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48-497: The town is located on the Bay of Ilha Grande , which is dotted with many tropical islands. Rising as high as 1,300 meters behind the town are tropical forests , mountains, and waterfalls. It is the southernmost and westernmost city in Rio de Janeiro state. Paraty is listed by IPHAN as a National Historic Landmark. More than 80% of its territory is protected by conservation units: Nearby is

96-535: A Contemporary Classic. The word caipirinha is the diminutive of the word caipira , which in Brazilian Portuguese refers to someone from the countryside (specifically, someone from the rural parts of south-central Brazil), similar to US English hillbilly or the Lowland Scots teuchter . Caipira is a two-gender noun . The diminutive mostly refers to the drink, in which case it

144-503: A month when there is a full moon and the tide is high, seawater rises above its normal levels and pours into the Historic Center District through special openings in the seawalls that separate the city from the harbor. The streets are only flooded for a short time until the tide recedes. The water is usually only 6 to 10 inches (15 to 25 cm) deep, and a few merchants near the seawall put out small bridges to span

192-912: A multitude of species of plants and animals. A hotspot for biodiversity and conservation, Ilha Grande is home to at least 110 resident and migratory avian species, including Magellanic penguins and red-ruffed fruitcrows . The island has been designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports significant populations of solitary tinamous , white-necked hawks , red-browed amazons , unicolored antwrens , cinnamon-vented pihas , bare-throated bellbirds , and azure-shouldered and black-backed tanagers . There are at least 20 species of mammals , from capybara and coatimundi to primates , such as common and black-tufted marmosets and brown howler monkeys . Smaller animals, such as rodents and carnivores , include gray slender and big-eared opossums , Brazilian squirrel , crab-eating fox and raccoon , red-rumped agouti and

240-579: A safer overland route from Minas Gerais to Rio de Janeiro was created because of these pirate raids. Finally, the gold itself began to run out in the late 18th century, and Paraty declined. The Gold Trail was submitted for inclusion on the World Heritage List in August 2004. The city's economic activity revived as a port for a new boom, the coffee trade of the Paraiba do Sul River Valley in

288-509: A town and then later city status. Above the shield is a crown consisting of five towers, with the center tower emblazoned with a red shield bearing a gold fleur-de-lis, which symbolizes Our Lady of Remedies, the patron saint of the city. The village of Paraty was founded in 1597. It was established formally as a town by Portuguese colonists in 1667, in a region populated by the Guaianás Indians. The Guaianás people who lived where

336-552: A very common sight in Paraty and are frequently used all around the city. Paraty has been able to maintain many of its historic buildings. Much of the architecture of the city has not changed for 250 years or more. There are four important historic baroque churches in Paraty: Capela de Santa Rita is the oldest church in Paraty. It was completed in 1722. This was the church of the freed slaves and freeman, former slaves. It

384-557: A while was also used as a prison. It is found in the plaza of Santa Rita, next to the church of same name. Constructed in the beginning of the 18th century, the building was part of a larger Forte Patitiba, the other blockhouse built in the city for defense of the harbor. In the 19th century it was decommissioned and today it houses the local public library. There are also many colorful colonial houses (refurbished in most cases), many of which have been transformed into shops, pousadas (Brazilian bed-and-breakfasts), restaurants and bars. Once

432-492: A woman named Maria Jácome de Melo donated the land for the construction of the village of Paraty, however she demanded two conditions: The first was the building of a chapel dedicated to Nossa Senhora dos Remédios and the second was that no one would harm the Indians that lived in the area at that time. The church was completed in 1873. Additionally, there is a very small chapel called Capela da Generosa which according to legend,

480-619: Is a feminine noun. Having great popularity around the world, countless variations of this drink are known. In some regions, brown sugar is used instead of refined sugar . Even in Brazil, variants with artificial sweeteners or a wide variety of fruits can be found. Furthermore, cachaça is sometimes replaced by vodka ( caipiroska , trademark registered by Smirnoff ), Licor Beirão (known as caipirão), rum (caipiríssima, trademark registered by Bacardi ), sake "Caipirinhas" (saquerinha) or wine (caipivinho) are also made. In Cape Verde , caipirinha

528-460: Is also home to a powder house for storing explosives – one of the few still existing in Brazil. Forte Defensor is one of seven fortifications that were built around the harbor of Paraty, two of them being in the city. All of the others that were constructed outside the city are now only ruins. What is left of this fort, also known as Cadeia Antiga (the Old Jail), is a smallish structure which for

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576-627: Is also known for its local festivals on Catholic holy dates, such as the Feast of the Holy Ghost. The annual Paraty Bourbon Jazz Festival has occurred every May since 2009. The traditional music event has already brought names like Stanley Jordan, Gary Brown, Ed Motta, Leo Gandelman, Eumir Deodato, Joshua Redman, Pau Brasil Group, Dianne Reaves, Mike Stern, Naná Vasconcellos, Nuno Mindelis, Jacques Morelenbaum, Stanley Clarke, and many other leading names in jazz, blues, soul and R & B from Brazil and

