Overview

Spend a day at Petrópolis, a mountainside retreat that once served as a summer getaway for Brazil's royalty. On this guided tour, wander through the treasures of the Imperial Museum and then visit the burial place of Dom Pedro II and his family. Marvel at the Crystal Palace, built as an extravagant gift to Princess Isabel. You will also meet the ancient Gothic Cathedral where Princess Isabel was buried along with the tombstones of D. Pedro II and his wife.

Description

After morning hotel pickup in Rio de Janeiro, take a 90-minute drive north past forests and waterfalls to Petrópolis, a favorite mountain resort known as Brazil’s Imperial City, nestled in the wooded hills of the Serra dos Órgãos.

Upon arrival at Petrópolis, start off at the Imperial Museum, housed in the former summer palace of Pedro II, Brazil's second emperor. Follow your guide into this restored Austrian-style palace built in 1845, and get a good look at how Brazil’s royalty once lived.

Walk by tapestries, antique furniture and jewels, and gawk at the imperial crown studded with over 600 diamonds and 77 pearls, weighing nearly four pounds (1.7 kg). See the golden quill used by Princess Isabel to sign a law that liberated Brazil’s slaves in 1888.

Next, admire the Gothic architecture of St Peter of Alcantara Cathedral and visit the tombstones of Brazil's last emperor, Pedro II and his family.

Walk over to a quiet park and feast your eyes on the Crystal Palace, a ballroom of glass and steel with chandeliers, all built and imported from France, as a gift to Princess Isabel from her husband. Hear about the expositions and royal parties once held here.

Purchase lunch at a restaurant of your choice in town, and feel free to ask your guide for recommendations. Your tour ends with transport back to Rio. If you’ve opted for the upgrade, continue on to Cervejaria Bohemia, or Bohemia Beer Factory.

Optional Visit to Cervejaria Bohemia (Bohemia Beer Factory)

Top off your visit to Petrópolis with a stop at Cervejaria Bohemia, and take a high-tech, interactive tour to learn about Brazil’s popular lager first produced in 1853. You’re given a coded wristband which you can use to login at the factory and link to your social media account. Learn fun facts from touch-screen games and score points, and swipe your wristband to send information to your account, allowing you to share your experiences online in real time.

Your guide takes you through the factory’s exhibits. Find out all about beer from the Mesopotamian era to present day, and understand the science and art behind Bohemia’s brewing process. You’ll get to create your own beer brand, and then drink up a glass of recently brewed, refreshing Bohemia beer.

Spend your remaining time playing interactive games or picking up souvenirs at the emporium. Or, head over to the bar and restaurant to try Bohemia’s specialty beers along with tasty snacks (own expense), before returning to your hotel in Rio.