For decades, the emperors of Brazil escaped the Rio summer by climbing into these hills, and Petrópolis still feels like an imperial retreat. The city lies in the Serra dos Órgãos at around 800 metres, cooler and fresher than the coast, and it was built in the mid-nineteenth century as a summer residence for Dom Pedro II, the last emperor. His former palace is now the Imperial Museum, where visitors shuffle across the polished floors in felt slippers to protect them, and it holds the crown jewels.
Walking around the centre you see a city planned by an engineer, with canals running through the streets, German-style houses, a neo-Gothic cathedral where the emperor and his family are buried, and the Crystal Palace, a greenhouse of iron and glass. The aviation pioneer Alberto Santos-Dumont also built a small house here, which he called A Encantada, and you can visit it. In the region there is an old beer-brewing tradition, and the town is known for chocolate shops and cafés.
For motorcyclists, the road up from Rio is a classic. The BR-040 climbs the escarpment of the Serra da Estrela in long ramps through dense forest, steep and busy with lorries, and in the mist it can feel eerie. Taking the road on toward Teresópolis you leave the main highways and follow quieter routes through the hills with tree-lined avenues, green valleys and the occasional waterfall. The weather changes quickly, with fog and rain common, so take waterproofs, and be careful on wet cobbles in the old streets.
This is a large city of about two hundred and seventy thousand people, so there is plenty of fuel, mechanics and restaurants, and Guapimirim and Teresópolis are the next centres. Weekends fill up with visitors from Rio, so a midweek visit is easier. Climate is mild and often damp, so a light rain jacket is as useful as a sweater. Stop for a hot chocolate in the afternoon, and set off for the next leg while the light is still good, since the mountain roads are no fun in the dark.