Paraty was inhabited by the Guianas Indians when Portuguese settled here in the early part of the 16th century. With the discovered of gold in Minas Gerais at the end of the 17th century Parati became an official stoppover for those coming from Minas Gerais with the gold.
Paraty became a busy, important port as miners and supplies disembarked for the gold mines and gold was shipped to Europe.
The buildings are marked by simple lines that draw the eye to general rather than thee specific, and earthy colours and textures that magnity, through the contrast, the natural beauty that envelops the town.
Paraty glory days didn't last long. After the 1720s, a new road from Rio to Minas Gerais via Petropolis.
In the 19th century, the local economy revived with the coffee boom and Cachaça destillaries. Paraty have the most numbers of Cachaca destillaries (Brazilian spirit) in Rio de Janeiro. The weather and the soil make the Cachaca from Paraty very flavor and famous in Brazil. Untill now some destillaries use the same way to make the cachaça as from 200 years ago.
The people in Paraty are very easygoing and laid back. The bars and restaurants have plenty of varieties of seafood and live music and it is a great place to have fun.
