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Voykit pocket guide · Brazil
Ouro Preto
Go for 2 nights: the colonial core is walkable in a day, but the hills, churches and mines need a second morning.
Ouro Preto was the centre of Brazil's 18th-century gold rush and is the country's best-preserved colonial town, a UNESCO site since 1980. Two nights covers the churches, museums and one mine; the streets are steep cobbles, so base near Praca Tiradentes and walk.
- Country
- Brazil
- Best months
- Apr–Sep (dry, cooler)
- Avoid
- Dec–Mar (heavy rain), Carnaval and Holy Week unless booked ahead
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- BRL
- Money
- Currency is the Brazilian real (BRL, R$). About R$5–5.8 per US dollar in 2026 — check. Cards and tap-to-pay are accepted almost everywhere, even at beach kiosks.
- Daily spend
- Budget R$150–250 excl. bed · Mid R$250–450 excl. bed · High R$450+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Vivo, Claro and TIM cover the country; buying a prepaid SIM needs a passport and sometimes a CPF — an eSIM before you fly is easier.
- Emergency
- Police 190 · Ambulance 192 · Fire 193
- Plugs
- Types N, C · 127 V (Rio, São Paulo) or 220 V (Brasília, much of the Northeast) · Check the voltage on the socket; most chargers are dual-voltage.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 10% service (serviço) usually on the bill; optional but normal.; Beach kiosk / bar: Often included; round up.; Taxi / Uber: Not expected; round up.; Guide: US$5–15 per person per day.; Hotel staff: Small tip for porters.
- Water
- Do not drink tap water; filtered water is provided in most homes and hotels.
- Toilets
- Put toilet paper in the bin, not the toilet, in most places.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | R$6–12 |
| Mineiro plate (feijao tropeiro or frango com quiabo) | R$30–60 |
| Beer: draught / can at a shop | R$10–18 / R$5–8 |
| 5 km (3.1 mi) taxi or app ride3.1 mi (5 km) taxi or app ride | R$20–35 |
| Museum or church entry | R$2–17 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | R$40–80 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- CNF · Belo Horizonte–Confins
- About 100 km (62 mi) away; bus or car from Belo Horizonte, roughly 2 h by roadAbout 62 mi (100 km) away; bus or car from Belo Horizonte, roughly 2 h by road
Typical fares
- Bus Belo Horizonte → Ouro Preto
- about R$60, 2 h (check)
- Maria Fumaca Ouro Preto → Mariana
- about R$50 one-way, R$70 round trip (check)
- Mina da Passagem entry
- about R$17 (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walk: the centre is small but the cobbled hills are steep, so wear grippy shoes. City buses and the Moovit app cover outer neighbourhoods and Mariana. Taxis and app rides work for the station and mines.
See and do
Known for
- Colonial baroque churches
- Aleijadinho sculpture
- Gold mines
- UNESCO World Heritage site
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Mariana | Regional bus from the rodoviaria or centre, or the Maria Fumaca steam train | About 30–45 min by bus |
| Congonhas | Bus or car via the BR-040 corridor | About 1.5 h |
| Ouro Branco | Bus or car on the MG-443 | About 45 min |
| Belo Horizonte | Passaro Verde bus from the rodoviaria, about 16 departures daily | About 2 h |
Sleep
- Praca Tiradentes and the historic centre
- Walk to most sights; steep streets, so pick a place with a lift or ground-floor room if stairs are an issue.
- Around the rodoviaria (bus station)
- Cheaper, on the northwestern edge; a downhill walk into the centre.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | Com licencakong lee-SEN-sah |
| Thank you | Obrigado / Obrigadaoh-bree-GAH-doo / oh-bree-GAH-dah |
| How much is it? | Quanto custa?KWAN-too KOOS-tah |
| Can I pay by card? | Posso pagar com cartao?POH-soo pah-GAR kong kar-TOW |
| Where is the toilet? | Onde fica o banheiro?ON-jee FEE-kah oo bah-NYAY-roo |
| I do not speak Portuguese | Nao falo portuguesnow FAH-loo por-too-GAYS |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake, hug or cheek kiss (one in São Paulo, two in Rio); avoid: Being stiff with new acquaintances
- Gestures: Use thumbs-up freely; avoid: The OK hand sign (it is rude)
- Language: Try Portuguese; say obrigado/obrigada; avoid: Defaulting to Spanish
- Time: Expect relaxed social punctuality; avoid: Being late for tours and flights
- Beach: Bring only a towel, cash and a copy of your ID; avoid: Leaving things unattended
Scams and watch-outs
- No photos or filming inside museums and churches.
- Cobbles are slippery when wet; the hills are hard work for anyone with limited mobility.
- Book accommodation well ahead for Carnaval and Holy Week.
- Itacolomi State Park visits require a guide arranged in advance by phone.
Ouro Preto is a small, busy tourist town and generally safe by day. The real risks are the steep wet cobbles, pickpockets in festival crowds, and unlicensed taxis at night: use app rides or the rank.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Ouro Preto yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Colonial baroque churches
- Aleijadinho sculpture
- Gold mines
- UNESCO World Heritage site
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Prefeitura de Ouro Preto: www.ouropreto.mg.gov.br/
- Museu da Inconfidencia: museudainconfidencia.museus.gov.br/
- Wikivoyage: Ouro Preto, revision 5332592 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5332592
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/ouro-preto). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.