Belo Horizonte

in

Belo Horizonte spreads across rolling hills in south-eastern Brazil and was planned in the late nineteenth century as a new state capital. Broad central avenues give way to dense neighbourhoods climbing the slopes, while a modernist complex around an artificial lake is among the city’s main architectural landmarks. The surrounding region has deep connections with mining and colonial history.

Food is a major strength, especially traditional dishes from Minas Gerais served in markets, bars and family-run restaurants. The city has fewer globally famous sights than Rio de Janeiro or Brasília, but its everyday social life is highly distinctive. Distances and hills make transport important, while viewpoints reveal the scale of the surrounding urban basin.