A Brazilian Pearl: Where to Eat, Stay and Play in Paraty

I already confessed that my time in Paraty was a washout. But while five days of rain followed by three hours of sun was frustrating, it did leave us plenty of quality time to eat ourselves silly, lounge about in our accommodation, and look for a few creative activities that didn’t require a dose of Vitamin D.

Heading to this beautiful Brazilian beach town? Regardless of what the weather report predicts, I hope you’ll find my mini-guide useful!

Where to Stay

As a popular stop on both the Brazilian backpacker trail and as a getaway for Rio and São Paulo’s well-heeled crowd, Paraty has ample accommodation on all ends of the spectrum. We were able to experience digs on both ends!

Pousada Do Sandi

We were in for a treat arriving at Pousada do Sandi. Ranked as one of the top three hotels in Paraty on Tripadvisor, this colonial gem was just the welcome we needed after a hectic festival followed by running around Brazil’s biggest city.

Located right in the heart of Paraty’s colonial center, Pousada do Sandi fits seamlessly into the cobblestone streets that lead up to it. As one of the area’s larger pousadas, Pousada do Sandi boasts large gardens as well as a spacious bar and restaurant.

As dreary as it was outside, it was equally bright and cheery inside these walls.

Photo by Heather Holt

Rooms are spread on two floors around the garden courtyard. As this is a historic building there are no elevators, so those with an overpacking addiction or mobility issues should request a ground floor room; those who want a bit more privacy and to keep their bedroom windows open should request the second floor.

My favorite detail of the rooms? The brightly colored mosaic bathroom.

A beautiful breakfast was included every morning, and one night when a torrential downpour made us dread leaving the hotel, we splurged on room service. Who wouldn’t want to spend as much time as possible in this color explosion?

Che Legarto Paraty

Later, once we were pampered silly, we headed over to Che Legarto Paraty to get a dose of backpacker camaraderie. Che Legarto is a popular South American hostel chain that I’d heard much about despite never staying at before, and I was excited to check one out. With several hostel options around town they do have some stiff competition, though after scouring reviews Che Legarto seemed the liveliest of the bunch.

Located just on the outskirts of the historic center, Che Legarto Paraty has a nice array of public spaces, from a small pool to garden hammock lounges to indoor movie rooms. They even have resident marmosets that pop in from time to time!

Our private room was basic but proficient, and a continental breakfast was included. Dinner specials are offered as well as hostel-run tours.

Photo by Heather Holt

Before arriving in Brazil, I’d been warned by a few friends and fellow bloggers that Brazilian hostels were unlike those in the rest of the continent, and could be a tricky place to meet people if you don’t speak Portuguese. Having experienced hostel culture in other South American countries, I found this hard to accept prior to arrival.

Alas, I have to agree. Brazil is a massive country that can be tricky for foreigners to visit due to cost and visa restrictions, and so hostels are often filled by Brazilians, who love to travel within their own country. While this is wonderful news for those who speak the language and are keen to meet locals (who wouldn’t be?!), it left these language-challenged gringas feeling a bit left out. Speaking Spanish does help, as many non-domestic travelers hail from neighboring Spanish-speaking countries.

What To Do

Paraty’s most popular activities take advantage of its natural beauty. Schooner cruises, stand up paddling, beach hopping, whitewater rafting, hiking and ocean kayaking were all items on our to-do list that were quickly scratched off due to weather woes.

So we had to get creative!

Photography

Well, when a travel blogger and a professional photographer travel together you better believe there are going to be plenty of photo walks involved. Paraty is beautifully preserved and bursting with color. Anyone who is photographically inclined should set aside at least a few hours to go out and capture the details of this beautiful city. I found myself wishing I had a sketchbook, too!

Photo by Heather Holt

Go to The Spa

As two certified spa junkies, Heather and I flipped when we found Shambala Spa. We decided to splurge on a full day of indulgence at this beautiful retreat overlooking Jabaquara Bay.

We started our day with a private hatha yoga session in a gazebo in the Balinese garden. It was a peaceful practice, and put us perfectly in a relaxation mood.

