Minas Gerais is generally hotter (high 30Cs) with heavier rain and higher humidity from November to March. Autumn/winter (May to September) is drier, but it gets much colder here than in neighbouring states, with temperatures sometimes dropping to 5C.
INTERNAL FLIGHTS: There are several direct flights each day to Belo Horizonte from Rio and São Paulo. From Belo Horizonte it's a 1.5-hour drive to Ouro Preto and a 3-hour drive to Tiradentes. You can also fly from Belo Horizonte or Rio de Janeiro direct to São João del Rei with TRIP Linhas Aereas; from there it's a 20-minute taxi ride to Tiradentes.
BY CAR: If you want to travel overland, it's a 5-hour drive from Rio to Tiradentes and a 7-hour drive from Rio to Ouro Preto. See our car hire recommendations.
BY BUS: Several buses leave daily from Rio to São João del Rei, with onward connections to Tiradentes.