Quinta da Boa Vista was the estate of the Portuguese imperial family until the Republic was proclaimed. Today it’s a large and busy park with gardens and lakes. On weekends it’s crowded with football games and families from the Zona Norte. Sadly, a devastating fire in 2018 destroyed the former imperial mansion, which housed one of Brazil's most important historical collections; Museu Nacional and Museu da Fauna. Countless archaeological treasures were lost. The Rio Zoo is 200m west.
Quinta da Boa Vista
Rio de Janeiro
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
3.16 MILES
The Tijuca is all that's left of the Atlantic rainforest that once surrounded Rio de Janeiro. This 39-sq-km tropical-jungle preserve is an exuberant green…
5.09 MILES
Seen from the peak of Pão de Açúcar, Rio is undoubtedly a Cidade Maravilhosa (Marvelous City). There are many good times to make the ascent, but sunset on…
5.16 MILES
A magnificent confluence of land and sea, the long, scalloped beach of Copacabana extends for some 4km, with a flurry of activity along its length: over…
5.54 MILES
One long stretch of sun-drenched sand, Ipanema Beach is demarcated by postos (posts), which mark off subcultures as diverse as the city itself. Posto 9,…
3.26 MILES
Standing atop Corcovado (which means ‘hunchback’), Cristo Redentor gazes out over Rio, a placid expression on his well-crafted face. The mountain rises…
-
0.51 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…
4.24 MILES
This exotic 137-hectare garden, with more than 8000 plant species, was designed by order of the Prince Regent Dom João (later to become Dom João VI) in…
5.16 MILES
This beautiful cultural center hosts impressive exhibitions, often showcasing the works of some of Brazil's best photographers and artists. The gardens,…
Nearby Rio de Janeiro attractions
0.45 MILES
Covering over 12 hectares, the zoo at Quinta da Boa Vista has a wide variety of reptiles, mammals and birds, mostly indigenous to Brazil. Special…
0.51 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…
0.71 MILES
This enormous fair (32,000 sq meters, with over 600 stalls) is not to be missed. It showcases the culture of the Northeast of Brazil, with barracas (food…
1.17 MILES
While CADEG doesn’t have quite the same ring to it as ‘Ipanema Beach,’ this voluminous market packs a treasure trove of fruits, vegetables, meats, fish,…
1.38 MILES
Inaugurated in 1880, Fábrica Bhering was the first chocolate factory in Brazil. It is now a stunning multistory, multipurpose art space and cultural…
1.74 MILES
The epicenter of Rio’s Carnaval, the Sambódromo was designed by Oscar Niemeyer and completed in 1984. During big parades, come here for fantastic views…
1.82 MILES
Located north of Centro, near the port, Samba City is actually made up of 14 large buildings where the top Rio schools assemble their Carnaval floats. It…
8. Instituto de Pesquisa e Memória Presto Novos
2.14 MILES
When Mercedes Guimarães was doing construction work on her house in 1996, workers uncovered huge quantities of human fragments. After discussions with a…