In recent years this preserved Portuguese colonial town in the Brazilian Imperial style has become a popular tourist destination. It’s setting on the verdant emerald line of the Costa Verde with the coastline of bays and islands on one side and the tropical mountain forests on the other is undoubtedly part of the attraction, the other main attraction is that the city’s cobbled streets and architecture haven’t changed in 250 years. Parati has the usual white churches and market square, however it also has an ingenious engineering system which allows the streets of the historic district to flood during every full moon without damaging the buildings. Openings in the sea walls let in water up to six to ten inches deep.

Parati was founded by the Portuguese in 1667 and became an important port during the Brazilian gold rush and then became known for it’s sugar cane before settling into quiet obscurity until the 1970’s when it became popular because it had been overlooked for so long and remained unchanged.

Written by  Nell Anderson.

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