624-476: Is currently home to the Museum of Sacred Art. This church was built and used by Paraty's African slaves. It dates back to the year 1725. The church has a much simpler, more rustic style than the other three churches in Paraty. Every year in the first week of December the festivities of São Benedito are held in this church. This chapel dates back to 1800. It was used mostly by the rich women of society. Construction

672-560: Is made with a bigger green lemon called Tahiti lemon, a specie of lemon more spread around the country markets. The caipirinha is the strongest national cocktail of Brazil, and is imbibed in restaurants, bars, and many households throughout the country. Once almost unknown outside Brazil, the drink became more popular and more widely available in recent years, in large part due to the rising availability of first-rate brands of cachaça outside Brazil. The International Bartenders Association designated it as one of its Official Cocktails , as

720-484: Is to arrive by sea by way of a sailboat or cruise ship from Rio de Janeiro, Angra dos Reis and Ilha Grande. Paraty is connected by road to Rio de Janeiro or São Paulo (via road BR-101). Air-conditioned buses leave to go back and forth from Rio to Paraty and Paraty to Rio. Ilha Grande Ilha Grande ( Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈiʎɐ ˈɡɾɐ̃dʒi] ), or "big island", is a 193 km (75 sq mi) forested island located around 12 km (7.5 mi) off of

768-650: Is unique in that it was built on top of a huge boulder in the small hamlet of Penha, just outside Paraty. The church is located directly across from the Tourist Information Center at the trail-head of the Caminho do Ouro. There are two colonial forts in Paraty: Forte Defensor and Forte Patitiba. Forte Defensor was built in 1703 and outfitted with six cannons for the protection of the city's important commercial warehouses. With

816-663: The Atlantic coast of Angra dos Reis , Rio de Janeiro , Brazil , and about 243 km (151 mi) from São Paulo . The highest point on Ilha Grande is the 1,031 m (3,383 ft) tall Pico da Pedra D'Água. For almost a century, the Brazilian government declared the island off-limits, banning unauthorized entry, as it had contained an immigration quarantine station and, later, a maximum-security prison ( Colônia Penal de Dois Rios , later known as Instituto Penal Cândido Mendes ). The Cândido Mendes Penal Colony, which housed some of

864-641: The Aventureiro Sustainable Development Reserve , created in 2014 from the former Aventureiro Marine State Park, which was integrated with the Praia do Sul Biological Reserve . 62.5% of the island is covered by the Ilha Grande State Park , giving a total of 87% of the island protected status. Ilha Grande is one of the most pristine examples of Brazil's endangered Atlantic rainforest habitat, containing

912-461: The Serra do Mar State Park of São Paulo. The municipality also includes an indigenous village and an Afro-Brazilian quilombo settlement. The temperature in Paraty ranges from 16 to 37 °C (61 to 99 °F). Its wettest month is February. However, sea breezes temper the heat and afternoon rains are common in the summer. The flag of Paraty was adopted on August 12, 1967. The overall colors of

960-776: The hairy dwarf porcupine . Several species of bat also inhabit caves on the island, mainly from the Artibeus , Molossus and Saccopteryx genera , emerging at sunset to feed on swarms of flying insects. At least 40-50 species of reptiles and amphibians can be found on the island, including the Argentine black-and-white tegu , Brazilian torrent frog , Bocaina tree frog , broad-snouted caiman , chicken snakes , Chironius , Dipsas and Echinanthera snakes, garden tree boa , geckos , Imantodes snakes, Jackson's and Brazilian fathead anoles , lava lizards , mabuya , painted coralsnake , smallhead worm lizards and

1008-448: The southern right whale , humpback whale , Bryde's whale , orca and rough-toothed dolphins . Most of the visitor facilities, lodging and the park headquarters are located at Vila do Abraão. The village may be reached from the mainland by local ferries. The island is an ecotourism destination. Although it has no roads and motorised vehicles are banned , the island has more than 150 km (93 mi) of hiking trails connecting

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1056-416: The venomous Yarará lancehead . Invertebrates and arthropods number in the hundreds, with at least 400-500 species identified on Ilha Grande. The seas around the island, which are also a protected marine reserve, feature a unique convergence of tropical equatorial, subtropical and temperate currents, enabling one to see corals , tropical fish, sharks , hawksbill sea turtles and cetaceans , such as

1104-475: The Austrian house of Habsburg (Dom Pedro I and Dona Leopoldina). The coat of arms shown on the flag was adopted on November 30, 1960. The four quarters of the coat of arms symbolize the following: The flora which supports the red scroll are a branch of coffee tree and a stalk of sugarcane . The scroll itself bears the inscription “1660 Paraty 1844” These are the dates that Paraty initially achieved status as

