Hotels in Minas Gerais

Start your trip in Mariana, one of the oldest cities in the state of Mina Gerais. Book hotels in Minas Gerais such as Pousada da Chacara; this spacious country-style guesthouse has a swimming pool and BBQ facilities. Use it as your base while you explore the historic baroque architecture of Mariana and perfectly preserved colonial Ouro Preto nearby. Minas Gerais is home to one of the best contemporary art spaces in the world, the famous Inhotim galleries and sculpture park, set in exquisite botanical gardens. You can find cheap hotels in Minas Gerais in Brumadinho, a town near the Inhotim complex. Wherever you go, you will hear the state’s famous country-music sertaneja duets and see namoradeira – whimsical wooden carvings of young women looking quizzically out of windows. Minas Gerais is also famous for its festivals, including the congada (usually held in mid-October), a wonderful religious occasion that is also a celebration of African dance and culture.

Minas Gerais hotels are the home of Brazilian comfort food, and the capital, Belo Horizonte, is foodie heaven, so book hotels in Mina Gerais starting with the capital of the state. Check out H2 Platinum lordes, for example, if you like a boutique vibe in an international standard hotel. Start your discovery of Mineira food at Dona Lucinha II – a popular buffet comprising all the local specialities for you to sample; it has everything from street-food classics, such as gossamer-light cheese pastries, to hearty sausage and bean stews. The sometimes unfamiliar ingredients, like cassava and manioc, are a source of interest, as are the fresh vegetables such as kale and okra, which feature prominently. Xapuri is the name of a famous Brazilian restaurant in the countryside outside Belo Horizonte, a perfect place for long, relaxed lunches on outdoor picnic tables and hammocks, choosing from a menu of Brazilian specialities, cooked in cast iron or soapstone vessels over traditional wood fires. Mina Gerais is also known for its spirits; cachaca in particular, which is distilled from crushed sugar cane. Book a visit to a cachaca distillery (Alambique Excelencia, for example) to learn more about this refined cousin of white rum.

Haven't decided on a hotel in Minas Gerais yet? There are so many attractive, lively cities set in the rolling fields and verdant hills of Mina Gerais state. How about visiting Pocos de Caldas – famous for its invigorating thermal waters and spa hotels such as The Palace Hotel. Capitolio is also a great destination for visitors to the region – consider booking a few nights at Pousada Buena Vista, to drink in views of the hilly countryside and blue lakes after an exhilarating day exploring the river canyons that make Capitolio so famous. Tiradentes is a gem of colonial architecture, and its reputation for having some of the best food in Mina Gerais is well deserved. A good way to travel is by bus if you want to use public transport, as most bus routes fan out from Belo Horizonte and depart towards the smaller cities, several times a day.