Petrópolis tour: Imperial Museum & breweries from Rio
Step into the Imperial Museum and the palaces that shaped Brazil's empire
A full-day guided tour from Rio de Janeiro to Petrópolis, the former summer capital of Brazil, includes entry to the Imperial Museum, transport in an air-conditioned vehicle, and an accredited guide in English, Spanish or Portuguese. The tour covers the Imperial Museum, Crystal Palace, Santos Dumont House Museum (on some options), a chocolate factory, and Rua Teresa's fashion district. The Bohemia Brewery is available as an optional add-on with exclusive tastings. Pickup from Rio hotels is included.
Step-by-step itinerary
Full day tour of Petrópolis
- Transfer from Rio de Janeiro to Petrópolis
- Visit the Imperial Museum
- Explore the large concrete dome and lake
- Tour the French neo-Gothic mausoleum
- See the Crystal Palace exhibitions
- Visit the chocolate factory store
- Tour Santos Dumont House Museum
- Walk along Rua Teresa shopping street
- Optional visit to Bohemia Brewery
- Return transfer to Rio de Janeiro
- Imperial Museum Entry included 1h
- Petrópolis 30m
- Crystal Palace 20m
- Santos Dumont House Museum 20m
- Bohemia Brewery 1h
What’s included
- Pickup from your Rio hotel.
- entry to the Imperial Museum.
- transport in an air-conditioned vehicle.
- an accredited guide in English, Spanish or Portuguese.
- a free buffet of drinks and desserts.
Times
- Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday 08:00
Before you book
Operated by Pepe Rio Tours
Prices and times updated yesterday
Traveler reviews
The experience
The day starts with pickup from your Rio hotel and a drive to Petrópolis, a mountain city that served as the summer retreat and later the capital of the Brazilian Empire. The Imperial Museum is the centerpiece: its main collection holds the country's most important artifacts from the empire period, housed across six floors and 13 large rooms inside a structure with the world's largest concrete dome (30 meters high, 50 meters in diameter). You'll pass through a sanitary barrier on entry and walk through galleries containing sculptures, stained glass windows and paintings by Brazilian artists, all arranged around the history of Dom Pedro II and the Imperial Family.
Beyond the museum, the tour takes in the Crystal Palace, a cast-iron structure ordered from France in 1884 and assembled on-site, now used for cultural events and exhibitions. You'll visit a chocolate factory, one of Petrópolis's oldest, where you can browse souvenirs and sample the local confections. The Santos Dumont House Museum, a picturesque residence built into a steep hillside in 1918, offers a look at the life of the aviation pioneer. Rua Teresa, the city's fashion hub with over 1,200 stores, gives you time to browse or rest before the return to Rio. The Bohemia Brewery, which opened in 1884 as an exhibition space and now operates as a working brewery, is optional. If you choose it, the tour includes the most complete brewing experience in Latin America, with tastings and an explanation of the production process and ingredients.
A free buffet of drinks and desserts is included with the tour, though alcoholic beverages are not. The entire day runs 8 to 10 hours, with all transport handled in an air-conditioned vehicle and a guide who speaks your language throughout. Children can ride in a stroller if needed, and the pace suits all fitness levels.
Is this one for you?Choose this if you're visiting Rio for the first time and want a guide to walk you through the imperial palaces and museums of Petropolis. The storytelling and transport are handled for you, so you focus on the history rather than logistics.
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Top questions
What languages is the tour guided in?
Live guide in English, Spanish and Portuguese.
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 10 years); Infant (under 6): free.
What happens if it rains?
It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.
What's inside the Imperial Museum in Petrópolis?
The Imperial Museum holds Brazil's main collection of artifacts from the empire period, including sculptures, stained glass windows and paintings by Carlos Oswald and other Brazilian artists. The remains of Dom Pedro II, his wife Teresa Cristina, Princess Isabel and other members of the Imperial Family are housed in the Mausoleum inside the building, which is constructed in French neo-Gothic style.
Is the Bohemia Brewery visit included in the tour?
The Bohemia Brewery is optional and not included in the standard tour price. If you choose to add it, the visit includes the production process, ingredient explanations and exclusive tastings: described as the most complete brewing experience in Latin America.
Does the tour include the Santos Dumont House Museum?
The Santos Dumont House Museum visit depends on which option you select at checkout. Some options include it. Others do not. The house, built in 1918 and known locally as A Encantada, is a picturesque residence on a steep hillside in Petrópolis.
What's included in the tour price from Rio?
The tour includes pickup from your Rio hotel, entry to the Imperial Museum, transport in an air-conditioned vehicle, an accredited guide in English, Spanish or Portuguese, and a free buffet of drinks and desserts (alcoholic beverages are not included).
How long does the full-day tour take?
The tour runs 8 to 10 hours total, including the drive from Rio, visits to the museum and other attractions in Petrópolis, and the return journey to your hotel.
Petrópolis tour: Imperial Museum & breweries from Rio
8h–10h · EN · ES · PT
from US$ 40 per person
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