This guide is for you if Paraty is on your list and you are deciding whether to see it in a day from Rio or to stay. It is the longest day we run from the city, so the first decision is whether to do it as a day at all. After that come the month, the tides, the shoes and the boats.
A day or a night?
Be honest about the hours. You are collected at 07:00, reach Paraty at about 11:00, leave at 15:00 and are back at your hotel at about 19:00. That is twelve hours, about eight of them on the road, for four hours in the town.
Four hours is enough to walk the historic centre, see the church of Santa Rita, eat lunch and look at the boats. It is not enough for a boat trip round the islands and a slow afternoon. If you can, spend a night in Paraty instead. We can drop you one day and collect you on another; message us for a price.
The day trip suits you if your time in Brazil is short, you are happy in a car, and seeing the town matters more than the bay.
When to go
Paraty has a tropical climate with a wet summer. January is the wettest month, with rain on about 19 days on average. Average highs run from about 23 to 29 degrees through the year, and the sea stays between about 22 and 26 degrees.
Check the tide and the moon too. Once a month, at full moon with a high tide, the sea comes in through openings in the sea walls and floods some streets of the old town. The water is usually 15 to 25 centimetres deep and drains away quickly. If you would rather keep your feet dry, avoid the full moon.
Paraty also has its own calendar. The Festa Literária Internacional de Paraty, known as FLIP, is the town's biggest cultural event, and the church of Rosário e São Benedito holds its festival in the first week of December. Check the dates before you book if you want to be there for one, or want to avoid the crowds.
How the day runs
The road goes out along the Costa Verde, past Angra dos Reis. If you want a stop above the bay at Angra, tell your driver in the morning.
In Paraty the car stops at the edge of the old town. Cars and lorries are banned from the historic centre, and only people on foot and bicycles go in, with deliveries allowed on Wednesdays. You walk the cobbles, then the church of Santa Rita by the water at 11:15, lunch at 12:30, and the quay at 13:30, with free time before the drive home at 15:00. There is a coffee stop on the way back.
Because the car is yours, the time in town can be split as you like. Skip a long lunch and you have more time on the quay.
What you are looking at
Paraty grew rich on gold. After gold was found in Minas Gerais in 1696, it became the port where the gold from the mines was shipped towards Rio and Portugal. The Caminho do Ouro, the gold road, ran inland from here by mule train, carrying gold out and supplies and enslaved Africans in. When the gold ran out at the end of the eighteenth century, the town declined.
The Capela de Santa Rita, finished in 1722, is the oldest church in the town. It served freed slaves, and today it holds a museum of sacred art. A few streets away, the church of Nossa Senhora do Rosário e São Benedito, from 1725, was built and used by enslaved Africans.
In 2019 UNESCO listed Paraty and Ilha Grande together as a mixed cultural and natural World Heritage Site. It covers the historic centre and four protected areas of Atlantic Forest.
The town is also known for cachaça. By 1820 more than 150 stills worked in the area, and the cachaça of Paraty has had a protected indication of provenance since 2007.
On your own or with a driver
Air-conditioned buses run between Rio and Paraty on the BR-101, the coast road. A bus there and back in a single day would leave you even less time in the town than our day does, so if you go by bus, plan to sleep there.
A private car leaves from your door, stops when you want, and gets you home the same evening. The price depends on the size of your group; see it on the tour page. Boat trips, entrances and lunch are paid on the day.
What to bring
- Flat, closed shoes. The large stones of the old town are hard to walk on, and sandals make it worse.
- Swimwear and a towel if you want a short boat trip from the quay.
- Sun cream, a hat and water for the walk.
- Some local cash for the boats and small purchases.
- Something to do in the car: you will spend most of the day in it.
Who should think twice
Eight hours in a car is a lot for small children and for anyone who gets carsick. If that is your group, take the night in Paraty, or choose Petrópolis, the shortest drive of our day trips from Rio.
The cobbles are uneven and the stones are large, so the old town is hard going for anyone with a walking aid or a pushchair.
Questions people ask
Can we stop at Angra dos Reis?
Yes, for a view of the bay. Tell your driver in the morning.
Can we cancel?
Yes. Cancel up to 24 hours before pick-up and you are refunded in full. See our cancellation page.
Booking the day
Decide first between a day and a night, then check the moon and the festival dates. Our guide to day trips from Rio de Janeiro sets this day beside the others. Timings and what is included are on the Paraty private day trip page, where you choose the size of your group and book.
