As the fifth largest country in the world, Brazil goes beyond the beautiful landscapes and Carnival parties. With more than 200 million inhabitants, we are one of the great emerging markets. Learning the language and getting to know the country will most certainly add up to your professional qualification. Brazilian universities have high ranks among the best in the world. Biology, Dentistry and Medice School are recognised throughout the planet. Most of our best institutions, such as UFJF, offers quality teaching and research programs totally free of tuitions.
About Juiz de Fora
Juiz de Fora is a great size city with over 600,000 inhabitants located in the “Zona da Mata Mineira”, southeast of Minas Gerais. The city is known for its quality of life and is reference in sectors such as education, with more than twenty higher education institutions, including the Federal University of Juiz de Fora, and health, with a large network of medical and hospital care with an excellent service.
Juiz de Fora is located among the major capitals of the Southeast: Belo Horizonte, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo. So you have several options to get here. Petropolis (place of the Imperial Family’s Palace Museum) and Ouro Preto (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) are some of the many tourist cities in the region.
Most of UFJF students live in the city, which allows an intense social life in Juiz de Fora. Entertainment options are widely available for all tastes: theaters, cultural centers, museums, cinemas, restaurants, bars and night clubs.
For further information, please check the Juiz de Fora City Hall website.
Climate
The altitude of 700 to 900 meters makes the weather in Juiz de Fora usually cooler and rainier than the lower surrounding areas. Juiz de Fora’s climate is classified as a humid subtropical climate, with two distinct seasons, one hotter and rainier (October to April) and one cooler and drier (May to September). The average annual temperature is around 19°C (66°F), lowest 3ºC and highest 36ºC. It is very humid with average humidity of 80%.
LOOK OUT! People in Juiz de Fora like saying they have the four seasons in the same day!
Some touristic attractions in JF
Museu Mariano Procópio
With about 50.000 pieces, houses one of the biggest collections about the historic and cultural life during the colonial and imperial times, as well as collections from the Ancient Egipt, Greec culture and Middle Ages. The museum also has a botanic garden with a wide range of exotic and endangered plants.
Morro do Imperador
Also known as Morro do Cristo, it is one of the main touristic points in Juiz de Fora. It offers a wonderful panoramic view of the city and whereabouts. The bus line 505 – Morro do Cristo takes you on Sundays and holydays to the Cristo from the city centre.
Calçadão da rua Halfeld
One of the main streets in Juiz de Fora, with galleries that transform the city in a great open mall. The city’s economy is boosted by the popular commerce. Calçadão is also important in its architectural ensemble.
Parque da Lajinha
A great opportunity to be in contact with nature and to know a bit about Brazilian Mata Atlântica. The park has more than 860,000 m2 with waterfalls, lake, cross-country and gardens. Besides, the visitor can walk through history, seeing two trolleys, the sun clock and the gazebo.
Cinema
Juiz de Fora has five movie theaters, four of them are in malls and one in downtown: UCI Kinoplex Independência – Independência Shopping; Cinearte Palace – Rua Halfeld; Cine Santa Cruz – Santa Cruz Shopping; Espaço Alameda Cinema – Alto dos Passos; e Cinemais Jardim Norte – Zona Norte
Shopping Malls
The city has 5 main malls: Independencia, Alameda, Mister Shopping, Santa Cruz and Jardim Norte, where you can find clothing, electronic devices, food plaza, bookstores, cinemas and game stations.
Nightlife
The nightlife is concetrated in pubs and nightclubs throughout the city. A local tradition is drinking beer and eating snacks with friends. The most bohemian neighborhoods in the city are Alto dos Passos, São Mateus, São Pedro and Jardim Glória. There are also nightclubs such as Privilége, Cultural Bar, Mansão e Bar da Fábrica.
Craft Beers
The history of the craft beers in Juiz de Fora goes back to the period of the German colonization in the city, over 120 years ago. Recently, craft beer’s lovers started to brew, in small scale, high quality beers in the city. Currently there are 11 brewers that commercialize and various hobbyists.
Season Events
LOOK OUT! For more information about events and the cultural programms in Juiz de Fora access www.portaldoturismo.pjf.mg.gov.br.
Getting here
From Rio de Janeiro
You can go from the airport to the bus terminal Novo Rio by cab or the blue bus (frescão). The cab fare varies between R$40 and R$60. It’s better to take cabs from cooperatives, they are the safest. The frescão bus (Real Auto Ônibus, Line 2018 – Aeroporto Internacional do RJ/Alvorada) costs R$16. At the Novo Rio bus terminal, look for the company Util, on the 2nd floor. Buses to Juiz de Fora depart every 1 hour or so. The fare varies from R$ 48 to R$ 74. The journey takes approximately 3 hours. For more information, check www.util.com.br.
From São Paulo
. By bus: buses to Juiz de Fora depart from Tietê bus terminal, with the company Cometa and tickets cost from R$107 to R$185. The journey takes around 8 hours. For more information, check www.viacaocometa.com.br.
. By plane: The airline Azul (departing from Viracopos International Airport in Campinas) and Gol (departing from Congonhas Airport in São Paulo) has flights to Juiz de Fora to the Zona da Mata Regional Airport, in Goianá. Both Azul and Gol offers a bus service connecting São Paulo Airports, such as Guarulhos, Congonhas and Viracopos. For clients, the bus service is free of charge. For more information, check www.voeazul.com.br and www.voegol.com.br.
From Zona da Mata Regional Airport to Juiz de Fora, the trip lasts about 1 hour and a half, and the tickets costs R$17,30. For more information, check www.josemariarodrigues.com.br.
Travel in Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais has a rich tradition and history, with cities built during the Eighteenth Century’s gold cycle that consolidated the colonization of the country. The most important artistic and architectural achievements of colonial Brazil are housed in its mining towns, especially Ouro Preto, Mariana, Diamantina, Congonhas, Tiradentes, Sabará and São João del Rei, which are worth visiting cities.
Near Juiz de Fora there are several options for tourism. It’s possible to travel to the famous Minas Gerais historical cities, make contact with nature in environmental reserves like Parque Estadual do Ibitipoca (photo), located in Conceição do Ibitipoca. Be sure to visit in Minas Gerais the “Instituto Cultural Inhotim” (Brumadinho town), which brings together in one place a collection of Contemporary Art, Botanical Garden and actions of education, culture and citizenship. Link: www.inhotim.org.br.