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Which is better: Ouro Preto or São João del-Rei?

Short answer

Ouro Preto and São João del-Rei are in the same region (Historic Cities of Minas Gerais). Ouro Preto: stone-paved slopes, gilded Baroque churches and the work of Aleijadinho in the former gold capital; 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.

Sources: INMET (updated 2026) · ANP · OpenStreetMap
Most reviewed activity in Ouro PretoJardineira Tour★ 8.6 · 145 reviews · from US$ 19 · via CivitatisSee dates and price →
Ouro Preto 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$ 63 · from Belo Horizonte R$ 280 · from São Paulo
Ideal stay 2–3 days 1–2 days
Best for Romantic, Food, Family Family, Romantic, Food
Choose Ouro Preto if

you want a trip for couples and food lovers: stone-paved slopes, gilded Baroque churches and the work of Aleijadinho in the former gold capital.

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: Ouro Preto or São João del-Rei

The average nightly rate is around R$ 527 in Ouro Preto 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 Ouro Preto on Booking.com, with up-to-date prices and availability, before you book.

Pousada Sinhá Olímpia in Ouro Preto 9.5 ★★★★ · 71 reviews Pousada Sinhá Olímpia See on Booking → Hotel Solar de Maria in Ouro Preto 9 ★★★★ · 14 reviews Hotel Solar de Maria 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

Ouro Preto or São João del-Rei: which is better?
Ouro Preto and São João del-Rei are in the same region (Historic Cities of Minas Gerais). Ouro Preto: stone-paved slopes, gilded Baroque churches and the work of Aleijadinho in the former gold capital; 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.
What is the best time to visit Ouro Preto and São João del-Rei?
The best time to visit Ouro Preto 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 Belo Horizonte, Ouro Preto is 100 km (62 mi) and costs about R$ 63 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, Ouro Preto or São João del-Rei?
Averaged over the year, Ouro Preto has 8 rainy days a month and São João del-Rei has 9. Ouro Preto is the drier of the two over the year as a whole, but what decides the trip is the month: the rainiest month in Ouro Preto is December and in São João del-Rei, December. For temperature, Ouro Preto is the warmer one (average high of 27° versus 26°).
How many days should you spend in Ouro Preto and in São João del-Rei?
To see the main sights without rushing, Ouro Preto calls for 2–3 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.
Ouro Preto or São João del-Rei with kids?
Both work with kids: Ouro Preto (Minas Gerais Baroque, UNESCO heritage, and historic city) 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: Ouro Preto has fewer rainy days over the year.
What should you not miss in each?
In Ouro Preto: Church of Saint Francis of Assisi, Tiradentes Square, Inconfidência Museum. 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.