Discover Petropolis and its Hidden Gems with our Private Tour
Recommended by 99% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- 7 to 8 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Group discounts
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Overview
Get to know Petrópolis, the Imperial City of the State of Rio de Janeiro, during this private tour from Rio. Following hotel pickup, travel in a private vehicle through Serra dos Órgãos National Park, stopping for great photo ops along the way. Tour the Quitandinha Palace and the Imperial Museum to get a sense of the region's history. Stop for a traditional Brazilian lunch, then take a walking tour of the historic streets lined with examples of architecture from different eras. End your day with a visit to the local brewery. Enjoy personal attention and a flexible itinerary tailored to your interests on this private tour.
- Tour Petrópolis, the Imperial City, with a private guide
- Enjoy personal attention and a flexible itinerary
- Private tour with just you and your party
- Learn about the history of the State of Rio de Janeiro from your local guide
- Stroll through the historic streets of Petrópolis
- Round-trip private transportation from Rio is included
What's Included
- Private air-conditioned vehicle with driver
- Tour Guide
- Pickup and drop-off in Rio and Petropolis: hotels, airports, seaport, you say where!
- Roundtrip to Petropolis (for customers staying in Rio)
- Tickets for the listed attractions
- 'On the fly' adaptations: change the itinerary during the tour to match your wishes.
- Complimentary bottled water
- Food and Drinks
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Pickup details
We will pick you up at any hotel, Airbnb, airport, seaport or any other place of your convenience in Rio de Janeiro and Petropolis. If your pick-up place is not listed, please inform it when booking. Also, for airport pickup please inform the arrival flight details; for seaport pickup please inform cruise ship information The drop-off at the end of the tour is also included.
Itinerary
1
Quitandinha Palace Congress and Convention Center
40 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
2
Imperial Museum
1 hour 10 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
3
Catedral de Sao Pedro de Alcantara
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
4
Casa De Petropolis / Casa Dos 7 Erros
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
5
Centro Historico de Petropolis
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
6
Crystal Palace
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Parque Nacional da Serra dos Orgaos (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Infants must sit on laps
- Most travelers can participate
- We do not operate this tours on Mondays because all the attractions are closed.
- Exclusive access to the 'Casa dos 7 Erros' (House of 7 Errors) 'off-limits' second floor. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday only.
- The House of 7 Errors only opens Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. We will visit the outside on the other days.
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
5.0
based on 98 reviews
Anthony_E, Sep 2025
I took my bosses dad with me on this excision. We had a blast. The guides were very knowledgeable and friendly.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thanks again! Petropolis is great, isn't it?
Take care! :)
Robb_H, Mar 2025
Our tour was perfect. Our tour guide Romulo and our driver, coincidentally, Romulo made a great team. We are an older couple (73 & 75), and they took great care for our safety and comfort. Saw every thing we wanted to see and more. It was wonderful, getting out of Rio for the day with a welcome respite from the heat and overall frenetic energy of the city. Petropolis is calm, cool and historically interesting.
Response from Host, Mar 2025
Petropolis is a gem. It's great to know that you liked the tour and the Romulos. Thanks for your kind words.
Take care! :)
Michael_L, Feb 2025
Excellent trip the driver was excellent and we felt safe going up and down the mountains. The guide Henry was wonderful, knowledgeable and attentive. Gave us guided tour but also allowed us to explore alone. A wonderful day. I would recommend to everyone.
Response from Host, Feb 2025
We are really happy to know you had a great experience with us! Thanks for the review and the recommendation. Take care! :)
RADU_Z, Jan 2025
Our guide Rafael and driver, Alex did a fantastic job. They picked us up from the hotel and enjoyed the experience. After a wonderful tour, Rafael choose a great trip to have lunch. Thank you Rafael and Alex.
Response from Host, Jan 2025
Yes, Petropolis is really a must see! It's great to know that you had a great experience there. Thanks for the review. Take care! :)
Antulio_M, Nov 2024
The tour was great but the company was even better, Rafael and his partner are wonderful persons we had an awesome time with them, Rafael is very knowledgeable and he explained everything clearly and in detail, he understood our needs and worked with us. We’re 1000% satisfied. Thank you
Response from Host, Nov 2024
Wow, that's great to know! Petropolis is lovely and even better in good company. Thanks for the great review. Take care! :)
MariaMargarita_S, Apr 2024
the casino is wonderful and the 7 mistakes house unique.
it was good to go to the palace also and learnm about the history of royal family.
Response from Host, Apr 2024
It's always a pleasure showing Petropolis. We are so happy that you liked it!
Thanks for the review. Take care! :)
Rose_M, Apr 2024
The trip to Petropolis was a wonderful surprise! Our guide was very knowledgeable and accommodating. We had a great time! We enjoyed the sites and history! I would highly recommend this tour to my family and friends!
Response from Host, Apr 2024
What did I tell you at the beginning of the tour? I'm very happy that you enjoyed it so much, it was a great pleasure to show you the Imperial City. And thank you for recommending us. Take care!
