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About
Welcome to RioParaty.com, a collaborative venture pooling the resources and know-how of three seasoned companies. Our alliance includes casasparaty.com, www.paratyexplorer.com, and www.braziladventuretours.com.
By combining our strengths, we proudly present an array of thrilling activity holidays tailored for both domestic and international clients.
That’s me, Colin Jolly, on the right with the JPN T-shirt with my friend Richard Cohen. I’m married to a Carioca (person from Rio) and have been coming back and forth to Paraty since 2002, when I discovered the promised land!
Adam and Rubia manage Brazil adventure tours….that’s them on the top of Dois Irmaos (two brothers rock) with Rio in the background.
Paddy (Michael Smyth) who leads Paraty explorer is in the photo below (centre right) with his Brazilian business partner Rodrigo to his left and a couple of their top guides to the right.
Wanice (pictured below recently on the Amalfi coast) manages casasparaty.com, that has been running hugely successfully for over 10 years.
Oh, and those are mine and my friends kids on the rock. A few years ago we had the best two family holiday you can imagine so yes, Paraty is also suitable for young families!
Discover the essence of Rio and Paraty with us, where history, adventure, and relaxation converge for an unforgettable experience.
History of Paraty
Paraty, nestled between Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, stands out as a unique and historical town, untouched by the rapid progress that swept through Brazil. Established in 1667 during the gold rush in Minas Gerais, Paraty initially attracted pirates and Portuguese sailors transporting valuable treasures back to Lisbon. The city's bay was a bustling hub with ships sailing in and out, carrying slaves to the mines or engaging in coastal battles.
Paraty's prosperity declined when Rio de Janeiro, then the capital, opted for Guanabara Bay. The town faded away, and its residents abandoned it, leaving behind colonial inns, Portuguese-influenced palaces, and the Santa-Rita Church.
Until 1950, Paraty remained isolated without any paved roads. The baroque buildings stood frozen in time. Despite its historical decline, Paraty has preserved its charm, and today one can still catch whispers of captivating stories about galleons, pirates, and the legendary mountains of gold flowing into the ocean.
The World Heritage Committee, inscribed the “Paraty and Ilha Grande: Culture and Biodiversity” site on the UNESCO World Heritage List on 5 July 2019. This is the first mixed site (natural and cultural) in Brazil to hold this title.
