Paraty - Colonial Charm By The Sea

Leaving the bustling megacity of São Paulo behind me, I was heading to the small colonial town of Paraty. It is located right by the water and was used as a stopover point to transport gold from Minas Gerais to Rio de Janeiro and ultimately Portugal.

The historic centre with its beautiful colonial buildings (mostly white), cobblestone streets, sunshine and laidback vibe reminded me a little bit of Antigua in Guatemala, which is my favorite place in the world. So naturally, I really really liked Paraty.

The hostel | was staying in had a large pool, so right after I arrived I took a dip in the pool, had dinner and then headed out to a little samba party on the beach with a few people I met at the new hostel.

Since Paraty is by the water and surrounded by beautiful small islands and beaches, some of us decided to head on a boat to explore them. While it was a big boat, the atmosphere was lovely with live music constantly playing and the caipirinha flowing. Unfortunately, the waters at our stops were a bit dirty and the spots we went to were too crowded for my liking. We still made the best out of the situation since we were in Brazil, with music, drinks, sunshine and good company.

In the evening, we checked out the town by night, having dinner and taking advantage of some earlier drizzle for some cool mirroring photographs. Yes, we also went out again that night!

The next few days we didn't do much but decided to have some slow days to recover. I also met a few more people at the hostel and also outside of it and spent time with them during the day or in the evening. This meant chilling out on a couple of beaches or the pool, walking through town, eating local food, and having quiet dinners. Nothing really to write home about, but just soaking in the atmosphere of a small laidback seaside town in Brazil.

What was cool, though, was a nearby waterfall, which you could use a slide. It was very slippery and looked fun. So, after observing things for a short while and watching a dog (!) slide down and having the time of his life, I obviously had a go as well. Ah, super fun, even if the water at the bottom was slightly chilly. But in tropical Brazil, you dry quickly anyway.

Back in Paraty, the colonial centre continued to have a pull on me and I walked through it whenever I could. Since I love taking pictures, on my last day, I was waking up early to head to the centre while it was still quiet and people were sleeping. The little photoshoot was fun and made me live out my creative side. After all, Paraty really is a beautiful town with a lovely charm and great vibe. I had a fantastic time here - maybe it is the colonial architecture that fascinates me so much.Read more