Heather_P, Mar 2024
Our guide was excellent, and gave a very detailed tour of the city, and also gave us insight into the culture of Brazil. He gave us an excellent lunch recommendation of a Brazilian barbecue that was fabulous. The sites that we saw were very interesting, and he knew many details, and was very knowledgeable. Thank you, Marcelo!
Response from Host, Mar 2024
Thank you! I had a wonderful day. The steakhouse was great. Hope you are enjoying the rest of your trip. Take care! :)
Carl_B, Mar 2024
We had a wonderful day touring the Imperial city with our fantastic guide, Fabiana, and our agile diver, Bruno. This is a private tour that lasts all day and well worth the money. We learned so much about the royal family that ruled Brazil in the 1800s.
Response from Host, Mar 2024
Absolutely thrilled to hear about your fantastic day exploring the Imperial city with Fabiana and Bruno! Private tours truly offer a unique and personalized experience, don't they? Learning about the history of the Brazilian royal family 'in loco' is fascinating.
Thanks for the review. Take care! :)
beverley_K, Mar 2024
the whole experience was great, even jnr the driver, was smiling and helpful. we thoughly enjoyed the knowledge imparted by the Guide Famy and she gave us very good history. the casino was ubelievable a woderful folly ! oved every minute of the tour.
Response from Host, Mar 2024
Thank you for the glowing review! We're thrilled you enjoyed your tour to Petropolis with us. Take care! :)
Adela_M, Feb 2024
Marcelo gave a great tour - we were picked up at the pier, and transported in a comfortable car to Petropolis where we visited the Quitandinha palace, the emperor’s summer home, the cathedral, and the house of seven errors, followed by a great lunch. Marcelo had excellent knowledge of Brazil’s history, the city of Petropolis, and made the day thoroughly enjoyable. For anyone that needs an option to the standard Rio landmarks, this tour is worth the time.
Response from Host, Feb 2024
Excellent day! Thank you for the review! :-)
MaryEdna_L, Feb 2024
Henri is such an interesting guide and carries so much detailed information
on his subjects. He is fun, knowledgable, smart and polite. We feel lucky
that we were assigned to him. Thank you.
Response from Host, Feb 2024
Awesome! Seems you had a great time then.
Thanks for the review. Take care! :)
BonnieO, Jan 2024
We had a great time. Fabi and Bruno are the best.
It was a perfect opportunity to take advantage of seeing something that’s not the usual tourist attraction.
Thank you
Response from Host, Jan 2024
One of the reasons we love Petropolis so much is exactly that: it is not the usual tourist attraction.
Thanks for the review.
Take care!
Nanette_T, Jan 2024
What an amazing tour and our guide Rafael was the best! It was nice to get away from Rio and visit Petropolis for a day. Rafael spoke perfect English. He is a history major so he was a wealth of Brazilian knowledge. His stories were very interesting to listen to. I learned so much about Brazil. I can’t say enough great things about Rafael and this tour.
Response from Host, Jan 2024
We are so happy that you had such a great time! Petrópolis is really worth a visit. Thank you very much for the great review. Take care! :)
Michelle_M, Dec 2023
Faby is an excellent guide, a knowledgeable and charming lady. She made it fun and interesting, while catering to our preferences.
Response from Host, Dec 2023
Great to hear you had a blast! Thanks for the review.
Take care!
avdevitt, Dec 2023
Petropolis is incredibly beautiful and our guides Marcelo and Favi were fabulous. They were extremely knowledgeable, took us to interesting places, took wonderful care of us and even arranged private access to an attraction normally closed on the day we were in Petropolis. We felt like we had a great day out with two good friends. Don't miss Petropolis if you are in Rio and definitely do it with this tour company!
Response from Host, Dec 2023
It is so good when we do a tour and feels like we are with friends! Your review made our day. Huge thanks for sharing your Petropolis experience with us!
Take care!
olga_b, Nov 2023
5 star service. Very informative and interesting, and fun. Fabiana spoke good English and Junior( forgive me if called him a wrong name :)) was the best driver. Day was adjusted to our schedule with lunch and less waiting time for tickets.
Definitely recommend it to all my friends.
Response from Host, Nov 2023
Your 5-star review has made our day! We're delighted to hear that your experience with our tour was informative, interesting, and fun.
Thank you for choosing our services and for recommending us to your friends.
All the best!
Maureen_A, Nov 2023
A wonderful day seeing all the sites in Petropolis. The Quitandinha Palace was amazing. We especially enjoyed the Imperial Palace Museum and the cathedral. Julio was an excellent guide! He knew the history of the sites and made it an enjoyable day.
Response from Host, Nov 2023
That's great, Julio knows a lot of history, you were in good hands. The Quitandinha Palace is amazing indeed.
