Skip to content
Compare destinations

Which is better: Angra dos Reis or Belo Horizonte?

Short answer

Angra dos Reis is in Rio de Janeiro and its surroundings (RJ), while Belo Horizonte is in the state of Minas Gerais (MG): different regions of Brazil. Angra dos Reis: gateway to more than 360 islands in Ilha Grande Bay; Belo Horizonte: capital of Minas Gerais, a mountain city with a boteco (neighborhood bar) on every corner and Niemeyer's architecture on the shores of Lagoa da Pampulha. For this month's weather, Belo Horizonte has the edge. Driving from São Paulo, Angra dos Reis costs less.

Sources: INMET (updated 2026) · ANP · OpenStreetMap
Most reviewed activity in Angra dos ReisIlhas Botinas Boat Trip + Angra dos Reis Beaches★ 10 · 6 reviews · from US$ 35 · via CivitatisSee dates and price →
Most reviewed activity in Belo HorizonteOuro Preto & Mariana Day Trip★ 8.9 · 197 reviews · from US$ 71 · via CivitatisSee dates and price →
Angra dos Reis Belo Horizonte
Best time to visit May → Aug May → Aug
Weather this month 28° · 13 days of rain 29° · 8 days of rain
By car R$ 293 · from São Paulo R$ 360 · from São Paulo
Ideal stay 3–4 days 3–4 days
Best for Adventure, Relax, Family, Romantic Food, Family, Romantic, Adventure
Choose Angra dos Reis if

you want a trip for adventure seekers and relaxation: a schooner in the morning, green sea in the afternoon and Ilha Grande a boat trip away.

See guide
Choose Belo Horizonte if

you want a trip for food lovers and families: capital of Minas Gerais, a mountain city with a boteco (neighborhood bar) on every corner and Niemeyer's architecture on the shores of Lagoa da Pampulha. The gateway to the historic interior of Minas.

See guide
Comparison tool
Compare Angra dos Reis and Belo Horizonte with any other destination
Build your own side-by-side table with up to 3 destinations.
Open the comparison tool
Where to stay

Where to stay: Angra dos Reis or Belo Horizonte

The average nightly rate is around R$ 242 in Angra dos Reis and R$ 391 in Belo Horizonte; what changes in practice is each place's season. Check current prices for your dates before deciding.

Compare hotels and places to stay in Angra dos Reis on Booking.com, with up-to-date prices and availability, before you book.

See all hotels in Angra dos Reis

Compare hotels and places to stay in Belo Horizonte on Booking.com, with up-to-date prices and availability, before you book.

Ouro Minas Hotel Belo Horizonte, Dolce by Wyndham in Belo Horizonte 8.8 ★★★★★ · 128 reviews Ouro Minas Hotel Belo Horizonte, Dolce by Wyndham See on Booking → Nobile Inn Pampulha in Belo Horizonte 8.6 ★★★ · 106 reviews Nobile Inn Pampulha See on Booking →
See all hotels in Belo Horizonte

Rates change with the dates: confirm the price on Booking.com.

Frequently asked questions

Angra dos Reis or Belo Horizonte: which is better?
Angra dos Reis is in Rio de Janeiro and its surroundings (RJ), while Belo Horizonte is in the state of Minas Gerais (MG): different regions of Brazil. Angra dos Reis: gateway to more than 360 islands in Ilha Grande Bay; Belo Horizonte: capital of Minas Gerais, a mountain city with a boteco (neighborhood bar) on every corner and Niemeyer's architecture on the shores of Lagoa da Pampulha. For this month's weather, Belo Horizonte has the edge. Driving from São Paulo, Angra dos Reis costs less.
What is the best time to visit Angra dos Reis and Belo Horizonte?
The best time to visit Angra dos Reis is from May to August; for Belo Horizonte, it is from May to August, based on INMET's climate normals (temperature and rainfall for each month). If your trip already has a date, check each destination's page for your month.
Which of the two is cheaper to get to?
By car, leaving from São Paulo, Angra dos Reis is 384 km (239 mi) and costs about R$ 293 each way (fuel plus tolls); leaving from São Paulo, Belo Horizonte is 586 km (364 mi) and costs about R$ 360 each way (fuel plus tolls). The calculation assumes a car that gets 11 km/L. Lodging and activities vary with each place's season.
Where does it rain less, Angra dos Reis or Belo Horizonte?
Averaged over the year, Angra dos Reis has 12 rainy days a month and Belo Horizonte has 8. Belo Horizonte is the drier of the two over the year as a whole, but what decides the trip is the month: the rainiest month in Angra dos Reis is January and in Belo Horizonte, December. For temperature, Angra dos Reis is the warmer one (average high of 29° versus 27°).
How many days should you spend in Angra dos Reis and in Belo Horizonte?
To see the main sights without rushing, Angra dos Reis calls for 3–4 days and Belo Horizonte, 3–4 days. These are distant regions: with a week or less, it is usually better to pick one of the two and make the most of it.
Angra dos Reis or Belo Horizonte with kids?
Both work with kids: Angra dos Reis (365 islands in the bay; schooner trip; green sea and Atlantic Forest) and Belo Horizonte (capital of Minas; boteco and food; Niemeyer architecture). The choice usually comes down to getting there, not to infrastructure. With small children, weather matters: Belo Horizonte has fewer rainy days over the year.
What should you not miss in each?
In Angra dos Reis: Schooner trip around the islands, Ilha Grande (day trip), Lopes Mendes Beach. In Belo Horizonte: Praça da Liberdade, Mercado Central, Church of Saint Francis of Assisi (Pampulha). These are the sights that show up most in first-trip itineraries for each destination; the full guide to each has the whole list.