250 kilometers from Rio de Janeiro and anchored practically in the middle of the road towards Saint Paulis the city of Paraty. An exotic destination due to the beautiful vegetation and the magnitude of the mountains that surround it, the colonial style of its historic center, the serenity that is breathed, a gastronomy that enhances the appetite, and, especially, the possibility of explore a sea that offers hidden islands, attractive beaches and swim in the crystal clear water of the Atlantic Ocean.
Founded in 1945, it has an identity that makes you fall in love at first glance: stone streets, tile roofs, and all the houses with their walls painted white that are interrupted by a variety of colors on the doors and windows. In addition, at night it has soft lighting that gives it an appearance of yesteryear. To these attributes is added a mountain environment and the prevailing green of the trees, which is why it integrates the Brazilian Green Coast.
More than 50 thousand people live in this place, which in 2019 was declared World Heritage Site by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for its cultural and natural assets. On the one hand, biodiversity stands out, because it has animal species in danger of extinction, and also a historical wealth.
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Paraty was a nerve center of Brazil’s “Golden Route.” From the port of this coastal city, the precious metal extracted from different areas of the country was shipped to Europe. An activity that left its mark on the city, which preserves the cannons on the coast and one of the seven forts from the time of the Portuguese empire, which used them to defend themselves against the presence of pirates on the seas.
They call this dream town “the Venice of Brazil”. A pseudonym that is based on the construction above sea level, which allows salt water to flow through the streets twice a year. Its inhabitants assure that it “cleans” the waste on public roads. However, the neighbors do not suffer consequences in their homes because all the buildings were built with a base of more than half a meter to avoid flooding. In addition, boats are often used to travel.
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Paraty is an invitation to tourists, who will feel visual and mental relaxation in a captivating space, ideal to stay for a juicy number of days, as it will give them dispersion and curiosity in every street and corner. This is how he defined it, before Ambit, Mauro Munhoz, director of the Paraty International Literary Festival (FLIP): “It has enormous wealth and many attractions, since it has an interesting history. In 2003, the Brazilian Ministry of Tourism was created and a sincere survey of the 650 main tourist centers resulted in structuring the activity. Paraty “It was one of the chosen ones because it is a cultural paradise.”
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HOW TO GET TO PARATY FROM ARGENTINA
The spa town of Paraty It is located between the two megalopolises of Brazil: Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. For that reason, there are different ways to travel from Argentina. One of the main ones is based on flights to the big cities and then the possibility of taking the land route via bus (Bus Costa Verde) which takes between four or five hours from the Marvelous City, or six from the territory of São Paulo.
LA FLIP, THE MOST IMPORTANT CULTURAL EVENT IN PARATY
The Paraty International Literary Festival (FLIP) has been celebrated since 2003 and is one of the outstanding cultural events in Brazil’s literary calendar due to the presence of national and international authors who provoke a debate of ideas about the present and future. This year the 21st edition was held, between November 22 and 26, and featured 40 guest writers from Germany, Argentina, Canada, Ecuador, Spain, Ireland and Trinidad and Tobago, among other countries.
“It was born here to make a cultural manifestation, which could build a sufficient consequence in the city and that tourism could carry out an action that, instead of suffocating local history, could intercede through local values and culture,” he explained, in dialogue with Ámbito, director Marcelo Munhoz, who this year received 25 thousand people who walked the streets of the colonial city.
The highest authority of the FLIP explained that the establishment caused an increase in tourism and cultural knowledge of Paraty: “It certainly generated a cultural revolution. We did a job for years of territorial reading, since people have experiences and projects in Paraty. Thus, you begin to know the history and the people. For example, in the 1960s and 1970s, the country entered a difficult political time, but Paraty preserved culture and sociability. There was a migration of great artists, filmmakers, painters, playwrights, literary writers and journalists who came to this place, which at that time did not have an asphalt entrance, but rather had to venture through a dirt road.”
RECOMMENDED RESTAURANTS IN PARATY
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The city of Paraty It stands out for its gastronomic activity, since it has a combination of seafood, fish, meats, vegetables and legumes. Among the most attractive restaurants are:
Banana da Terra: located at Samuel Costa 198, in the historic center of the town. The menu is designed with traditional dishes from the coast of Brazil.
Ouro Road: This signature restaurant will allow diners to try different artisanal preparations based on typical foods, accompanied by the best wines. It is located at Samuel Costa 181.
Or Mercador: meters from Paraty beach, this gastronomic establishment allows you to delight your palate with the best dishes from Brazilian territory: seafood, fish of the day, beef and pork. It is located at the intersection of Orlando Carpinelli and Sabina Correa de Almeida.
But: a gastronomic establishment with a delicate preparation of each of its dishes. The menu includes palm heart spaghetti with mushroom mix, fish medallion and sea bass in barú crust with shrimp farofa and tucupí emulsion.
PARATY, CRADLE OF THE CACHAÇA INDUSTRY
Cachaça is a distilled alcoholic beverage obtained from the juice of fermented sugar cane. The most typical drink in Brazil is the caipirinha and it is obtained by making a cachaça cocktail with lime, sugar and ice. Paraty – along with the state of Minais Gerais and the São Paulo city of Pirassununga – is one of the three main points of artisan production.
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The Cachaca Coqueiro opened its doors in 1940, based in the interior of Paratyand is the first brand in the country to receive the quality certificate from the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture.
Ámbito toured the facilities and observed the production process, which can be visited by tourists. Different versions of cachaça are produced in the factory such as Gold, Silver, Coconut, Chocolate, Corn and Gabrielawhich stands out for a novel mix of the drink with cinnamon.
Source: Ambito

I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.