A guide to visiting the little known city of Petropolis on a half day excursion from Rio, during a Brazil vacation, written by a Brazil travel expert at Brazil For Less.
The highlights of Brazil travel tend to steal a lot of the attention from some of the lesser known destinations. Rio de Janeiro is a culturally rich and significant city in Brazil and is it is generally recommended that travelers to Brazil should not skip Rio. From Rio, however you might want to consider a half-day excursion to Petropolis. This lesser known city is known as the ‘Imperial City’ of Brazil and is located just 30 miles away nestled into the hills of the Serra dos Orgaos forest. Petropolis is a popular spot in the summertime among locals who want to get out of the hustling and bustling city life found in Rio. However, Petropolis is worth visiting year round.
A trip to Petropolis involves climbing up into the Orgaos Mountains which offers rich and spectacularly lush countryside at every corner. In the city you can visit the former Palace of the Emperor, Dom Pedro II, which is today an Imperial Museum. There is a plethora of antique beauty surrounding the guests of this former palace, including antique furniture, jewelry and tapestries from another world of splendor and luxury.
Sao Pedro de Alcantara, the famous Gothic Cathedra, is also worth a visit if you are in Petropolis. It was built in honor of the Emperor of Brazil, and there visitors are able to find the tombs of the Imperial Family. If you like trying a hand at the slots, the Quitandinha Palace was opened in 1944 with the intentions of being the gambling capital of Brazil. Unfortunately the glitz and glamor was short-lived for this hotel and casino which was forced to give up its dreams in 1946 when gambling was prohibited in Brazil. Now, they have turned the Quitandinha Palace into a Convention and Tourist Center. It still has the same old fashioned architecture and is filled with ballrooms, galleries, a theater, a convention center, and balconies. It is a great spot to enjoy a lovely lunch.
Located between Petropolis and a neighboring city, Teresopolis, you’ll find Serra dos Orgaos National Park. With its strangely shaped peaks and wealth of adventurous opportunities, this 70 square mile national park, created in 1939 is a great place to escape the main roads and get some fresh air. You’ll find fewer tourists here and you can hire a guide to take you on a lovely nature hike.
In planning your Brazil vacation, you don’t want to miss the Amazon, the magnificent Iguazu Falls, Salvador de Bahia, Buzios and Rio but you also want to make sure you give yourself enough time to visit some of the smaller places that might be just around the corner from some of your main destinations. In a good two or three week Brazil package you can make it all happen, the important highlights and even find time for those charming smaller wonders.
This guide to visiting Petropolis during Brazil vacations was written by a Brazil Travel expert at Brazil For Less, specialists in high value, fully customizable tours and packages.