Thanks for the review! Take care. :-)
Amber_B, Oct 2023
Faby was a WONDERFUL tour guide! From the hotel pick-up to drop-off, she ensured that my friend and I had an amazing experience. When we mentioned that we would love to have some Brazilian coffee to take home as a souvenir, she incorporated a stop in the tour to accommodate! She was so knowledgeable about all of the places we saw. There isn't a better way to see Petropolis and all of its sights!
Response from Host, Oct 2023
Awesome! Let us know if you lov3s the coffee. Thanks for the review. Take care. :)
Tara_M, Oct 2023
Every single part of the trip was fantastic! It’s a beautiful drive and Petropolis is very charming. Definitely recommend if you are going to be in Rio for a few days.
Response from Host, Oct 2023
The hidden gem of Rio. We had a great time with you. Thanks for the review. Take care!
Francisco_M, Sep 2023
Discover part of Brasil history by the hand of our awsome guide Fabiana and our kind driver. Very comprehensive explanations
Response from Host, Sep 2023
Thank you, Fabiana is great and Petropolis is really a gem.
Thanks for the review. Take care!
Stephen_S, Sep 2023
What a great tour. Marcelo was able to adjust things to our needs and was very good with historical information and context. Our favorite was the German House. There was an exuberant English speaking guide that gave us a wonderful tour in addition to Marcelo’s input. Lunch was terrific as well. Enjoyed the whole experience immensely. Don’t want to forget our driver, Junior, He parks like a champ and allows Marcelo to give you his full attention.
Response from Host, Sep 2023
That's awesome, we had a great day. Thank you so much for the review. Take care! :)
Monica_G, Aug 2023
Raphael’ was a wonderful tour guide! We saw very interesting things in Petropolis like the imperial museum and the old casino. We also saw the house of seven errors, which was quite interesting. Overall very worthwhile tour.
Response from Host, Aug 2023
Excellent! I'll make sure Rafael read this.
Thank you so much for the review. Take care! :-)
lisadimoulas, Jun 2023
This tour was fantastic as were our guide Marcelo and driver Junior. We were able to do our own thing at our own pace. The history was super interesting! After the palace, we visited the Imperial Museum and nearby, beautiful cathedral. Lunch was at what was an old stable/carriage house with an impressive menu (try the risotto, unexpectedly delicious). Lastly, we were given access to an historic private mansion, Casa de Ipiranga (aka the house of seven errors) with all the original finishes including a magnificent jacaranda wood stair case and wood ceilings. It was a fascinating and a little bit creepy yet overall, cool experience. We skipped the brewery and visited a yummy chocolate shop instead. I highly recommend this tour and guide. We were well taken care of throughout the day.
Response from Host, Jun 2023
Yes, what a day! Thank you so much for the review. Take care! :)
Lacy_D, Apr 2023
This tour was great. Both the driver and the tour guide were very friendly and accomodating. I would recommend leaving earlier in the morning. My group got a later start and we were stuck behind a slow moving truck going up the mountain. Nothing that could have been avoided but we were able to make last minute changes to see the most important things for us in the city. Definitely recommend this particular tour. If we're ever back in the area, we would schedule again to do the sites that we were not able to see.
Response from Host, Apr 2023
I am sorry for the truck. But I am happy that you could manage to have a great day. Thank you for the review. Take care! :)
adam_r, Apr 2023
Marcelo was so knowledgable with perfect English.bHe knew the best stops for photos, food and snacks. He was beyond helpful with tips for the rest of our stay and making sure we were safely dropped back at the hotel. Me and my two daughters (9 and 12) learned so much about Brazilian history and culture. The House of Seven Errors is like nowhere else we've ever seen. An absolute highlight of our stay in Rio.
Response from Host, Apr 2023
It was great, I had a lot of fun. The House of 7 Errors is really special. Thank you for the review! Take care! :)
DavidM_G, Mar 2023
Great tour and a great tour guide. The guide was very knowledgeable and very helpful. A wonderful day.
Response from Host, Mar 2023
A must-see when in Rio! Thank you for the review. Take care! :)
Gary_W, Mar 2023
The tour to Petropolis was an eye-opener into the history of Brazil and the establishment of Petropolis. Our guide, Marcela was very knowledgeable of Brazil’s history and Petropolis. It was a great tour and put in to perspective the development of Rio de Janeiro. Thank you Marcela. My wife and I appreciated the safe driving by Junior.
Response from Host, Mar 2023
Petrópolis is really a must-see. We had a great day. Thanks for the review. Take care!
Mark_M, Mar 2023
Our guide, Marcelo, was excellent, knowledgeable, are VERY interactive. The driver was also very good.
Response from Host, Mar 2023
Thank you! It was a great day. Take care! :)
George_M, Feb 2023
This day-long tour was fascinating. We learned a lot about Brazil’s history. Our guide, Rafael, was outstanding: very pleasant and knowledgeable. The scenery was beautiful. The car was very comfortable and driver Julio excellent. We would strongly recommend this tour to anyone interested in Brazilian history and visiting sites outside Rio.
Response from Host, Feb 2023
Petropolis is really a gem. We are happy that you have a great time. Thanks for the review. Take care!
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