Brazilian Blowouts

André Klotz for The Wall Street Journal

Snorkeling in Fernando de Noronha

1. The Secret Art Mecca:

Belo Horizonte

For the inland city of Belo Horizonte, the draw (unlike in many other parts of Brazil) is not coastline, but culture. The state of Minas Gerais is rooted in mining—its name translates prosaically as "General Mines"—and the gold and gems found there, including aquamarines and imperial topaz, built charming colonial towns like Ouro Preto, with its terra-cotta roofs and wedding-cake churches. The area is a proud center of traditional Brazilian cuisine and cachaça-making; local artisans produce boutique batches of this uniquely Brazilian type of rum. But the most powerful lure may be an implausible museum outside of Belo Horizonte known as Inhotim.

Enlarge Image

Close Carol Reis/Inhotim

Helio Oiticica's 'Magic Square #5' at Inhotim

Inhotim is the personal passion of Brazilian steel magnate and philanthropist Bernardo Paz, and to call it a museum is actually a substantial understatement. The project is spread across 741 lush acres framed by rolling hills, and mashes together art, architecture, nature and learning, as well as a few tastefully executed restaurants and an excellent wine bar.

Some top artists, including Doug Aitken and Matthew Barney, provide the main attraction: large-scale outdoor sculpture and installation art housed in a collection of architecturally significant buildings. The botanical gardens are blanketed with the otherworldly, subtropical flora one would expect in Brazil, including one of the world's largest collections of palm trees. Inhotim is also home to the greatest number of Brazilian sculptor Hugo França's two-ton wooden benches, hand-carved from naturally felled trees.

Oiticica restaurant overlooks the biggest of five natural lagoons on the grounds. The resident geese are the namesake of the small, upscale lounge called Bar do Ganso, a cozy space with the feel of an old social club.

Word of Inhotim has spread slowly since its doors opened officially in 2004. "I knew it would take time for people to discover Inhotim," joked Mr. Paz. "That's OK. I'm not going anywhere."

Photos: Bold & Beautiful Brazil

View Slideshow

André Klotz for The Wall Street Journal

Praia Vermelha beach

The addition of nine new works by artists Giuseppe Penone, Marilá Dardot, Marepe and Chris Burden last October has certainly attracted more attention.

Part of the challenge is its location in the tiny town of Brumadinho, an hour or so outside of Belo Horizonte and two hours from the Oscar Niemeyer-designed Tancredo Neves International Airport. But American Airlines offers direct service from Miami, and while there is a lack of quality accommodation in Brumadinho, you can happily experience Inhotim from a base in Belo Horizonte. Arrive on Friday and wake up early to spend a full day at the park, returning to Belo late that evening. Inhotim is inspiring enough to be worth the effort.

Enlarge Image

Close Alamy

Surfing in Florianópolis

2. Surf and the City:

Florianópolis

Florianópolis's status as a hip destination is relatively new—but definitely not fleeting. The 200-square-mile island has always been the center of Brazilian surfing culture; it is now drawing visitors who don't own longboards with a rare mix of big-city convenience and raw nature. "Floripa" is a laid-back destination with a spirited nightlife and plenty of opportunities for outdoor adventure—without the security concerns that can plague Rio and São Paulo.

The capital of Santa Catarina state, Floripa is home to nearly one million people, though it doesn't feel like it, even in the center of downtown. The commercial district, or Centro, hugs a long bay punctuated by large stones that jut up from the water. It's a view well enjoyed by residents of the modern residential towers and hotels that line the waterfront. But not far off, vast portions of the island remain rugged, with rolling sand dunes, Atlantic rainforests and isolated beaches. Fishing communities and historic colonial villages surround many of the 42 beaches and Lagoa da Conceição, the large freshwater lake at the center of the island.