Last updated on .
Petrópolis is a city in the highlands of Brazil, not too far from Rio de Janeiro. It was the summer residence of Brazilian emperors in the 19th century. Besides a beautiful drive from Rio through green forested hills, the climate is cooler and less humid, making it a nice escape for a day.
Tour
If I was alone, I would have taken a bus to Petrópolis, but to make things easier, I decided to book a tour for our small group. We went with Rio Experience (permanently closed) on a full day tour. We were picked up at 10:30am in a minibus.
Quitandinha Palace
Our first stop was outside the Quitandinha Palace (Palácio Quitandinha), set next to a small lake and surrounded by green hills on the outskirts of Petrópolis. It was built in 1944 to be the largest casino in South America, but gambling was made illegal by the Brazilian government in 1946. It’s now a convention center.
Patrone
Next, we made a quick at the Patrone chocolate factory. They have a really nice hot chocolate drink, but other than that, I didn’t think the stop was necessary.
Imperial Palace
We finally made it into the city center of Petrópolis and headed to the highlight of the day, the Imperial Palace (Palácio Imperial). Built in 1845, it was the summer residence of the Emperor of Brazil until independence in 1889. It’s now a museum. Unfortunately for our group, the museum was closed because the staff was on strike. Our tour guide had to improvise but unfortunately she wasn’t very good at that.
Yellow Palace
We made an unscheduled visit to the Yellow Palace (Palácio Amarelo) across the street. It has been the city hall of Petrópolis since 1894. Before becoming city hall it was a mansion. It may look like a very expensive interior, but the marble and wood panels on the wall are fake and painted on.
Cathedral of St. Peter of Alcantara
We took a walk to another highlight, the Cathedral of St. Peter of Alcantara (Catedral de São Pedro de Alcântara). Built in 1884, it has a beautiful interior and some really nice stained glass windows.
The cathedral holds the remains of Brazilian emperor Dom Pedro II, Princess Regent Dona Teresa Cristina, Princess Isabel, and other members of the royal family. Across the street is the Palace of Princess Isabel (Palácio de Princesa Isabel).
Rio Negro Palace
We walked along the river that runs through town past several beautiful mansions and homes behind large fences. One of them, Rio Negro Palace (Palácio Rio Negro), was built in 1889 and was the seat of Rio de Janeiro State from 1894-1902. It was converted into a summer residence for presidents of Brazil from 1903-1960.
Rui Barbosa Square
In the main square in Petrópolis, Rui Barbosa Square (Praça Rui Barbosa), we saw the 14-bis monument, dedicated to Brazilian aviation pioneer and inventor of the wristwatch, Alberto Santos Dumont.
Santos Dumont’s Home
Santos Dumont House (Casa de Santos Dumont) is located just a block from the square. This tiny, simple home was built in 1918 and is a true inventor’s home. Every fixture in the home had a practical function and everything seemed to have multiple uses to conserve space. It was very interesting to see how the mind of Santos Dumont worked just by visiting his home. The visit to the home was followed by a short film about his life. Next to Dumont’s home is the Catholic University of Petrópolis (Universidade Católica de Petrópolis), one of the largest and most prestigious universities in Brazil.
Crystal Palace
We had a nice buffet lunch before making a stop at the Crystal Palace (Palácio de Cristal). It is a glass building used for events. It was made in France in 1879 and shipped to Brazil in 1884.
Conclusion
Petrópolis was a great place to visit and I was impressed by the 19th century architecture. The tour itself was a disaster. The guide could barely speak English and she was terribly unprepared. At one point, after walking for a half hour, she realized she left her purse on the minibus and didn’t have cash to pay for our entry to the Santos Dumont home. Also, it wasn’t the tour company’s fault, but the main attraction being closed due to a strike was disappointing.
If you can manage it, take a bus and explore on your own. The main attractions in the city are easily walkable, with the exception of Quitandinha Palace.
