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Parati church

The following century, it served to export the coffee produced in the Paraíba Valley, located in the States of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo.

Parati was declared Historical Heritage in 1958 and it still maintains one of the most harmonious architectonic complexes in the country. The colonial houses maintain the characteristics of the city’s foundation in the 16th Century.

And its streets – made of stone – call the attention of those who come from abroad. Most of these streets have two names, one official and the other popular. The main attractions are in the Historical Center, which covers practically the entire city, and which offers several places that are open for visitation, such as the old jail, a fort, museums, houses with arts and crafts, and churches.

The port lost importance with the laying of the railroad between São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro at the end of the 19th Century, and the city went through a period when it was forgotten. Parati’s beauty was only rediscovered after the opening of new roads during the 1970s, and it became an internationally famous tourist point, offering good inns and excellent restaurants to its visitors.

Parati is located in a bay with crystal clear, blue water. It also has many beaches – some of which are still without any urbanization, and fishing villages. For the more adventurous, there are boat excursions and excellent sites for diving at nearby islands.