By late evening the squares and sidewalks of central Belo Horizonte fill with people standing outside bars, plates of small dishes moving between tables, and the sound of conversation that carries well past midnight. The city is built on hills, so a night out often means moving between neighbourhoods rather than staying on one strip.
Belo Horizonte is known above all for its bar culture, and the local saying goes that if there is no sea, people go to the bar. The scene suits visitors who prefer standing outside with a cold drink and a plate of food to a formal night of reserved tables and cover charges. Some clubs charge a cover and are described as overrated and expensive, while the outdoor bar scene is the more authentic experience.
Where to go out in Belo Horizonte
1. Savassi
Savassi is the central neighbourhood with dozens of bars and is the place to go on Friday and Saturday nights. It suits visitors who want to move between several bars in one evening without long journeys.
Rei Do Pastel, a small corner bar in the centre of Savassi, is named in the sources as having cheap shots, cheap food and something interesting always going on, and is described as a good place for backpackers.
2. Avenida Prudente de Morais
This avenue is listed among the good places to look for a bar. It suits an evening built around sitting down in one spot rather than club-hopping.
3. Rua Marília de Dirceu
The street is named as a place to look for bars, and it continues on as Rua Curitiba and then Rua São Paulo. Expect a straightforward bar evening rather than a designed nightlife strip.
4. Rua Pium-í at Rua Passatempo
The crossing of these two streets is listed as a good place to look for a bar. It suits a low-key evening of drinks and conversation.
5. Avenida Fleming, Pampulha
This avenue is worth considering only if you are staying in the Pampulha region. It suits visitors based near the Pampulha Complex who do not want to travel into the centre.
6. Trevo Five Place
Close to the Hard Rock Cafe, this is described as a great spot on Thursday nights, with good dancing. The environment is noted as not being for the cautious.
7. 1 naSala
Named in the sources for dancing and clubbing, with the claim that it offers the best nightlife in town and that you can expect to meet beautiful people. Treat the description as the source's own view rather than a guarantee.
8. Squares and outdoor bars
Sitting down in a square and striking up a conversation is part of how people spend an evening here, and the outdoor bar scene is the authentic Brazilian experience. This suits visitors who want to talk to people rather than follow a fixed route.
How a night out unfolds
The sources do not give fixed hours for eating or going out. What they do indicate is that Friday and Saturday nights belong to Savassi, while Thursday nights are the moment for Trevo Five Place. The bar scene is described as outdoor and social, and the city's reputation for bars means an evening can run late without a formal plan.
Festivals and events worth timing a trip around
- Campanha de Popularização do Teatro e da Dança — January and February, with theatre and dance pieces by large Minas Gerais groups.
- Carnival Friday — February.
- Axé Brazil — usually March or April, at the Mineirão Stadium, described as the largest Bahian music event outside Bahia.
- Mines Tchê — April, usually at Serraria Souza Pinto, a fair of typical Gaucho products.
- Comida di Buteco — usually April and May, when bars across the city compete with dishes they have created, and the bars are packed.
- Festa Tradicional Italiana — second half of May, with shows and stands of typical food and products.
- Expocachaça — May and June at the ExpoMinas convention centre, with cachaça brands available for purchase and tasting.
- Arraial de Belo — June and July, a June festival contest for typical dance groups, with craft fairs and typical foods in various parts of the city.
- Festival Internacional de Teatro (FIT) — June to August, in even years, with theatre groups from around the world performing in theatres and on stages in streets, squares and parks.
- Festa da França — July, marking the 14th of July, with French wines, food and cultural presentations.
- Savassi Festival — July, an annual jazz festival with concerts in various parts of the city.
- Pop Rock Brazil — second half of the year, a large pop and rock music festival.
Frequently asked questions
Which night is best for Savassi?
Friday and Saturday nights are when Savassi is the place to go.
What if I want to go out on a Thursday?
Trevo Five Place, close to the Hard Rock Cafe, is described as a great spot on Thursday nights, with good dancing and an environment that is not for the cautious.
What should I drink in Belo Horizonte?
Minas Gerais is known for cachaça, a distilled spirit made from sugarcane juice, which is the main ingredient of the caipirinha but is also drunk straight. Another option is catuaba, described as a sweet, wine-like drink. Fruit juices are also common, including acerola pureed into orange juice, as well as abacaxi, açaí, banana and mamão.
Do clubs charge to get in?
Some clubs charge a cover and are described as overrated and expensive. The outdoor bar scene is presented as the more authentic option.
Decide which neighbourhood fits the evening you want, check what is on while you are in town, and plan your night around it.