By air
Rio de Janeiro (GIG), ~4 h by road
South America · Brazil
Paraty, Brazil
A colonial town between mountains and bays
Getting there
Best time to visit
April to October — drier months
Don't miss
The historic centre
The Santa Rita church
Trindade
The islands of Paraty bay
Things to do
Schooner trips around the bay's islands
Waterfalls
Cachaça tastings
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Lampiao3 · Public domain
What to pack
Walking shoes for the stone streets
A quieter corner
Trindade's natural pool
Questions travellers ask
When should I visit Paraty?
April to October, the drier months. Bring walking shoes for the stone streets.
How far is Paraty from Rio de Janeiro?
About 4 h by road from Rio de Janeiro (GIG).
What should I do in Paraty?
Explore the historic centre and the Santa Rita church, take a schooner trip around the bay's islands, find a waterfall and join a cachaça tasting. Eat seafood by the harbour.
Is there a hidden gem near Paraty?
Head to Trindade for its natural pool.
About Paraty
- Coastal
- Mountains
Where it is
Paraty is a colonial town on the Costa Verde of Rio de Janeiro state in Brazil, on the Bay of Ilha Grande between Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, with the forested Serra do Mar rising behind it.
History
After rich gold mines were found in Minas Gerais in the 1690s, Paraty became the port through which gold was shipped to Rio de Janeiro, brought down over the mountains on the Caminho do Ouro, the Gold Trail. When trade moved to other routes the town slipped into isolation, which preserved its cobbled streets and whitewashed houses; with Ilha Grande it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2019.
People
Paraty's traditional coastal communities, the caiçaras, have long lived from fishing and small farms, and a Guaraní village and a quilombo, an Afro-Brazilian community, lie within the municipality. Portuguese is spoken, and the town's festivals range from the Feast of the Holy Spirit to the international literary festival, FLIP.
Known for
- The cobbled historic centre
- Schooner trips among the bay's islands
- Cachaça distilleries
- The FLIP literary festival
- Waterfalls and beaches around Trindade
Did you know?
When a full moon brings the highest tides, seawater rises into the lower streets of Paraty's historic centre, lapping at the cobbles between the old houses.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.