Paraty; a Charming, Cobble Stoned Gem.

General Sales Manager, Karolina Guilcapi shares her favorite spot in Brazil.

I have been selling Paraty for 10+ years. It is a small fishing village, that is reached by a narrow coastal road 4 hours from Rio. I have been intrigued by it for a long time, and right before I left for my family trip to Brazil a client called me to rave about it on her own itinerary we had built together. I knew I chose right after that chat. I went with high expectations and was not disappointed.

Paraty is a charming, cobblestoned gem. The drive to it is spectacular with vistas of islands and blue waters on the left and deep green jungles on the right. The village is trapped in time, with whitewashed buildings, a collection of stunning colorful doors, and no tall structures. There are tiny restaurants with wobbly tables spilling onto the streets, home to top chefs with creative dishes and fantastic wine.

Paraty is home of the largest book festival in the world, where artists and creative people come together to enjoy life. Galleries, museums, and local art are peppered throughout the village with live music on every corner. Tanned artists and dreamers sitting, crafting, and reading on every bench.

The hotels are all boutique, but well done and upscale. Although the buildings all look rustic and similar on the outside, once you pass the walls into the hotels, you find tastefully decorated rooms, lush courtyards and gardens, gorgeous pools, and total retreat.

It is set on a bay where more color can be found from bobbing fishing boats. If good wine and art get tedious, you go hiking to waterfalls, snorkeling with turtles, rent a private boat to island hop, spot monkeys, and dine on grilled octopus barefoot on the beach. Heaven.

After a monumental trip, I arrived home to an email from a sweet man I met while exploring the town. He popped his head out when he heard English and invited me in to tell me about how he also fell in love with Paraty and stayed there – now he runs a fantastic cooking class experience which I plan to use on every itinerary.

I loved Paraty so much that I almost do not want to spoil it by sharing it. But alas, it’s hard to keep a good secret!

Happy travels!

Karo

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