Paraty is a charming historic colonial town with old historic buildings and cobblestone streets. The historic area is blocked from car traffic so one can wander about the well preserved buildings. The nearby pier offers boat tours to the nearby beaches and islands with clear blue waters.
Loved this little town its a must! You wont believe your eyes when you see it and you kind of forget your in south america for a while. try the desserts they sell on the streets they were amazing especially the coconut ones.
Mid Wa between Sau Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Paraty has the most beautiful beaches that I have experiences s far and I have been to many places around the world. It is a 5 hour drive through mountainous roads from either direction and best driven. by the locals. The town has a range of restaurants and street foods. Thoroughly rcommended if you want a break from the cities.
This city is unique. You can mix culture with beautiful beaches. The historic downtown is really enjoyable to walk around (don`t forget the runners) and have greats restaurants and stores. Definitely one of the most beautiful places from Brazil. You can imagine how the things were in the 18th century...
A beautiful old town centre, full of interest. Fascinating buildings, beautiful, colourful architecture, excellent value restaurants, genuine gift shops - and fiddler crabs! Take a guided tour to really appreciate the story behind the town.
Amazing little old town. You can feel like you are somewhere in Europe.. Very nice surprise that you can find excellent Hotels (for high price) in this little town. For the ladies: be aware of the streets better if you not wear high hills because of the little stones.The restaurants offers nice fish dishes for 2 people very affordable most of the bars have live music.
We loved the old churches and buildings, the car-less streets washed by the tide twice a day. We enjoyed exploring with an excellent guide. When the town hit hard times it is what mercifully saved this real gem from damage or demolition.
Loved it! Beautiful place and beautiful people. It was fun using my Portuguese to talk to the people around town. Everyone is super friendly.
Paraty, in the south of the state of Rio de Janeiro, was an important Brazilian historical city during the 16th and 19th centuries the city was of gold output port sent to Europe. Today, Paraty gathers important buildings of the Brazilian colonial period and is a perfect destination for tourists seeking natural paradises surrounded a lot of history. The nights of Paraty are nice and full of musical attractions for all ages. The city is a must-see destination in Brazil.
I've been to Paraty 3 times in my life, so I'm speaking based on my most recent experience. When I first visited Paraty, I fell in love with the old-town charm of the city and its inhabitants. Lately however, the tourism culture of the town has grown too quickly and has started to over-exploit the city. IMO, not enough changes have been made to improve the municipal services (Streets, transportation, handicap facilities, sidewalks, sewage, etc.) to handle the huge influx of visitors. It's probably because, aside from tourism, there are no other forms of income in this area that could generate taxes to sustain the area. As charming as the streets are, there could be sidewalks built along the old streets that would improve the walking conditions of the visitors of the town without destroying the charm of the old cobblestones. Don't even attempt to visit the historic district if you need a wheelchair, or use crutches. Here is what to expect when you visit this town...1) Basically, all the food in Paraty restaurants consists of 7 ingredients.....Rice, Beef, Shrimp, Fish, Farofa,cheese, and Pastels. This is the same food you will find in all of Rio as well, however, you are going to pay at least 2X the price here in Paraty. It's the same stuff no matter if you go to a "French" or "Thai" restaurant. It seems that the nationality of the restaurants is based on the decor only. Only here can you purchase shrimp ceviche in a "Japanese" sushi restaurant.2) Watch out for the promises made by the tourism businesses. There seems to be a disconnect with the tour guide operators, and the persons who directly provide the services. If you choose to hire a boat to visit the beaches and islands in the bay (and I encourage you to do so), be sure to state your expectations clearly with the captain, and agree ahead of time to everything that is included in the price. It's important to bring proof of what you paid for. 3) Be careful of street vendors who try to trick you by telling you they already gave you your change. Stand your ground, and push back on them if you need to. This is common with a few of them especially around the beach areas, and I guess they are counting on your feeble-mindedness to earn a few extra $R. Despite everything I've stated above, you will find Paraty a very energetic place with great music and old-world charm. There is a great push to make this place better, and It's still worth the visit.