Skip to content
Voykit
Set your trip — dates, party, bagsPlanner

Draft data. Times, fares and step counts are desk estimates awaiting field checks. Unknown times stay unknown. How we verify

Major city · Brazil

Mariana

Give Mariana one full day plus one night, paired with Ouro Preto 35 min away; skip it as a standalone base unless you want a quieter, cheaper colonial town.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
BRL
Best months
Apr–Sep (dry, cooler)
avoid Dec–Mar (heavy rain); Carnival and Semana Santa crowds
Airport
CNF
Nights
1
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 7Above 2,500 m (Bogotá, Quito, Cusco, La Paz) keep the fir…
  • South America ↗Above 2,500 m (Bogotá, Quito, Cusco, La Paz) keep the first day light; sleep lower where you can (Sacred Valley before Cusco) and descend if headache comes with vomiting or confusion.
  • South America ↗A yellow fever certificate is required on arrival in French Guiana, and asked for on some routes into Bolivia, Paraguay, Suriname and Guyana, or when arriving from Amazon areas — vaccinate at least 10 days before travel and carry the card.
  • South America ↗Overnight buses are the norm in Argentina, Chile and Peru, but pick top-tier companies and keep valuables on your body; on-board thefts from overhead racks are the common loss.
  • Brazil ↗US, Canadian and Australian citizens need an e-visa (about US$81 — check) applied for online at the official VFS portal before travel; EU and UK citizens do not. Check your passport with Brazil's Ministry of Foreign Affairs before booking.
  • Brazil ↗Yellow fever vaccination is recommended for many areas, including the Amazon and Pantanal; check with a travel clinic at least 10 days before travel.
  • Brazil ↗Keep your phone out of sight in the street and on beaches; phone theft is the most common crime against visitors in big cities.
  • Brazil ↗Carnival 2027 runs about 5–10 February (Tuesday 9 February; Salvador from 4 February): book Rio, Salvador and Recife/Olinda months ahead or avoid those dates.

Mariana is Brazil's first planned mining town, founded in 1696 and briefly the capital of Minas Gerais. Its colonial core is compact and walkable, with a cathedral, a sacred-art museum and a music museum that together fill a day. Most travellers see it as a half-day or one-night add-on to Ouro Preto, 35 minutes by local bus, rather than a destination in its own right.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Mariana, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeR$5–10 (≈ US$1–2)
  • BeerbarR$8–15 (≈ US$2–3)
  • Metro or bus rideLocal bus Mariana–Ouro PretoR$5–10 (≈ US$1–2) (check)
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a weekR$40–80 (≈ US$8–15)
  • Museum or sight ticketMuseum entryR$5–15 (≈ US$1–3)
  • Budget bedHostel or simple pousada bed, a night, per personR$60 (≈ US$12)
  • Mid-range bedPousada double room, a night, per roomR$280 (≈ US$55)
  • High-end bedPousada double room, a night, per roomR$550 (≈ US$110)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget R$180 (≈ US$35) · Mid R$320 (≈ US$60) · High R$600 (≈ US$120)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Catedral da Sé and its 1701 German organMuseu Arquidiocesano de Arte SacraMuseu da Música in the old Bishop's PalaceColonial gold-rush streets
Airports
CNF Belo Horizonte–Confins (Tancredo Neves International) (Nearest airport; about 2 h by road to Mariana via Belo Horizonte. Check current bus and transfer options.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Mariana: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

28°C

18°C

18 rd

Feb

29°C

18°C

15 rd

Mar

28°C

17°C

14 rd

Apr

27°C

15°C

9 rd

May

25°C

13°C

6 rd

Jun

24°C

11°C

4 rd

Jul

24°C

10°C

4 rd

Aug

26°C

11°C

5 rd

Sep

27°C

14°C

7 rd

Oct

27°C

16°C

12 rd

Nov

27°C

17°C

16 rd

Dec

27°C

18°C

19 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

The historic centre is small enough to walk end to end in 20–30 minutes. Local buses run between Mariana and Ouro Preto roughly every 30 minutes, about 35 minutes. Long-distance buses arrive at a station on the outskirts, so plan a taxi or local bus into the centre.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Ouro Preto

go

Door to door: About 35 min

Local bus from the centre, about every 30 min

The obvious pairing; go early to beat tour groups.

