Paraty
25 minutes by car is Paraty, part of the Brazilian national heritage. It can also be reached by boat or, for the adventure lovers, even by foot, taking the old footpath across the tropical forest.
Paraty used to be the main port for exporting gold to Europe and is a unique example of a fully preserved 18th century harbor town. This is mainly the only access was from the sea, for nearly two centuries.
Today, the beautifully restored town has unspoilt charms and traditions as well as a variety of gastronomic and cultural attractions: art festivals, capoeira and festivals, both religious and popular. Local craftsmanship is also of a very good standard.
Paraty, unique in the history of Brazil and its colonial past, is a town rich in baroque art and architecture and steeped in adventure. It was the arrival point of the gold route which linked the inland towns of the region of Minas Gerais to the sea. One heir to the crown, Dom João de Orleans e Bragança, has his permanent residence in a magnificent palace overlooking the sea. He is a well-known figure amongst the local people.
Listed by UNESCO as World Heritage, Paraty is exceptional not only for its architecture but also for its strong local traditions, highlights of which are the popular events linked to the Espirito Santo (10 days in June), the Holy Week and the São Pedro celebrations in July, during which all the boats are decorated and meet in the islands of the bay. And of course, Carnival and New Year are also great moments.
Paraty is also an important cultural and artistic center, where old traditional families of craftsmen and modern artists meet. It hosts a film festival and a book fair, the FLIP (Festival de Literatura International de Paraty), that started a few years ago with investors from the UK and is now very successful. The region's extraordinary quality of life has long attracted artists from all over the world, musicians, painters and sculptors.