Have It Your Way

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.

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Carol Reis/Inhotim

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

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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

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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 B urden 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.

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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, e! ven in t he 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.

Scott Mitchem on Lunch Break discusses three ways to experience the best of Brazil - at a pristine eco-reserve (Fernando de Noronha), a surf-happy city (Florianópolis) and a contemporary cultural center (Belo Horizonte).

Florianópolis's increasing popularity has brought challenges—in particular the traffic that snarls up roads between Christmas and New Year's. The best time to visit is between early January and Carnival—celebrated here without the over-the-top pageantry that Rio is famous for. It is easy to fill a week bouncing between the many beaches and attractions, including 18th-century Portuguese forts, mysterious prehistoric stone carvings and out-island nature reserves. It takes a car and a lot of energy to see it all, so you may want to save a couple of days for splurging at Ponta dos Ganchos resort.

For more than a decade, Ponta dos Ganchos has been the area's only five-star lodging, located across Dolphin Bay from the island on a rocky, hook-shaped point that inspires its name. As part of a renovation last year, its expansive villas were outfitted with gray-water systems, green roofs and solar technology that takes most of the hotel off the grid. Santa Catarina's oyster farms are always within view, and are especially ch! arming w hen being tended by local fisherman from their colorful boats. From about $775 per night, pontadosganchos.com.br

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André Klotz for The Wall Street Journal

Volcanic formations in Fernando

3. The Eco-Escape:

Fernando de Noronha

In a land known for its beautiful destinations, it's telling that there is near consensus that Fernando de Noronha is the loveliest of them all. Located 220 miles off Brazil's northeastern coast, Fernando is an archipelago of 21 islands and a fiercely protected nature reserve. The number of visitors is strictly limited; those who do gain access pay a progressive daily impact tax (about $190 over five days). The extra expense hasn't been much of a deterrent to travelers—reservations are often required months ahead of time, and at least a year in advance of Christmas and New Year's.

The islands are in fact the peaks of a sub-Atlantic mountain range that rises more than 4,000 feet from the sea bed, forming sheer cliffs and often impassable terrain. The highlight is iconic Morro do Pico—a thin, 1,023-foot-high peak that surely wowed the Portuguese expeditionary force that discovered it in 1503. Like many visitors today, they arrived by boat, though flights are the most common mode of transportation, and vital for suppl! ying the few businesses and 3,000 or so residents of the islands.

While Fernando de Noronha is beautiful and pristine, it's the mix of raw and refined that makes the place unique. This isn't a national park in the American tradition: Camping is forbidden, some of the restaurants could compete on the mainland and a collection of small pousadas—Brazilian inns—ensure that guests are never roughing it.

The best pousadas provide creature comforts and personal service while having virtually zero environmental impact. The eight-suite Pousada Maravilha sits on the sand just steps from Bahia do Sueste and a snorkeling spot that is as popular with visitors as it is with the local species of giant sea turtle. Owned by Brazilian television personality Luciano Huck, the property attracts A-listers who love the privacy and luxury of the property (from about $1,400 per night, pousadamaravilha.com.br).

In Fernando, trash is obsessively collected and flown out daily; fishing excursions and hiking trips are monitored and even collecting seashells is prohibited. The only way to access its wonderfully undeveloped bays and beaches is by foot or charter boat. Brazilian supermodel Fernanda Motta owns one of few yachts permitted to tour guests around the island, host diving trips and anchor overnight in rocky coves. In 2008, Ms. Motta painstakingly restored and refitted the Shiva, a rustic-luxe vessel that sleeps eight guests and a crew of six. For a price it can feel like yours—the boat and the surroundings. About $2,750 per day, plus food, drink and gratuity, 55-81-3619-1258

—Scott Mitchem