Transportation in Diamantina

Diamantina Transportation Guide

In relation to other destinations, São Paulo is 878 kilometres away from Diamantina. A bus journey to São Paulo would take fifteen hours, with five stops. Rio de Janeiro is 750 kilometres away while Brasilia, similarly, is a good 742 kilometres away.

Flying to Diamantina

With an additional R$200 (approximately) you can catch a flight to Diamantina straight from Belo Horizonte International Airport. Since BH is the capital of Minas Gerais state, connections from São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro are done there. Trip Linhas Aéreas is the Airline Company that offers flights to Diamantina. There are two departures per week, taking place on Saturday and Sunday. For transport from the airport to the city (or from the city to the airport), we recommend Green Path Transfers, who offer eco-friendly airport transfers in hundreds of destinations around the world.

The road to Diamantina

Uphill from the centre of the town, you would find the Rodoviária at Largo Dom João, 134. If you want to make a journey to Belo Horizonte, you will find many bus services.

If driving to Diamantina, just sixty kilometres from Belo Horizonte, you pass through Sete Lagoas. You could in fact break journey here at Gruta Rei do Mato in Sete Lagoas before arriving at Diamantina. The bus doesn't actually halt at Sete Lagoas but stops close by - near Polícia Rodoviária. The same road, after another 54 kilometres, splits to the left and right. The left road takes you to Brasilia and Planalto whereas the right reaches Diamantina and the sertão.

After passing the fairly modern town of Curvelo, you will start climbing the foothills. This leg of the journey is breathtaking. Set against the granite backdrop are beautiful cacti, wild flowers, intense yellow and purple ipê trees. Further up, almost 1300 metres above sea level, you will find the landscape changing. Quite lunar, you will not see many trees, only interesting rock formations. You will also find some old cobblestone trails weaving through the hills. These are remnants of the old slave road and Royal Road which were the only links between southern Minas and the sertão for more than a century.

Getting Around Diamantina

You probably won't need to use any mode of transportation in Diamantina. It is quite a small town and you can walk to most places - or shall we say wade through the waterfalls! Since the town is on a mountain, be ready to climb a few slopes. The main town is quite busy, with traffic coursing through narrow streets and local buses plying up and down.

You can pick up free Diamantina maps from the tourist office located at the city centre close to the Museu do Diamante. It is open from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm, Monday to Friday and 8:00 am to 12:00 noon on Sunday. There's also a small tourist centre at Rodoviária and it is supposed to be open from 8 am to 11am, 1 pm to 6 pm.; don't be surprised if it isn't open due to staff shortage! Most of the hotel reception desks also offer maps to tourists.