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Major city · 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.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
BRL
Best months
Apr–Sep (dry, cooler)
avoid Dec–Mar (heavy rain), Carnaval and Holy Week unless booked ahead
Airport
CNF
Nights
2
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.

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.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Ouro Preto, 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$6–12 (≈ US$2–3)
  • Beerdraught / can at a shopR$10–18 (≈ US$2–4)R$5–8 (≈ US$1–2)
  • Taxi, about 5 km5 km taxi or app ridecheckR$20–35 (≈ US$4–7)
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a weekR$40–80 (≈ US$8–15)
  • Museum or sight ticketMuseum or church entryR$2–17 (≈ US$1–4)
  • Budget bedHostel dorm bed, a night, per personR$80 (≈ US$15)
  • Mid-range bedPousada double room, a night, per roomR$380 (≈ US$75)
  • High-end bedPousada double room, a night, per roomR$750 (≈ US$140)

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.

Colonial baroque churchesAleijadinho sculptureGold minesUNESCO World Heritage site
Airports
CNF Belo Horizonte–Confins (About 100 km away; bus or car from Belo Horizonte, roughly 2 h by road)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Ouro Preto: 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

26°C

16°C

0 rd

Feb

26°C

16°C

0 rd

Mar

25°C

14°C

0 rd

Apr

24°C

13°C

0 rd

May

23°C

11°C

0 rd

Jun

22°C

9°C

0 rd

Jul

21°C

8°C

0 rd

Aug

23°C

10°C

0 rd

Sep

24°C

12°C

0 rd

Oct

24°C

14°C

0 rd

Nov

25°C

15°C

0 rd

Dec

25°C

15°C

0 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

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 & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Mariana

go

Door to door: About 30–45 min by bus

Regional bus from the rodoviaria or centre, or the Maria Fumaca steam train

Oldest town and first state capital; pair with the train if it is running.

Congonhas

go

Door to door: About 1.5 h

Bus or car via the BR-040 corridor

Bom Jesus sanctuary with Aleijadinho's prophets; a half day.

Ouro Branco

caution

Door to door: About 45 min

Bus or car on the MG-443

18th-century buildings and the Serra do Ouro Branco rock formation.

Belo Horizonte

go

Door to door: About 2 h

Passaro Verde bus from the rodoviaria, about 16 departures daily

The nearest big-city airport link is here, via Confins.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

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

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.

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 × 2 nights × R$380R$760
Food, local transport, entries2 × 2 days × R$320R$1,280
Bus Belo Horizonte → Ouro Preto, one way2 × R$60 · checkR$120
Maria Fumaca train to Mariana, round trip2 × R$70 · checkR$140
eSIM, about a week of data2 × R$50R$100
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeR$240
Trip total≈ R$660 per person per day, bed includedR$2,640≈ US$500

2026 estimate in reais; flights and long-distance buses excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

CoffeeR$6–12 (≈ US$2–3)
Mineiro plate (feijao tropeiro or frango com quiabo)R$30–60 (≈ US$6–12)
Beer: draught / can at a shopR$10–18 (≈ US$2–4) / R$5–8 (≈ US$1–2)
5 km taxi or app ridecheckR$20–35 (≈ US$4–7)
Museum or church entryR$2–17 (≈ US$1–4)
eSIM or data SIM, about a weekR$40–80 (≈ US$8–15)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

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.
  • 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.

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.

Ouro PretoOuro Preto

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

Para este endereco, por favorTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police190
  • Ambulance192
  • Fire193

Embassy

No embassies in Ouro Preto; the US, UK and other consulates are in Rio de Janeiro or Brasilia (check).

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Bus Belo Horizonte → Ouro Preto: about R$60 (≈ US$12), 2 h (check)
  • Maria Fumaca Ouro Preto → Mariana: about R$50 (≈ US$10) one-way, R$70 (≈ US$13) round trip (check)
  • Mina da Passagem entry: about R$17 (≈ US$4) (check)

Say or show

  • Com licenca — Excuse me / Sorry (kong lee-SEN-sah)
  • 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 cartao? — 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)
  • Nao falo portugues — I do not speak Portuguese (now FAH-loo por-too-GAYS)

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 Ouro Preto. 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), Carnaval and Holy Week unless booked ahead · 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: last bus from Belo Horizonte, taxi fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: Praca Tiradentes, the Conceicao and Carmo churches, the mines, and the Rosario and Santa Efigenia hills.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (Museu da Inconfidencia, Pilar, Sao Francisco de Assis, Mina da Passagem) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Rain and Carnaval fixtures so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to Brazil

Sources