurance for Brazil tripsCover for medical care and delaysRead the guide

Stays in Belo HorizonteSavassi, Funcionários and PampulhaRead the guide

Money and cardsPix, card fees and cashRead the guide

Rules for Belo Horizonte, checked

Visa-free entry and e-visa rules depend on your nationality; check the Brazilian government portal before you book flights.Source
Yellow fever vaccine advice depends on your route and the state you visit; check the Ministry of Health travel pages before you go.Source
Goods you bring into Brazil are subject to Receita Federal limits; declare items above the allowance at arrival.Source

Plan around Belo Horizonte

Where to stay

Savassi, Funcionários, Pampulha and the centre compared

Read the guide Airport, metro and buses

Confins transfers, the metro line and city bus options

Read the guide Money, Pix and cards

Paying with cards, Pix and cash in Belo Horizonte

Read the guide Visas and entry

Who needs a visa and what to check before you fly

Read the guide Festivals across the year

City and regional festivals by season, with dates to check

Read the guide All of Brazil

Regions, flights and entry rules across the country

Read the guide

Belo Horizonte FAQ

Is Belo Horizonte worth visiting?

Yes, for a few days if you want Oscar Niemeyer's modernist buildings in Pampulha, a bar and food scene in Savassi, and a base for Ouro Preto and Inhotim. It is a weak choice for a short beach holiday.

How many days do you need in Belo Horizonte?

Three days covers the centre, Pampulha and one bar district. Add two more if you want Ouro Preto or Inhotim without rushing.

Is Belo Horizonte safe for tourists?

Use the usual city habits: keep phones out of sight on the street, use app rides at night, and stay in busy areas after dark. Ask your hotel which streets to avoid.

Do you need Portuguese in Belo Horizonte?

Portuguese is the working language, and many smaller shops and taxi drivers use little English. Save your hotel address in Portuguese and keep a translation app ready.

Can you visit Belo Horizonte from Rio or São Paulo?

Yes, by a short domestic flight or a long-distance bus, which is a long day by road. Check schedules on the airline or bus operator sites before you set dates.