Paraty
The romantic port town of Paraty, which was the most important transit point for gold from Minas Gerais on its way to Portugal during the 18th century, is today with its patrician houses and churches from the late 17th and early 18th centuries According to UNESCO one of the most important existing examples of colonial architecture worldwide! Here the traveller experiences an exotic mixture of culture, nature, beach fun and active holidays. From Rio to Paraty it usually takes four hours, always along the Green Coast, with fantastic views of the sea to the left and the lush Atlantic Mountain Rainforest to the right. In the historic centre, beautiful Pousadas built and furnished in colonial style guarantee a pleasant stay. In addition to the cultural aspects, Paraty offers a range of activities that make a stay a real experience. This definitely includes a hike through the Atlantic Mountain Rainforest with an ascent to the 400m Mamanguá summit Brazil's only fjord. Furthermore, hidden, paradisiacal picture book beaches, invite you to swim and snorkel in the clear waters of the Atlantic Ocean. You want more action, right? How about this:
Paddle a kayak from beach to beach or through the species-rich mangrove landscape and then pay a visit to a fisherman's family, where you are invited to a short but interesting handicraft workshop and a typical lunch afterwards. But that’s not all you can do in Paraty.
A visit to one of the many cachaça (sugar cane schnapps) distilleries is always very popular with our guests. Paraty's cachaça is known throughout the country for its quality. Tasting included.
Especially for beach lovers, an extension to the nearby Ilha Grande is recommended.
Ilha Grande
The Big Island is not only the largest, as its name suggests, but certainly also the most beautiful on the Brazilian coast. Angra dos Reis is an hour and a half drive from Paraty. from where one translates to Ilha Grande. The almost car-free island, which has no paved roads and impresses with its intact, lush tropical nature, was together with Paraty declared UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2019.
You can take a taxi boat to visit one of the many dream beaches in the area like Lopes Mendes beach which is one of the most beautiful in Brazil, or just stroll through the village of Abraao or relax in a hammock.
Travellers who want to have a relaxing stay before returning home are just right on the Ilha Grande!
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How to get there private tansfer from Rio de Janeiro or São Paulo
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Best time to travel All year round
Get more details from Peter Rohmer, e-mail: request@scte-brazil.com
| Private Tour | Duration | Price (PP) |
|---|---|---|
| Paraty | 3-5 days | from US$ 1,450 p. person |
| Paraty and Ilha Grande | 8 days | from US$ 2,550 p. person |
My husband and I spent 8 days traveling in the 'Costa Verde' region. The big advantage of this wonderful and lesser-known holiday destination is that it is only 4-5 hours by car from Rio de Janeiro.
The program designed by Peter from Southern Cross Tours & Expeditions was very varied, giving us a full and well-rounded picture of the culture and nature of this beautiful region. The program began in Paraty, a small town from colonial times that enchants with its beauty and history.
Peter booked us in a beautiful colonial-era hotel right in Paratys historic center. On the second day we were able to admire the city from the water as part of a relaxed boat trip and also visit beautiful beaches for swimming. Then we started trekking through the coastal forest, from beach to beach and always with breathtaking vistas.
We stayed in remote fishing villages where we were able to meet and exchange ideas with the locals. We were very impressed by their calm rhythm of life. Of course, none of this would have been possible without our wonderful guide, Sérgio. With him we were able to learn an endless amount about nature, people and politics; our conversations and shared experiences were unforgettable.
Sérgio has a lot of respect for nature and people and is very curious himself and likes to pass on his experiences. So, I can warmly recommend this travel program for anyone who loves traveling!
October 2023
Dear Peter,
We finally are getting around to putting pen to paper or finger to keyboard!
Firstly, how are you? We hope that all is well with you and that you have not been too badly affected by the heatwave that your area has been experiencing. I am sure that a caipirinha or two has been sufficient to rehydrate you.
What can we say about our trip? It was superb and exceeded all our expectations, each element planned with your guidance and experienced input complemented and added to the next. Our guide in Rio, Cynthia, was a pleasure to be with and curated two days of sightseeing and education that we just would not have managed without her.
Riding and being hosted in Saquarema was a great experience, the Mangalarga horses were a pleasure to ride and the scenery spectacular, Reinhard and Claudia were very generous and gracious hosts.
We then we lucky enough to spend a few days in Arraial do Cabo, this was a lovely break and a chance to relax and of course we got to spend some time meeting and socialising with you, a real treat. The meal and drinks in Cabo Frio will live long in our memories.
Then Santa Catarina and Elvio and Rosa’s fazenda. This stay and riding adventures were second to nothing that we have ever experienced. The riding, on Criollo horses, was wonderful. The mounts, changing every couple of days, were a delight, they were sure footed with lovely temperaments. Elvio led us with great humour, knowledge and aplomb; his coffee making skills and ability to fall asleep in a flash after lunch was unsurpassed. We rode up serious hills, through serious rivers and down seriously rocky descents…….wonderful!
The Fazenda with Rosa at the helm was a perfect place to stay. The food and warm hospitality deserving a special mention. Leaving after 9 days was pretty sad.
Our final few days in Rio were a super experience staying at Gerthrude’s, organised by you. The Santa Teresa area of Rio was an energising, cultural and beautiful place to round off our trip.
We have a debt to you Peter, your superb organising abilities coupled with your deep knowledge of Brazil has resulted in a trip whose memories we will cherish. Your perception of what would suit us was frankly telepathic, well done. We can recommend this part of Brazil wholeheartedly and with your organisation, we were able to enjoy it to the maximum and worry-free. Thank you.
Please feel free to use any of this communication on your website.
Kind and fond regards,
Despite the pandemic, we undertook an interesting journey through the states of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, from which we returned to Germany healthy! The planning of the trip was individually tailored to our wishes by our tour guide Annette Runge from Southern Cross Tours & Expeditions and could be implemented at very short notice. In addition, it was her primary goal to accompany and bring us all healthy through the holiday including a variety of activities. It was important to her to have an individual hygiene concept in which we should have as little contact with third parties as possible. And so, not only as a tour guide with competence, she gave us insights into life in Brazil and informed us about the sights, but also, as an experienced driver, drove to the places that were our travel destinations as a suggestion from her, combined with our wishes: Sao Paulo, Paraty, Ilha Grande, Rio de Janeiro, Buzios and Nova Friburgo, Tres Picos and Itatiaia National Parks.
The mix of city trips with a focus on architecture, beach holidays and hiking that we expressly wanted was implemented to a large extent. Our tour guide was always informed about the daily development of the pandemic in order to be able to adapt the planned activities to the situation if necessary. Accommodation in local small guesthouses was wisely located, of good quality and very personal attention.
We spent 24 almost carefree days in Brazil with lots of fun and friends. A successful concept, well organized, a prudent and responsible tour guide: highly recommended.