Next, we made our way to the spa where we learned the unfortunate news that the previous night’s rain had caused a power and water cut through the entire village. Thus, we’d have to skip the body scrubs and special garden soaks we’d booked — if you see the photos of the gorgeous outdoor soaking tubs on their website you’ll understand how gutted we were. I know, I know — woe is us, right?!

Luckily, the massage we were about to enjoy would ease away all those troubles.

Finally, we capped off our day with lunch at the Shambala Lounge, a ten minute drive outside town. Unfortunately, the lounge closed not long after our visit — a shame as it was one of the best meals we had our entire trip! But stay tuned as I can only imagine the owners have something new up their sleeves.

While I can’t recommend the Shambala Spa or yoga more highly, I wish we’d also had time to check out Casa do Dharma, which offers regular yoga classes, meditations, massages, origami workshops and more.

Horseback Ride

One one cloudy day with respite from the rain, Heather and I head out to the countryside for some horseback riding. While I made a total rookie travel mistake and booked a different tour from the one Heather and I had discussed (we thought we were headed to a waterfall and a cachaça farm from the saddle — nope!) it was still nonetheless nice to get out and see some of the scenery outside the city.

Take a Cooking Class

I saved the best for last — one of our absolute favorite memories of Paraty was our evening at the Academy of Cooking and Other Pleasures. And yes, the night was every bit as fabulous as that name hinted at. Part cooking class, part dinner party with the most fabulous eccentric aunt and uncle you always wished you had, it was exactly the kind of quirky travel experience you find yourself swooning over years later.

Along with two other guests, Brazilian-American couple Yara and Richard welcomed us warmly into their beautiful home with caipirinhas and conversation. We lapped up their story of falling in love with Paraty and making a home there in the historic center, enjoying all the highs and lows of life in what is in many ways still a small village. I was also keenly interested in this business they had created, which Richard described as a natural choice for them as opposed to retirement. “What would we do, sit around and watch TV in the evenings? Instead we host travelers from around the world,” he said with pride.

Between Yara’s impressive background in cooking and Richard’s penchant for art and photography, their home would have been equally appropriate in an issue of Architectural Digest or Bon Appétit. They were without question a hospitality powerhouse.

Eventually, we made our way into the kitchen, where Yara demonstrated how to make some of the Brazilian dishes that she perfected in her decades as a culinary professor, cookbook author, and TV host. We were each given small tasks which we embraced with gusto, excited to contribute to our home-cooked meal.

Yara was accommodating of both my non-fish eating and Heather’s vegetarianism, which we were extra appreciate of considering the intimate setting. When we all sat down to eat we felt like old friends, and when we finally said goodbye around mid-night I knew it was an evening I wouldn’t forget soon. While Heather and I walked home we agreed we couldn’t imagine a more beautiful “retirement.”

Don’t come to Paraty without setting aside a night to meet Richard and Yara.

Where To Eat

Paraty had one of the most impressive restaurant scenes I found in Brazil outside São Paulo. While we mostly treated ourselves to the higher-end offerings, cheaper buffets and local joints were also smattered around town.

Banana Da Terra

Our big dining splurge of our five days was dinner at Banana Da Terra, which lived up to its impeccable reputation. We laughed until we cried at our Google Translate app’s translation of the wine list, and then practically cheered as each course we’d ordered was artfully presented. After a beautiful meal, we waddled home. If you can afford it, don’t miss it!

Punto Divino

Heather and I make it a mission to enjoy the best pizza every city has to offer (everyone has their passions) and we found Paraty’s at Punto Divino. Don’t miss the outdoor seating if you’re lucky enough to have nice weather!

Thai Brasil

Long time readers know I can’t pass up Thai food no matter how recently I spent six months in Thailand! Heather and I were both so pumped to try Thai Brasil we ran their on our first night, and my only regret is we didn’t make it back the rest of the trip. The bright decor, fun presentation and mouth-watering menu made this my favorite pick of Paraty.

Don’t confuse it with similarly-named Thai Paraty, which we also tried one evening and were less than impressed with.

Have you been to Paraty? Tell me what I missed in the comments!