Founded in 1953, this is one of Brazil's largest and most highly regarded universities.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
Parque Nacional Serra dos Órgaos – Teresópolis Entrance
13.57 MILES
About 6km south of Teresópolis, off the BR-116 Rio–Teresópolis highway, you'll find the main (and most accessible) entrance to magnificent Parque Nacional…
27.78 MILES
Rio’s Maracanã stadium is hallowed ground among football lovers. The massive arena has been the site of legendary victories and crushing defeats. Maracanã…
26.59 MILES
Looming large over Praça Mauá, the MAR is an icon for the rebirth of Rio's once derelict port. The huge museum hosts wide-ranging exhibitions that focus…
Parque Nacional Serra dos Órgãos
9.3 MILES
Created in 1939, this high country park straddling the Serra dos Órgãos (Organ Pipe Range) just north of Rio is best known for its spectacular mountain…
27.86 MILES
One of Rio's best-loved attractions, the steps leading up from Joaquim Silva became a work of art when Chilean-born artist Jorge Selarón decided to cover…
Parque Nacional Serra dos Órgaos – Vale do Bonfim Entrance
6.66 MILES
Up a dirt road in the foothills 20km northeast of Petrópolis, this remote entrance to Parque Nacional Serra dos Órgaos grants immediate access to a…
27.22 MILES
Housed in the colonial arsenal, which dates from 1764, the impressive Museu Histórico Nacional contains relics relating to the history of Brazil from its…
0.62 MILES
Petrópolis’ top draw is this impeccably preserved 19th-century palace. Felt slippers provided at the entrance help protect the fine wood floors – great…
Nearby Rio de Janeiro State attractions
0.03 MILES
This charming house was the summer home of Brazil’s diminutive father of aviation and inventor of the wristwatch. Photos and exhibits document Dumont’s…
0.12 MILES
Enjoy great views of Petrópolis and the surrounding mountains from this 3.5m-tall Italian sculpture of the NS de Fátima Madonna, in the hills on the…
0.27 MILES
Visitors are free to roam among the high-ceilinged, parquet-floored rooms of this grand yellow edifice, which served as a summer home for Brazil's…
0.27 MILES
Don't miss the engaging 1½-hour tour (half self-guided, half guided) at Brazil's oldest brewery, where interactive exhibits trace beer-making history and…
0.37 MILES
Built in France and imported in 1879, this ornate iron-and-glass structure was originally used as a hothouse for growing orchids. It's now a venue for…
0.39 MILES
This showy salmon-hued mansion was once home to Brazil's Princess Isabel, daughter of Emperor Pedro II and Empress Teresa Cristina. It can be viewed from…
0.46 MILES
This blocky pink 19th-century mansion, viewable from the outside only, was once home to Brazilian entrepreneur and politician Irineu Evangelista de Sousa,…
8. Catedral São Pedro de Alcântara
0.51 MILES
Petrópolis’ cathedral houses the tombs of Brazil’s last emperor, Dom Pedro II, his wife, Dona Teresa, and their daughter, Princesa Isabel. The bell tower,…