1152-547: The Bahian town of Ilhéus in the 1983 Bruno Barreto film Gabriela, Cravo e Canela , starring Sônia Braga and Marcello Mastroianni . Paraty was also the set for Isle Esme (the place of Edward and Bella's honeymoon) in the movie The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn . Paraty airport can be reached from Rio de Janeiro or São Paulo by chartered helicopter or small commercial and private aircraft because presently it has no scheduled flights. Another possibility of transport

1200-405: The aforementioned economic decline of the region, it was in ruins until 1822, when it was reconstructed and dedicated to Emperor Dom Pedro I . Some historians believe that it was at the fort that the first nucleus of the town began, in that the area around the fort is still referred to as the "Old Village." Ruins of the old defensive stone walls together with the cannons can still be seen today. It

1248-568: The caipirinha was invented by landowning farmers in the region of Piracicaba , the interior of the State of São Paulo during the 19th century as a local drink for 'high standard' events and parties (parties at Barão de Serra Negra palace), a reflection of the strong sugarcane culture in the region. Original recipe use a kind of Lemon called "galeguinho", a small yellow/green lemon very common in São Paulo countryside houses' backyards. Currently, it

1296-636: The city now stands called the entire area “Paraty”. In the Tupi language “Paraty” means “river of fish”. Even today the Brazilian Mullet ( Mugil brasiliensis ) still come back to spawn in the rivers that spill into the Bay of Paraty. When the region was colonized by the Portuguese, they adopted the Guaianás name for their new town. After the discovery of the world's richest gold mines in 1696 in

1344-412: The coastal villages and hamlets. A common activity for visitors is to trek to Lopes Mendes beach, about a two-hour hike from Vila do Abraão. Travel companies offer trips to see the island's various beaches, mountains trails and waterfalls. A popular outdoor destination, the island remains largely undeveloped as much of the area falls within Ilha Grande State Park ( Parque Estadual da Ilha Grande ). Thus,

1392-420: The early 19th century, until a railway along the valley created cheaper transport to the port of Rio de Janeiro. Another smaller revival came late in the 19th century with the production of cachaça , which is a sugarcane-derived spirit best known today as the basis for Brazil's most famous cocktail, the caipirinha . The name "Paraty" in that period became synonymous with cachaça. Since then, Paraty has been out of

1440-416: The first district, and on the blue stripe two small stars represent the second and third districts. The three stars are placed in a triangular form, in homage to the strong presence of Freemasonry in the architecture of the city. The crown represents the royal traditions that discovered the country and founded the independent country. The real reason for green is the Portuguese house of Bragança and yellow for

1488-422: The flag represent the following traits: gold signifies strength, silver represents innocence, red is bravery, blue serenity, and green is the color of abundance. Red, white, and blue are the three colors that have traditionally been used to decorate the historic houses of the city. The colors are displayed in three vertical stripes, with a coat of arms on the center. The large white star on the red stripe symbolizes

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1536-634: The flooded streets for the benefit of pedestrians. Paraty is divided into 12 neighborhoods. They are as follows: The municipality contains the Paraty-Mirim State Park , created in 1972. It contains part of the Tamoios Ecological Station . There are many musical and cultural events, the most prominent of which is the FLIP – Festa Literaria Internacional de Paraty ( International Literary Festival of Paraty ). The town

1584-536: The historic town of Paraty has been listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site for its mixed cultural-natural landscape, encompassing its coastal historic center and nine natural areas. Paraty is known for the cobblestone -paved streets throughout the Historic Center District. No cars or trucks are allowed in this part of town, only foot traffic or bicycles. Motor vehicles are only allowed in the Historic District on Wednesdays for deliveries. Horses and carts are

1632-406: The island, Vila do Abraão . Caipirinha Caipirinha ( Portuguese pronunciation: [kajpiˈɾĩɲɐ] ) is a Brazilian cocktail , of São Paulo origin, with cachaça ( sugarcane hard liquor ), sugar , lime , and ice. The drink is prepared by mixing the fruit and the sugar together, then adding the liquor. Known and consumed nationally and internationally, caipirinha is one of

1680-402: The mainstream, which is why it did not change for centuries, until a paved road was built from Rio de Janeiro to Santos , near São Paulo, in the 1970s. The city then began a new cycle of activity, which transformed a small, almost abandoned town living on very limited economic activity, mainly fishing and agriculture ( bananas , manioc , sugarcane ) into a tourism destination. As of 2019,

