LIVING IN BELO HORIZONTE
Belo Horizonte is the capital of the State of Minas Gerais. Covering an area of approximately 331 square kilometers, the city has a diverse geography featuring hills and lowlands. It is located 716 km away from Brasília, the capital city of Brazil. The slopes of Curral Range provide the city with a natural frame and important historical references.
With a population of 2,502,557 inhabitants (latest IBGE estimates, 2015), Belo Horizonte is the most populous municipality of the state of Minas Gerais and ranks sixth in the country. Belo Horizonte was chosen by The UN Population Crisis Committee as the city with the best quality of life in Latin America and ranked 45th among the 100 best cities in the world.
The city is widely known and has significant cultural, economic and political influence, both nationally and abroad. It is home to important monuments, parks and museums, such as the Pampulha Art Museum, the Museum of Arts and Crafts, Museum of Natural Sciences at PUC Minas, the Praça da Liberdade Cultural Circuit, the Pampulha Architectural Ensemble, the Central Market and Savassi.
Belo Horizonte has the seventh highest cost of living among Brazilian state capitals, behind cities such as São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Brasília. Foreign students are offered housing alternatives, from local family homes, hotels and private flats to shared houses accommodating 3 to 5 students on average. Local public transportation services include bus lines, a subway line and taxis. Belo Horizonte can be easily reached by car, bus, plane or train.
Further information at:
http://www.belohorizonte.mg.gov.br/node/36476
http://www.custodevida.com.br/mg/belo-horizonte/
Airports, Bus Station and Central Station
Confins Airport
The Tancredo Neves International Airport, or Confins Airport, is the main airport serving of the State of Minas Gerais. Located in the in the city of Confins, it is 40 km far from Belo Horizonte.
Pampulha Airport
The Carlos Drummond de Andrade Airport, or Pampulha Airport, is one of the most traditional airports in Brazil; it is located in Pampulha (northern region of Belo Horizonte), 8.3 km away from the downtown area.
Belo Horizonte Bus Station
The Belo Horizonte Bus Station (officially named Terminal Rodoviário Governador Israel Pinheiro) was opened in 1971 as the largest and most modern Latin America bus terminal, before the opening of the Tietê Terminal in São Paulo. It is located the downtown area, right at Praça Rio Branco, and can be reached by subway (Lagoinha Station).
Central Station
The Belo Horizonte Central Station is the capital’s main train station. Also in the downtown area, its main entrance is located at Praça Rui Barbosa, right next to Avenida do Contorno, in a stretch of Boulevard Arrudas.
