• Pampulha - This 1940's neighborhood has some of the highlights of Brazil modern architecture, including the São Francisco de Assis Church. The building is not shocking by itself, until you realize it was meant to be a church. Not surprisingly, the Catholic Church refused to consecrate it for more than one decade. Next to the church, there's the Parque Guanabara, an amusement park that is small, but worth visiting. In Pampulha lies the world-famous Iate Tenis Clube, founded along with the Pampulha Architectural Complex designed by Oscar Niemeyer. Invitations to the club can be bought at the place (they are free if you know someone affiliated to the club).
• Praça da Liberdade - A beautiful palm tree-lined square, sidelined by interesting buildings from the 19th century, including the seat of the State Government, and a curvaceous (yes, you can use this word to describe an Oscar Niemeyer building) edifice from the 60s.
• Museum of Arts and Crafts - Praça Rui Barbosa, Centro. (31) 3248-8600 (info@mao.org.br). Tues, Thurs, Fri noon to 7pm. We, noon to 9pm. Sa, Su, 11am to 5 pm. Groups: Daily, from 9am-noon. The Museu de Artes e Ofícios is installed in the 19th Century buildings of the former Central Train Station. Its collection shows the richness of Brazilian popular work and professions before the country's industrialization. Admission: R$ 4. Saturday - free.
• Alta Vila Tower - Located in the district of Nova Lima,(Belo Horizonte city Metro area), this tower offers a spectacular view of Belo Horizonte and its surrounding mountains.
• Parque Municipal - An oasis of green right in the centre of downtown. Based on French parks, it has small lagoons were you can rent a boat or feed the ducks. It has the Casa Maluca (Crazy House), the Casa dos Pneus and a small amusement park - three places where children always like to play.
• Museu de Ciencias Naturais - Take the Metro to the Gameleira station, go NW to the PUC campus, and turn right. Diverse mollusks, whales, and Brazilian forest animals. A new exhibit is under construction. Admission: R$ 3.

By bus

BH is a major national hub for bus travel. The rodoviária is at downtown at the northern end of Av. Afonso Pena. Approximate travel times from other capitals:

• Brasília - 10 hours
• Rio de Janeiro - 7 hours
• São Paulo - 8 hours

By plane

BH is served by two airports:

• Confins (Aeroporto Internacional Tancredo Neves) - Rodovia MG 010 S/N, 40 km - Confins/MG. Phone: (31) 3689-2700. The majority of flight now go here with seemingly less and less flights landing at Pampulha. Confins receives a few international flights and most domestic flights. It's located about 40 km from the city downtown. It's connected to the downtown area by Conexão Aeroporto express buses (R$ 13.75) and taxis. There is also an express bus to Pampulha and the rodoviária for R$6,45.
• Pampulha (Aeroporto Carlos Drummond de Andrade). For some domestic flights, especially within the state of Minas Gerais. 9 km from downtown.

On foot

If you plan to get around the city center on foot, you might want to take a map. Because the city grid is laid out with both ordinals and diagonal streets, it is very easy to take a wrong turn.

By bus

BH is well served by buses. The SC buses circulate through the old city; others serve outlying neighborhoods.

If you are outside the center, take a blue bus to the center. As there is no bus map, remember its number to find your way back.

By train

The Metrô snakes through the city, from Eldorado northeast to Vilarinho, tangential to the north side of downtown. Lagoinha station is near the rodoviária (bus station).

By taxi

The main taxi companies in Belo Horizonte include Hutaxi, Jo Taxi, Intertaxi, Pitangui and Protaxi.

• Minas Shopping. Take the Metro and get off at the Minas Shopping station. Large mall with food court and cinema. However, the cinemas only have a couple screens and likewise only show a couple of movies everyday.
• Shopping Cidade. Rua Rio de Janeiro near Praça Sete de Setembro. A variety of shops are on this pedestrian section of road.
• BH Shopping. One of BH's oldest and biggest shopping centers, with shops, food, cinema and games.
• Shopping Del Rey. Another of BH's oldest and biggest shopping centers, with shops, food, cinema and games.
• Diamond Mall. A very refined (and usually expensive) shopping center.
• Patio Savassi. Also very refined (and usually expensive) shopping center, in the heart of Savassi.
• Mercado Central, Av. Augusto de Lima and R. Curitiba. Tofu, whole grains, cheese, meat, herbs, religious articles, fruit, live birds, pots, and lots of other stuff.

For a good sample of traditional mineira food, try one the two Dona Lucinha restaurants in town. There is one near the Liberdade Square:

• Dona Lucinha II, Rua Sergipe, 811; (31) 3261-5930 (dl2@uol.com.br). M-F 12PM-3PM and 8PM-midnight. Sa 12PM-5PM and 8PM-midnight. Su 12PM-5PM. R$ 19-27.

One of the more infamous restaurants in BH is chain Porcão. Considered to have the best meat in BH is also one of the most expensive in town. Some nights there are live performances by some of the more well known performers in BH.

• Porcão, Avenida Raja Gabaglia, 2985, Cep:30350-540, Tel: (31) 3293-8604, [2].

If your food tastes lean toward brown rice and tofu, try Bem Natural. This is both a snack bar with tuna and chicken sandwiches on whole wheat, and a por quilo buffet with stuffed tomatoes, vegetarian feijoada, and brown rice. There are four locations in BH:

• Av. Afonso Pena 941, Centro, (31) 3224-1385.
• Augusto de Lima 1652, Barro Preto, (31) 3295-2325.
• Bernardo Guimarães 166, Funcionários, (31) 3284-6680.
• Tomé de Souza 947, Savassi, (31) 3261-5676, open weekends and holidays too.

• People from BH are famous for their love of bars. The central Savassi neighborhood has dozens of bars. Also, at São Lucas neighborhood, on Contorno Avenue, you will find "Sociedad Pub", one of the best Pubs in town (Contorno Av., n.3849). Actually, the city is widely known (although without any confirmation) as the city with most bars per capita in the world. Some clubs that charge a cover are overrated and expensive. However, the outdoor bar scene is the authentic Brazilian experience.

• You may know it only as an ingredient in vitamin pills, but here you can get fresh acerola puree in orange juice squeezed before your eyes. This is called a vitamina with good reason. The fruit is perishable and is stored on ice. Other fruits prepared the same way are abacaxi (pineapple), açaí, banana, and mamão (papaya).

• Although Savassi is the place to go on Friday and Saturday nights, Trevo Five Place (close to the Hard Rock Cafe) is a great spot on Thursday nights. The dancing is great however the environment is not for the cautious.

• The state of Minas Gerias is famous for their cachaca. Cachaca is not the best straight, however, it makes great mixed drinks.

• Another great drink is a sweet tasting wine-like substance called pronounced catowaba.

• If your looking for some dancing and clubbing visit naSala http://www.nasala.com.br/. For sure the best nightlife in town. Expect to meet beautiful people.