Marina e Lucas

Tips for out-of-towners: flights, airports, where to stay and how to get around the city.

Belo Horizonte is served by Belo Horizonte International Airport (CNF). The airport is outside the city (about ~40 km from downtown), so plan a bit of travel time after you land.

Coming from California

If you’re flying from California, the easiest options are typically departing from Los Angeles (LAX) or San Francisco (SFO) and flying into CNF.

Many Latin American airlines offer routes with just one stop, such as LATAM, Copa Airlines, or Azul. There are also plenty of one-stop options through major U.S. carriers like American Airlines, United, and Delta.

Coming from DC

From DC, you can often find one-stop flights to CNF departing from Dulles International Airport (IAD). United and Copa Airlines are common options for this route.

Coming from NY

From NYC, you’ll usually find several one-stop options to CNF with airlines such as United, American Airlines (AA), Copa Airlines, and Delta.

Getting from CNF to the city

You have a few easy options:

• Conexão Aeroporto (Executive Airport Bus): a convenient airport shuttle bus that connects CNF to key drop-off points in Belo Horizonte, including Terminal Álvares Cabral and the BH Bus Station (Rodoviária). It’s a good option if you want a simple, straightforward ride into town. (Schedules vary by day/time.)
• Uber / ride-hailing: widely available and usually the simplest option door-to-door. A typical ride can take around ~45–60 minutes, depending on traffic.
• Taxis: also available at the airport, great if you prefer a traditional option (especially late night / early morning). They are allowed to use some dedicated bus lanes/corridors, which can help bypass traffic during peak hours.

Note: If you’re traveling with friends, splitting an Uber/Taxi is often cheaper (and easier) than buying multiple bus tickets.

Want to see more of Brazil?

If you’d like to turn the trip into a bigger Brazil adventure, consider booking one-way flights instead of a round trip in and out of Belo Horizonte. For example, you could fly into or out of:

• Rio de Janeiro (GIG) — for beaches and iconic sights
• Salvador (SSA) — amazing coastline, culture, and food
• São Paulo (GRU) — Brazil’s largest city and a major international hub

(CNF is still a great option for the wedding — this is just for those who want to add an extra stop or two.)

Belo Horizonte has a few great areas to stay, and the “best” choice depends on what kind of trip you want: walkability, nightlife, restaurants, or being close to the wedding venue. Here are our favorite options (with quick pros & cons):

Savassi / Funcionários

Best for: first-timers, walkability, restaurants & bars, easy access to the city.

These neighborhoods are some of the most convenient places to stay in BH. They’re well connected, easy to explore on foot, and packed with great bars, restaurants, shops, and classic city sights.

Pros: super walkable, lots to do nearby, easy to get around.

Cons: can feel busier and a bit louder at night (depending on the street).

Hotel picks: Ibis Savassi · Mercure Savassi · Holiday Inn Savassi · Radisson Blu Savassi · Novotel BH Savassi · Hilton Garden Inn BH · Royal Golden Savassi

Lourdes

Best for: a calmer vibe + great food, still very central.

Lourdes is a little quieter than Savassi/Funcionários, but still very well connected. It’s known as a hub for some of BH’s most renowned restaurants and is close to great spots like Mercado Central, Mercado Novo, Praça da Liberdade, and Praça Raul Soares.

Pros: excellent dining scene, central, slightly more relaxed.

Cons: can be pricier than other areas.

Hotel picks: San Diego Suites Lourdes · Mercure BH Lourdes · TRIBE · Fasano · H2 Platinum Lourdes

Pampulha (near the wedding venue)

Best for: staying close to the wedding and enjoying the lake area.

Pampulha is the area where the wedding will take place, and it’s one of BH’s main postcards — the Pampulha Lagoon is beautiful. That said, it’s not as well connected to other parts of the city, and hotels are often farther from the main clusters of bars, restaurants, and shops.

Pros: closest to the venue, gorgeous lake area.

Cons: you’ll likely rely more on Uber/taxis to explore the rest of BH; fewer walkable “busy streets” for nightlife.

Hotel picks: Quality Hotel Pampulha · Nobile Inn Pampulha · San Diego Suítes Pampulha · Allia Gran Pampulha · Ouro Minas Hotel

Centro (Downtown)

Best for: a lively, local experience and street commerce.

Centro is the busy heart of the city, with lots of shops, street life, restaurants, and bars. These days, there are fewer great hotel options compared to other areas, but you may find good Airbnb apartments. Opt for the Minascentro area, or the surroundings of Av. João Pinheiro and the Edifício Maletta.

Pros: central, energetic, very local feel, lots of commerce.

Cons: fewer “nice hotel” choices; can feel hectic depending on the area and time of day.

Hotel picks: Ibis BH Liberdade · Ibis Styles BH Minascentro · Hotel Financial · Dayrell Hotel · Belo Horizonte Plaza