Quinta da Boa Vista was the park of the imperial residence and is now one of the big green spaces in Rio's North Zone. It has lakes, historic gardens, BioParque and the Museu Nacional, which is being rebuilt after the 2018 fire. With the metro right outside, it makes a good half-day plan away from the Zona Sul circuit.
At a glance
- Where: Avenida Pedro II, s/n, São Cristóvão.
- Getting there: it's close to the São Cristóvão metro and train stations, according to Riotur ↗.
- BioParque: open Wednesday to Sunday from 9:00 to 17:00 (last entry at 16:00).
- Museu Nacional: the season of exhibitions open to the public ended on October 25, 2026. It currently only receives groups with a booking.
- Feira de São Cristóvão: open Tuesday to Sunday in the same neighborhood; on Fridays and Saturdays, until the early hours.
The park
According to Riotur ↗, the Quinta covers about 155,000 m² and preserves gardens designed by French landscape architect Auguste Glaziou. It has lakes where you can take a pedal boat or a kayak, artificial grottoes, gardens for a picnic and sports courts. At the entrance stands the gate the Duke of Northumberland gave as a wedding gift to D. Pedro I and Leopoldina.
Riotur doesn't publish the park's opening hours: check them before you go and plan your visit for daytime.
BioParque
Rio's former zoo, founded in 1888, now operates as BioParque do Rio ↗. It's open Wednesday to Sunday from 9:00 to 17:00, with last entry at 16:00, and notes that hours may change without notice. Prices and free-entry rules are listed on its ticketing platform. If you're going with kids, you'll find more ideas in Rio with kids.
The Museu Nacional
The Quinta's main building, the Paço de São Cristóvão, was home to the imperial family and is the seat of the Museu Nacional, Brazil's oldest scientific institution according to Riotur. A fire destroyed it in 2018 and it's now being rebuilt.
According to the Museu Nacional website ↗, the palace opened six rooms with two free exhibitions until October 25, 2026. At the time we checked, the museum listed visits to its exhibition "Um Museu de Descobertas" for booked groups only (agendamento.nap@mn.ufrj.br). Check its website in case it announces a new season open to the public before your trip.
Even if you can't go in, you can see the palace facade from the park.
Feira de São Cristóvão
The Centro Luiz Gonzaga de Tradições Nordestinas, known as Feira de São Cristóvão, brings together food, music and crafts from northeastern Brazil. According to its official website ↗:
- Tuesday to Thursday: 10:00 to 18:00.
- Friday and Saturday: 10:00 to 4:00 a.m.
- Sunday: 10:00 to 20:00.
- Admission: R$ 10 on Fridays (except special show days), Saturdays and Sundays. The ticket office takes cash only; tickets are also sold online.
It's in the same neighborhood as the Quinta, so you can combine it with the park. More markets in Rio's feiras.
A half-day plan
- Morning: metro to São Cristóvão and into the Quinta.
- Stroll: gardens, lakes and the Paço facade.
- BioParque (Wednesday to Sunday), if you're with kids or interested.
- Lunch: at the Feira de São Cristóvão, with northeastern food.
- Back: by metro to the Centro or Zona Sul.
Frequently asked questions
Which day is best?
Wednesday to Sunday, if you want to include BioParque. On Mondays and Tuesdays BioParque is closed.
Can I visit the Museu Nacional?
Right now, only with booked groups. The season of open exhibitions ended on October 25, 2026; follow the museum's website for new dates.
How can I combine this with other plans?
From the metro, the Centro and the port area are close by. For getting around, see how to get around Rio.
Sources: Riotur: Quinta da Boa Vista ↗, BioParque do Rio ↗, Museu Nacional: Paço de São Cristóvão ↗ and Feira de São Cristóvão ↗, accessed October 27, 2026.