Paço Imperial

Frommer's Review

For 155 years this was the administrative nerve center of Brazil, serving as the governor's palace and then as the home and office of Brazil's emperors from 1808 until the fall of the monarchy in 1888. It's a pleasingly simple structure, long, low, and rectangular, its many high-ceilinged rooms arranged around a pair of cool interior courtyards. Nowadays it serves as an exhibition hall for traveling cultural exhibits, some of which are excellent, but most of which, alas, are in Portuguese only. Still, it's an extremely pleasant and interesting building to walk through. A room on the ground floor charts the history of the palace, with maps, paintings, and engravings. Allow about an hour. The cafe in the courtyard on the ground floor is a great place to take refuge on hot afternoons in Rio (open the same hours as the museum).

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.