Green Toad Bus Brasil bus

Paraty is sometimes written Parati, either way it still is the name for a lovely colonial city at the heart of the Brazilian backpacker scene, and is almost a not-to-be-missed destination when backpacking in Brazil. Located in between Rio and Sao Paulo, this beautiful city preserves the delicacy of an old Portuguese colonial town with cobbled streets and brightly colored houses. The city has been re-discovered by tourists from Rio and Sao Paulo with the construction of better roads. Nowadays Paraty hosts many international fairs and events which attracts people from all over the world.  

The town used to be a very important city in the 17th century as a port for gold exportation from the mines of the region. For a while it was even the residence of the royal Portuguese family when they moved to Brazil. You can visit the house of Pedro I imperator in the city and appreciate their original furniture. There is also a nice museum (Museu Histórico-Naval) which dispays detailed old ship miniatures and archaeological findings of the region. The architecture of the city is overwhelming and there are beautiful views everywhere in the historical center. For the best views you should make a short walk to the north of the city.  

Paraty is a very romantic place and there are many gorgeous small restaurants and bars to completely fall in love with the city. Just imagine a seat with a nice view of the cobbled streets, candles, a bossa nova song and a delicious local plate and you´ll never want to leave. Paraty is well prepared for tourism and there are many nice hotels and hostels for the bacpacker. There are also many shops that offer great  local handicrafts making it easy to choose your travel gifts.

Click here for cool hostel in Paraty

Paraty can also be your starting point for many interesting short trips. There are hundreds of nice beaches nearby like trinidade, laranjeiras, Sao Roque and many more. Some of them are perfect for surfing and are worth an overnight visit. You can also make explore the bay of Paraty on old schooners which makes for the perfect day in the sun. You need to make the short trip to Penha as well to see the waterfall in which you can surf on. There´s also a great location half way between Rio de Janeiro and Parati, a big island called Ilha Grande. It can be reached by ferry from Angra Dos Reis and you should stay in the island at least a couple of days. The island is a natural reserve and it holds exuberant nature. From Vila Abraao, the main village, you can take many cool excursions that include snorkeling (great colorful fish!), scuba diving and hiking.