religious and historical buildings such as the cathedral of são pedro de alcantara and the picturesque quitandinha crystal palace, offer visitors some fine examples of sacred architecture.

it is possible to visit petrópolis on a one-day-trip - there are regular bus services leaving from rio de janeiro bus terminal. the route is particularly scenic, with many bridges, mountain ridges, and lush valleys along the way. the tropical mountains of serra dos órgãos can also be viewed from the bus window for a large part of the trip.