Brazil - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 261

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
By plane Confins Airport ( T 31 3689 2700), o cially
called Tancredo Neves, is 38km north of the centre; take
the inexpensive a/c bus (1hr) to/from the central rodoviária
(a pricier though no better executivo bus also operates to
central BH). First bus daily 4am, last bus around 11pm. For
transfers by taxi (R$100), get a fixed rate voucher inside
the terminal. Some domestic flights use Pampulha Airport
( T 31 3490 2001), 9km from downtown; take city bus
#1202 to the rodoviária .
Destinations Brasília (12 daily; 2hr); Rio de Janeiro (12 daily;
1hr); Salvador (5 daily; 3hr); São Paulo (20 daily; 1hr 30min).
By bus Rodoviária ( T 31 3271 3000), Praça Rio Branco, at
the northern end of the city centre.
Destinations Brasília (4 daily; 13hr); Diamantina (4 daily;
5hr); Ouro Preto (hourly; 2hr 30min); Rio de Janeiro
(8 daily; 8hr); São João del Rei (6 daily; 4hr); São Paulo
(8 daily; 9hr).
By train The train station ( T 31 3273 5976) at Praça da
Estação serves just one route, to Vitória on the coast,
with a daily 7.30am departure (14hr) following the valley
of the Rio Doce through Minas's industrial heartland.

Pousada Sossego da Pampulha Av José Dias Bicalho
1258, São Luiz T 31 3491 8020, W sossegodapampulha
.com.br. Close to Pampulha Airport, football stadium
and university, this pousada has attractive rooms and
a couple of (pricey) dorms, plus sauna and pool. Kitchen
for self-caterers (though breakfast is included) an d good
views. Bus #54 01 from Pampulha Airport. Dorms R$49 ,
doubles R$120
Pousadinha Mineira Rua Espírito Santo 604, Centro
T 31 3273 8156, W pousadinhamineira.com.br. Institu-
tional yet cheap and reliable hostel with 200 dorm beds,
in the centre of town. No breakfast, and sheets R$5 extra.
R$25

EATING AND DRINKING
There are plenty of cheap restaurants, lanchonetes and
churrascarias - popular at lunchtime with city workers -
on Rua Pernambuco, Rua dos Caetés and around Praça
Sete.
Ì Bem Natural Rua Afonso Pena 941, Centro (inside
a small plaza), and Rua Alagoas 911, at Rua dos
Inconfidentes, Savassi. Not the cheapest por kilo in town
(expect to pay R$20 for a decent plateful), but plenty of
healthy and vegetarian offerings (meat dishes too) plus
natural juices. Self-service only; Centro branch Mon-Fri
9am-6pm, Savassi also Sat 11am-3pm.
Ì Bonomi Panificadora Rua Cláudio Manoel 488,
Funcionários. This upmarket café/bakery is not strictly
budget, but the coffee is the best in town, the bread,
cakes and pastries among the best in Brazil, and the
sandwiches and soups tasty too. Tues-Sun 8am-10.30pm,
Mon noon-10.30pm.
La Greppia Rua da Bahia 1196, Centro. Classic BH 24hr
spot for eating and drinking, with great-value tasty
Brazilian and Italian meals and snacks, any time day and
night. R$25 unlimited lunchtime buffet, or evening pasta
rodizio with dessert for R$16.80. 24hr.
Kahlúa Light Rua da Bahia 1216, Centro. Pleasant and
good-value smartish place with a minimalist design. The
prato executivo changes daily and will set you back R$16.
Mon-Sat 11.30am-3.30pm.
Ì Salumeria Central Rua Sapucaí 527, Floresta.
Right by the train station, this Italian-Brazilian restaurant-
cum-bar serves salamis, hams, pastas, cheeses and the
like from R$20 (try the pork calf cooked for seven hours;
R$29), washed down with decent wine or beer. The
outdoor seating's great for taking in views of the station
square and the arches of the Santa Tereza viaduct. Mon-
Sat 6.30pm-1am.
Vila Árabe Rua Pernambuco 781, Savassi. Good value
if you opt for the sizeable meze for two (R$38, with
vegetarian option), though otherwise moderately priced
with an unlimited buffet for R$45 per person. Lunch daily
noon-3.30pm, dinner Mon-Sat 7pm-late.

3

INFORMATION
The helpful Belotur o ce is at Rua Pernambuco 284
(Mon-Fri 8am-6pm; T 31 3277 9797, W belohorizonte
.mg.gov.br), with branches at the Mercado Central,
Parque Municipal (Mon-Fri 8am-7pm, Sat & Sun
8am-3pm; T 31 3277 7666), and the Rodoviária (daily
8am-9pm). Alô Turismo ( T 31 3220 1310) is Belotur's
information hotline. Belotur also publishes a helpful
monthly Guia Turístico, available at most hotels and
information points. Minas's state tourism service Setur
(Mon-Fri 8am-5pm; T 31 3915 9454, W turismo.mg.gov
.br) is a useful resource, though no longer has an o ce
in Central BH.

ACCOMMODATION
Ì Lá em Casa Hostel-Pousada Rua Capitão Procópio
18F, Santa Tereza T 31 3653 9566, W laemcasahostel.com.
A new smart hostel in BH's bohemian quarter, a 10min bus
ride from the centre and with numerous traditional botecos
nearby. Dorms have 5 beds an d an e xcellent breakfast is
included. Dorms R$40 , doubles R$90
Majestyc BH Centro Rua Espírito Santo 284, at Rua
Caetés, Centro T 31 3222 3390, W hotelmajestyc.com.br.
There's nothing majestic about this place at all, but it's
centrally located, the sim ple ro oms are cheap and clean,
and breakfast is included. R$60
O Sorriso do Lagarto Calle Cristina 791, São Pedro
T 31 3283 9325, W osorrisodolagarto.com.br. Good value
and friendly, this small hostel is located in trendy Savassi,
great for those here for nightli fe. B reakfast i nclud ed,
kitchen, wi-fi a little extra. Dorms R$35 , doubles R$90