Things to do in Petropolis

Christ the Redeemer, standing atop Mount Corcovado in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is one of the world’s most iconic landmarks. This 30-meter-tall statue of Jesus Christ, with arms outstretched over the city, symbolizes peace and faith. Completed in 1931, it’s made of reinforced concrete and soapstone, offering breathtaking panoramic views of Rio’s beaches, mountains, and the Sugarloaf. Reached by train or hiking trail through Tijuca National Park, the journey itself is scenic and memorable. At sunrise or sunset, the statue glows against the sky, creating a truly spiritual and awe-inspiring experience—an unmissable highlight for any traveler to Brazil.

Sugarloaf Mountain is a must-visit site in Rio. We went on a Monday at 16:00, thinking we would make it up in time for sunset at 17:30. The queue was so long that the attendants just laughed when we asked for an estimate. We went to the beach instead, then prebooked tickets on CTrip for the next day. The process of using the tickets was a bit confusing. When we arrived at the cable station at 15:00 we were told to go to the reception desk to have our proof of booking printed out. A kind lady at reception helped us do this luckily, but it was a bit confusing due to the language barrier. After we’d printed the proof we had to go to another window to collect our physical ticket and were then allowed to join the queue to board the cable car quite far ahead of the back of the line - so even though the process was confusing, booking online definitely helped. This is the one occasion where I would say that paying extra to skip the queue is really worth it!!! The Sugar Loaf cable car ride is actually divided into two separate segments. This means that you queue to get tickets, queue to board the first cable car, queue to board the second cable car, and then queue twice more to go back down - and each time you’re queuing for about 30 minutes! And this was on a Tuesday in July; I can’t imagine what it’s like on the weekend. Anyway, the pictures show that it was definitely worth the effort:)

The wind blew in from the sea, carrying a salty, damp air. The sand was so soft it felt like walking on cotton; you could walk barefoot for ages without it hurting your feet. Find a rock to sit on, and watch the waves crash in, breaking into white foam before receding, again and again, washing away all the jumbled thoughts in your mind. In the evening, collect half a basket of pretty seashells, buy a freshly steamed salt-baked crab, and gnaw on the crab meat as the sun sinks into the sea, the sky gradually turning orange-red. Even your hair smells of the sea; when you leave, you feel both empty and bright inside.

Copacabana Beach is known as the most famous beach in the world. It has a 4.5-kilometer-long coastline, with blue water, white waves, clean and soft sand. The temperature is suitable for swimming all year round, so there is an endless stream of tourists.