Paraty sits between the mountains and the sea, and Morro da Vila Velha, a hill beside the old town, is a good vantage for seeing why. The mountains of the Serra do Mar rise steeply behind, covered in Atlantic forest, and the bay in front is dotted with islands. Portuguese settlers took the site in the sixteenth century, and in the eighteenth it became the port for gold from Minas Gerais, carried down the Caminho do Ouro on mule trains and loaded onto ships. UNESCO listed Paraty and Ilha Grande together in 2019, recognising both the culture and the nature.
The historic centre is a delight, with whitewashed colonial houses, painted doors and streets paved with rounded stones, laid so that the high tides can flood and flush them. Cars are barred from the core, and the stones are punishing on a loaded bike, so park and walk. The town is small, with about fifteen thousand people, and it has fuel, restaurants, bars and plenty of guesthouses. Paraty is famous for cachaça, the cane spirit, and for the literary festival held every year.
The ride to get here is one of Brazil's finest. The BR-101, the Rio-Santos road, hugs the coast between the sea and the forest, with long curves, island views and beaches tucked into every bay. Traffic is heavy at weekends and holidays, so go midweek if you can. Inland, the road to Cunha climbs the Serra do Mar in a series of hairpins through mist-soaked forest, a great contrast, though rain makes it slippery and landslides are possible.
Humidity is high, and downpours are common between December and March, when the roads can flood. June to August is drier and cooler, with clear days and fewer crowds. Ilha Grande, a short boat trip away, has no cars at all, and the Praia do Sul biological reserve is protected, with strict access rules. Order fresh fish, moqueca, or a banana-based dessert, and linger at a table on the square as the lamps come on.