Congonhas

go

Door to door: 1.5–2 h

Bus via Ouro Preto or Belo Horizonte

Aleijadinho's Twelve Prophets at the Bom Jesus sanctuary.

Caraça Natural Reserve

overnight

Door to door: About 1.5–2 h

Road via Santa Bárbara; car or organised tour

Trails, waterfalls and caves; dry season May–Sep is best.

Belo Horizonte

go

Door to door: About 2 h

Long-distance bus

Main gateway for flights and onward buses.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Centro (around Praça Tancredo Neves and Praça Gomes Freire)

Most pousadas and hotels sit within a short walk of these squares; best for a one-night stop with bags.

Passagem de Mariana

Lower district toward the old gold mines; quieter, a few km from the centre.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
R$150–250 (≈ US$30–50) excl. bed
Mid
R$250–450 (≈ US$50–85) excl. bed
High
R$450 (≈ US$85)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Pousada double room1 × 1 night × R$280R$280
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × R$320R$640
Local bus Mariana–Ouro Preto, both ways2 × R$20 · checkR$40
Museum and church entries, one day2 × R$30 · checkR$60
eSIM, about a week of data2 × R$60R$120
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeR$114
Trip total≈ R$627 per person per day, bed includedR$1,254≈ US$250

2026 estimate in reais; flights excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

CoffeeR$5–10 (≈ US$1–2)
Per-kilo mineiro lunchR$12–20 (≈ US$3–4)
Beer, barR$8–15 (≈ US$2–3)
Local bus Mariana–Ouro PretoR$5–10 (≈ US$1–2) (check)
Museum entryR$5–15 (≈ US$1–3)
eSIM or data SIM, about a weekR$40–80 (≈ US$8–15)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Mariana is a small, low-crime colonial town; the real risks are uneven cobblestones, steep streets after rain and pickpocketing at busy festival times. Standard big-city precautions apply at night.
  • Church and museum hours are limited and change; confirm before you travel.
  • Some churches charge a small entry fee (around R$1–2 (≈ under US$1)) and close at midday.
  • Rainy season (Dec–Mar) brings heavy downpours and slippery cobblestones.
  • The long-distance bus station is outside the centre; arrange your onward transfer in advance.

Emergency numbers

Police
190
Ambulance
192
Fire
193

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

MarianaMariana

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

Para este endereço, por favorTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police190
  • Ambulance192
  • Fire193

Embassy

Most embassies and consulates are in Brasília, Rio de Janeiro or São Paulo; check your country's representation before travelling.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Local bus Mariana → Ouro Preto: about R$5–10 (≈ US$1–2), about 35 min (check)
  • Taxi in town: R$15–30 (≈ US$3–6) (check)
  • Bus Belo Horizonte → Mariana: about R$40–60 (≈ US$8–12), about 2 h (check)

Say or show

  • Com licença / Desculpe — Excuse me / Sorry (kong lee-SEN-sah / des-KUL-pee)
  • Obrigado / Obrigada — Thank you (oh-bree-GAH-doo / oh-bree-GAH-dah)
  • Quanto custa? — How much is it? (KWAN-too KOOS-tah)
  • Posso pagar com cartão? — Can I pay by card? (POH-soo pah-GAR kong kar-TOW)
  • Onde fica o banheiro? — Where is the toilet? (ON-jee FEE-kah oo bah-NYAY-roo)
  • Não entendo — I don't understand (nowng en-TEN-doo)

Small town; carry some cash for churches, small eateries and the local bus.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Mariana. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Apr–Sep (dry, cooler) · avoid Dec–Mar (heavy rain); Carnival and Semana Santa crowds · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 2 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 4 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for CNF: verified bus and transfer times, taxi fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Walking clusters with anchors: Praça da Sé, Praça Gomes Freire, Rua Direita, Passagem de Mariana.
  3. Place pages with verified opening hours for the cathedral, sacred-art museum and music museum.
  4. Rainy-season and holiday arrival fixtures so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to Brazil

Sources