A Weekend Break...

Few are the towns that are able to unite at the same place characteristics so different as being located closed to the mountains and on the sea at the same time. Paraty is able to accomplish this feat and even more.

Some history. In 1500 Guaianas Indians occupied the area and gave the name Paraty, which comes from the Indian language " tupi " and means " white fish ", to the town. In 1600 Portuguese first settled here. The first church was built Nossa Senhora dos Remedios, the patron Saint of the settlement. In 1667 the village become independent from Angra dos Reis. In 1700 Paraty is used as a port of embarkation for gold from Minas Gerais to Portugal. First constructions start to be built and the port becomes the second most important of Brazil. In 1800 the coffee exportation from the Paraiba Valley brought new growth to the town and population reached 16.000 habitants. In 1900 the construction of the rail link between Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paolo destroyed the economy of Paraty, population dropped to 600 habitants but thanks to this isolation paraty could maintain its culture and architecture. In 1950 the first road that links Paraty to the Paraiba Valley is built and in 1973 the BR101 highway is inaugurated linking Rio to Santos. After the gold and coffee boom, a new economy started: tourism.

Main tourist attractions:
· Igreja da Matriz : built in 1873. A procession took place at the opening transferring the images from Santa Rita church to Matriz.
 This procession became a custom preserved to this day.
· Igreja do Rosario : built in 1725 this church was reserved to the slaves.
· Igreja N.Sra das Dores : built in 1800 for the aristocrats.
· Igreja Santa Rita : built in 1722 is the oldest church in town. The museum of Sacred Arts is housed in this church where the images,
 altars and silverware are on permanent exposition.
· Capela Santa Cruz: built in 1902 in memory of a freed slave who died drowned.
· Casa da Cultura used, as a school till the end of last century, nowadays is a cultural home.

The Best " Cachaca"

The beginning of the production of cachaca (sugar cane liquor) in Brazil started at almost the same time in the states of Bahia, Pernambuco and Rio de Janeiro, although it was the cachaca produced in Paraty that was famous in colonial Brazil and Europe. In the XVIII century, when Paraty reached its economic peak during the gold cycle, there where more than 100 distilleries producing cachaca (only five still exist). The Pinga (name for cachaca) of Paraty, the drink of the parties of the black slaves quarters, spread in such a way that in 1649, emperor D.Joao IV of Portugal, through Royal Letter, tried uselessly to prohibit its production. The excellence of Paraty' s made it so well known that the name Paraty became synonym of with the drink. Cachaca is today the second more sold distilled spirit in the world with more than 80 million shots consumed daily. Several are the shops in the center where you can enjoy tasting and of course buying, all different flavors (banana, apple, pineapple, caramelized, aged…).

Art

Paraty is one of the cities with the highest number of art galleries per square meter in the country. And as funny as it can seem most of the " ateliers " are hold by French artists. You have almost every thing, porcelain painting ; very nice aquarelle , oil, acrylic paintings of Paraty ; paintings on silk ; wood, iron and other kind of sculptures ; indigenous art; and a lot more.

Paraty by night

Numerous are restaurants, bars, and street entertainment. For delicious dinners we suggest you the following restaurants specialized in local cuisine.
· Restaurante Porto Rua da Praia, 145 historical center (delicious salmon with maracuja sauce!)
· Restaurante Banana da Terra, Rua Dr. Samuel Costa, historical center (delicious sea fish risotto and desserts, banana cake and chocolate mousse!)
· Restaurante do Hiltinho Rua Marechal Deodoro, 233, historical center, (delicious " moquecas" !)
· Margarida Cafe, Rua Commendador Jose Luiz, Historical center, (delicious fish dishes and very good live MPB music ( popular Brazilian music).

Where to stay

Many are the hotels and " Pousadas" , the one we spent our journey is called "Pousada do Sandi" ( www.paraty.com.br/sandi)situated in the historical center (noisy at night). Considered on of the best in town, is certainly very pleasant in a nice colonial style, with swimming pool, sauna, exc. but as often happens, the problem is the maintenance. Rooms are big and comfortable, but walls need urgent repainting and breakfast out of Brazilian standards, poor! Other detail ......music. ....heavy-metal all day long!!!!!!!! The advantage of being in the center is the animation but if you want calm it is better to choose one out of it as "Pousada do Principe". Another very nice we visited in the center and in a calmer street is the "Pousada do Ouro".

Beaches

In Paraty's bay you can find over 65 tropical islands and dozens of beaches, covered with amazing vegetation. The temperature of the water is always the right for swimming, diving and snorkeling. There are numerous ways to explore it the most common is on a five hour schooner trip but diving excursions, fishing trips, day and overnight sailing adventures are available. See Saveiro Porto Seguro Company phone (024)371-1254 , e-mail: saportoseg@uol.com.br

First suggestion I will give to you is, go by car........we did the silly thing to go by plain till Rio and from there we took a bus to Paraty.( all this because friends told us that the road was terrible ..it probably was, some years ago! ) Of course you have to take more days holiday , but the coast is real spectacular and it is worst the trip. Besides.... you can't access the historic center of the town by car, but you need absolutely one if you want to go to the beach.( no car rental in Paraty).

For more information on Paraty you can visit the following site www.paraty.com.br

Article written by: Alessandra P.B.Larousse

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