Costa Verde

Heading north and leaving the madness and traffic that consumes Sao Paulo, our group is headed for the charming coastal town of Paraty along the Costa Verde, the green coast. Sao Paulo sits about 760 meters, or about 2,200-2,400 feet, above sea level. When leaving the city the natural beauty of Brazil quickly becomes evident. After a quick pit stop for some lunch at one of the nicest roadside oasis I´ve ever been to, the ride starts to descend to the coast. With green jungles behind and blue ocean waters ahead, the anticipation for a couple days of tropical enjoyment starts to set in.

Paraty is located about half-way between Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. One of the first Portuguese settlements, Paraty provides an excellent example of historic preservation, and more importantly, preservation of a cultural landscape. Although originally inhabited by the indigenous Guaianas, the Portuguese came looking for riches in the 16th and 17th centuries, which they found in gold, metals and precious gems in the hills that quickly rise beyond the town. It´s location on the coast, and within Baia da Ihla Grande with it´s many islands provided the perfect location for the Portuguese to hide and fend off invasion from the pirates or anyone else trying to steal their riches. Once these riches were depleted, the settlers found new riches in ´´Black Gold´´´aka....coffee and tobacco, and started importing them back to Portugal and the rest of Europe. Set between two rivers and along the coast, Paraty quickly became a busy and important port. The Portuguese started building single-story warehouses, churches and fine homes for the imperial families of Portugal, all still preserved today. However, as new roads were built between Sao Paulo and its port city of Santos, and connecting with Rio de Janeiro, Paraty´s decline as an afterthought was initiated. Furthering the decline was construction of a railroad linking Sao Paulo and Rio through the lush green hills where the coffee and tobacco was grown and harvested. By the late 19th and early 20th century, Paraty was nothing more than something that used to be.

Then came the Brazilian television producers and movie makers looking for new set locations for Brazilian soap operas. With its preserved colonial building and cobble stone streets, Paraty provided the perfect location and backdrop for the ´hollywood´ of Brazil. Soon the beauty and historic charm of Paraty was broadcast throughout the country and its new industry, tourism, started to take off. The historic center is closed to auto traffic, and the cobble stone streets make walking around the town an endeavor not to be taken lightly, especially after a few caipirinhas! Soon enough, pousadas (guest houses), restaurants, and other tourism related businesses started to open. Soon the rest of the world would discover this hidden gem.

As mentioned Paraty´s charm lies in its historic center, but equally a draw in and by itself are the many islands, beaches and clear blue waters that lie off the coast. Water related tourism....diving, snorkeling, kayaking, boating, fishing...is a mainstay of this once sleepy little fishing village. Throw in a few bars, art galleries, cultural events, the endless sounds of live music throughout the town, and the National Parks, hiking trails, waterfalls and cachaca distilleries in the hills beyond, it´s no wonder Paraty has earned its solid reputation as the gem of the Costa Verde.

The Brazilian government has recognized Paraty has a historical site since 1966. And more recently, the city has applied for world heritage status through UNESCO. For this, the city invested large capital in undergrounding electrical and telephone lines to provide a sense of life in Paraty in the 17th century, no easy task given the cobblestone streets made up of small boulders, rocks and concrete. Given its well preserved center, it seems world heritage status is only a matter of time. However, with the pending world attention on Brazil for the World Cup in 2014, and the Olympics in 2016, it only seems reasonable that tourism will continue to increase. The real question for Paraty is....can it maintain its charm and avoid selling out to corporate greed that seems to happen in so many similar cities throughout the world. I think the answer is yes, but only time will tell.......and time is what Paraty does so well.