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Which is better: Belo Horizonte or São João del-Rei?

Short answer

Belo Horizonte is in the state of Minas Gerais (MG), while São João del-Rei is in the Historic Cities of Minas Gerais (MG): different regions of Brazil. 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; São João del-Rei: Aleijadinho's Baroque, a century-old steam train and the hometown of Tancredo Neves, in a historic city that still goes about its everyday life, with a real university and real shops. The weather is similar in both this month. Driving from São Paulo, São João del-Rei costs less. The two are about 186 km (116 mi) apart, 2h36 by car; you can combine them in a single trip.

Sources: INMET (updated 2026) · ANP · OpenStreetMap
Most reviewed activity in Belo HorizonteOuro Preto & Mariana Day Trip★ 8.9 · 197 reviews · from US$ 71 · via CivitatisSee dates and price →
Belo Horizonte São João del-Rei
Best time to visit May → Aug May → Sep
Weather this month 29° · 8 days of rain 27° · 9 days of rain
By car R$ 360 · from São Paulo R$ 280 · from São Paulo
Ideal stay 3–4 days 1–2 days
Best for Food, Family, Romantic, Adventure Family, Romantic, Food
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
Choose São João del-Rei if

you want a trip for families and couples: Aleijadinho's Baroque, a century-old steam train and the hometown of Tancredo Neves, in a historic city that still goes about its everyday life, with a real university and real shops.

See guide
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Where to stay

Where to stay: Belo Horizonte or São João del-Rei

The average nightly rate is around R$ 391 in Belo Horizonte and R$ 511 in São João del-Rei; what changes in practice is each place's season. Check current prices for your dates before deciding.

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 →
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Compare hotels and places to stay in São João del-Rei on Booking.com, with up-to-date prices and availability, before you book.

See all hotels in São João del-Rei

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

Frequently asked questions

Belo Horizonte or São João del-Rei: which is better?
Belo Horizonte is in the state of Minas Gerais (MG), while São João del-Rei is in the Historic Cities of Minas Gerais (MG): different regions of Brazil. 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; São João del-Rei: Aleijadinho's Baroque, a century-old steam train and the hometown of Tancredo Neves, in a historic city that still goes about its everyday life, with a real university and real shops. The weather is similar in both this month. Driving from São Paulo, São João del-Rei costs less. The two are about 186 km (116 mi) apart, 2h36 by car; you can combine them in a single trip.
What is the best time to visit Belo Horizonte and São João del-Rei?
The best time to visit Belo Horizonte is from May to August; for São João del-Rei, it is from May to September, 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, Belo Horizonte is 586 km (364 mi) and costs about R$ 360 each way (fuel plus tolls); leaving from São Paulo, São João del-Rei is 471 km (293 mi) and costs about R$ 280 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, Belo Horizonte or São João del-Rei?
Averaged over the year, Belo Horizonte has 8 rainy days a month and São João del-Rei has 9. 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 Belo Horizonte is December and in São João del-Rei, December. For temperature, Belo Horizonte is the warmer one (average high of 27° versus 26°).
How many days should you spend in Belo Horizonte and in São João del-Rei?
To see the main sights without rushing, Belo Horizonte calls for 3–4 days and São João del-Rei, 1–2 days. Since the two are 186 km (116 mi) from each other, anyone with 4 days or more can combine them in a single trip.
Belo Horizonte or São João del-Rei with kids?
Both work with kids: Belo Horizonte (capital of Minas; boteco and food; Niemeyer architecture) and São João del-Rei (Minas Baroque, living historic city, and steam train). 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.
Can you visit Belo Horizonte and São João del-Rei on the same trip?
Yes. The two are about 186 km (116 mi) apart, 2h36 by car. Combining them in a single itinerary is common, with a few days in each.
What should you not miss in each?
In Belo Horizonte: Praça da Liberdade, Mercado Central, Church of Saint Francis of Assisi (Pampulha). In São João del-Rei: Church of São Francisco de Assis, Cathedral Basilica of Nossa Senhora do Pilar, Steam train to Tiradentes. These are the sights that show up most in first-trip itineraries for each destination; the full guide to each has the whole list.