1728-427: The most dangerous offenders in Brazil, was closed in 1994. On 1 January 2010, devastating mudslides killed at least 19 people on the island. On 5 July 2019, Ilha Grande and Paraty were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site . Ilha Grande and Paraty are contained within the 12,400 hectares (31,000 acres) of Tamoios Environmental Protection Area (APA), created in 1982. The main island (and APA) contains

1776-413: The most famous components of Brazilian cuisine , being the most popular national recipe worldwide and often considered the best drink in the country and one of the best cocktails/drinks in the world, having reached third place in 2024, according to the specialized website TasteAtlas . Due to its importance and popularity, the caipirinha was declared Brazilian Cultural Heritage in 2003; in 2019, it

1824-403: The mountains of Minas Gerais , Paraty became an export port for gold to Rio de Janeiro and from there on to Portugal . The ensuing gold rush led to the construction of the "Caminho do Ouro" or "Gold Trail", a 1200 kilometer road, paved in steep areas with large stones, which connected Paraty to Diamantina via Ouro Preto and Tiradentes . Not only was it used to transport gold to Paraty, but it

1872-506: The public in 2004 and holds a permanent exhibition on local history and culture. In the Salon of Indigenous Culture, visitors can see the “carpets” made of colored sawdust and flower petals used during the festival of Corpus Christi in June. The largest is almost 92 square feet (8.5 m). The “carpet” is protected by glass so that visitors walk on it as they enter. Paraty played the part of

1920-429: The region around Paraty (1686). At the time of its construction Paraty-Mirim an important commercial center and thriving village. Today however, all that remains there are the church itself and a scattering private homes. Although in recent years the tourist trade has grown there due to the pristine beaches in the area and Paraty-Mirim now has a few small inns, a couple of restaurant/bars and offers boat tours. This church

1968-691: The region of Alentejo in Portugal, with a popular recipe made with lemon , garlic , and honey , indicated for patients with the Spanish flu . Another account is that Caipirinha is based on Poncha , an alcoholic drink from Madeira , Portugal . The main ingredient is aguardente de cana , which is made from sugar cane. Sugar cane production was switched from Madeira to Brazil by the Portuguese as they needed more land to plant it on. Before this people in Madeira had already created aguardente de cana , which

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2016-412: The remainder of the island is subject to stringent development restrictions in order to preserve the natural environment; vehicles are not permitted and roads are virtually non-existent. For visitors, an hour-long, pre-paid boat excursion is the sole way to access the island. Several small villas and hamlets cater to researchers, tourists and nature-lovers, and around 2,000 people inhabit the largest town on

2064-621: The world. The event usually has two stages, located in the Plaza de Matriz and the Santa Rita Church in the historic center of the city, as well as buskers (street performers) and Orleans Street Jazz Band circling the streets of the Historic Center and DJ Crizz that opens and closes programming every day. The Casa da Cultura Paraty (Paraty House of Culture) occupies an historic house originally built in 1754 which opened to

2112-432: Was also used to convey supplies, miners and African slaves by mule train over the mountains to and from the gold mining areas. Two sections of the Caminho do Ouro have been excavated near Paraty and are now a tourist destination for hiking. The Gold Trail fell into disuse because of attacks on the gold laden ships bound for Rio de Janeiro by pirates who frequented the islands and coves of the Bay of Angra dos Reis. Eventually

2160-503: Was considered Intangible Heritage of Rio de Janeiro , despite its origins in São Paulo. It is part of the list of official cocktails of the International Bartenders Association (IBA). Although the origin of the drink is unknown, there is a consensus in the academic community that Caipirinha was invented in the interior of São Paulo , Brazil, in 1918. Some accounts say it came about around 1918 in

2208-418: Was constructed in 1901 by the order of a generous female patron, in memory of Teodoro. Teodoro supposedly drowned in the river Perequê-Açu when he tried to fish on Good Friday, a day on which according to tradition it was not recommended to fish. There are also historical churches in two nearby small villages, Paraty Mirim and Penha. Paraty-Mirim (Little Paraty) is the site of first chapel built by settlers in

2256-504: Was overseen by the presiding priest, Father Antonio Xavier da Silva Braga. The building was later renovated in 1901. The image of Nossa Senhora da Piedade was stolen from this chapel. It was finally recovered in the 1990s, and now can be seen at the Museum of Sacred Art in the Capela de Santa Rita. Igreja Matriz Nossa Senhora dos Remédios is the largest church in Paraty. It takes up over an entire city block. Its construction began in 1646 when

2304-517: Was the ancestor to cachaça . Today, it is still used as a tonic for the common cold. Commonly, practitioners add some distilled spirits to home remedies to expedite the therapeutic effect. Aguardente was commonly used. "Until one day, someone decided to remove the garlic and honey. Then added a few tablespoons of sugar to reduce the acidity of the lime. The ice came next, to ward off the heat," explains Carlos Lima, executive director of IBRAC (Brazilian Institute of Cachaça). According to historians,

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