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Which is better: Brumadinho or São João del-Rei?

Short answer

Brumadinho is in Belo Horizonte and its surroundings (MG), while São João del-Rei is in the Historic Cities of Minas Gerais (MG): different regions of Brazil. Brumadinho: a satellite town of Belo Horizonte that has become synonymous with contemporary art; 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.

Sources: INMET (updated 2026) · ANP · OpenStreetMap
Most reviewed activity in BrumadinhoInhotim Institute Tickets★ 8 · 6 reviews · from US$ 14 · via CivitatisSee dates and price →
Brumadinho 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$ 334 · from São Paulo R$ 280 · from São Paulo
Ideal stay 1–2 days 1–2 days
Best for Romantic, Family, Relax, Adventure Family, Romantic, Food
Choose Brumadinho if

you want a trip for couples and families: home to the Inhotim Institute, the country's largest open-air museum, set among tropical gardens and mountain waterfalls.

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: Brumadinho or São João del-Rei

The average nightly rate is around R$ 745 in Brumadinho 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 Brumadinho on Booking.com, with up-to-date prices and availability, before you book.

Villa Rica Pousada in Brumadinho 9 ★★★★ · 11 reviews Villa Rica Pousada See on Booking → Pousada Verde Villas in Brumadinho 8.4 ★★★★★ · 1 review Pousada Verde Villas 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

Brumadinho or São João del-Rei: which is better?
Brumadinho is in Belo Horizonte and its surroundings (MG), while São João del-Rei is in the Historic Cities of Minas Gerais (MG): different regions of Brazil. Brumadinho: a satellite town of Belo Horizonte that has become synonymous with contemporary art; 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.
What is the best time to visit Brumadinho and São João del-Rei?
The best time to visit Brumadinho 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, Brumadinho is 539 km (335 mi) and costs about R$ 334 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, Brumadinho or São João del-Rei?
Averaged over the year, Brumadinho has 8 rainy days a month and São João del-Rei has 9. Brumadinho is the drier of the two over the year as a whole, but what decides the trip is the month: the rainiest month in Brumadinho is December and in São João del-Rei, December. For temperature, Brumadinho is the warmer one (average high of 27° versus 26°).
How many days should you spend in Brumadinho and in São João del-Rei?
To see the main sights without rushing, Brumadinho calls for 1–2 days and São João del-Rei, 1–2 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.
Brumadinho or São João del-Rei with kids?
Both work with kids: Brumadinho (Brazil's largest open-air museum, contemporary art, and botanical garden) 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: Brumadinho has fewer rainy days over the year.
What should you not miss in each?
In Brumadinho: Inhotim Institute, Adriana Varejão Gallery, Serra do Rola-Moça State Park. 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.