Discovering Beautiful Southeast Brazil
By Erik Stronkhorst, January 2024.
The largest country in Latin America, Brazil covers an area comparable to that of Europe, making it a land of diverse landscapes and climates: from tropical beaches to cool mountains; from virgin forest to arid backlands; from peaceful countryside to bustling metropolis. Brazil’s diversity is echoed by her inhabitants, descendants of the world’s greatest melting pot. Amerindian, European, African and Oriental peoples have come together to create an amazing wealth of different cultural traditions, folklore and cuisine. Brazil is a country that treasures the enjoyment of life.
Our journey takes us to the Southeast, starts with the rich culture and vibrant city life in the metropolis of Rio de Janeiro and then along the Costa Verde (Green Coast) to the laid-back natural gem of Ilha Grande. Ending at the well preserved historical town of Paraty, which paints a vivid picture of Brazil’s colonial past.
Home of Carnival, Samba, the girl from Ipanema, welcoming ‘Cariocas’ (Rio locals) and so much more, Rio de Janeiro is one of the world’s most historically and culturally significant cities. Visitors are awestruck by Rio’s natural beauty being located within the thick Atlantic Forest, at the entrance Guanabara Bay, below the dramatic peaks of Corcovado and Sugarloaf Mountains.
Landmarks include the giant statue of Christ the Redeemer atop Corcovado mountain; the contemporary Metropolitan Cathedral, with its vast stained-glass windows; the Sambódromo, a grandstand-lined parade avenue used during Carnival; and Maracanã, one of the world’s largest football stadiums; and world famous Copacabana Beach.
The city has parks and ecological reserves such as the Tijuca National Park, the world’s first urban forest; Passeio Público, the first public park in the Americas; and Aterro do Flamengo, a calm, spacious park with lawns and blossoming trees, offering lovely views towards Sugarloaf Mountain.
A favourite excursion is the cable-car to the summit of Sugarloaf, some 395 m above sea level, to enjoy the wonderful panoramic vistas of Rio de Janeiro. The curious name was inspired by the sugarcane trade when blocks of sugar were placed in conical clay moulds to be transported on ships. The shape of the peak reminded them of the resulting “sugarloaf”.
Less than 100 km to the southwest of Rio along the Costa Verde, and just 5 km offshore, Ilha Grande (Big Island) has all the ingredients one would expect from a paradise island: crystal clear lagoons sheltering colourful coral beds and numerous secluded beaches. A popular ecotourism destination, as there are no roads or motorised vehicles, but more than 150 km of hiking trails connecting the coastal villages, hamlets and beaches.
Ferries arrive at Vila do Abraão, the largest town on the island with 2,000 inhabitants, where most of the visitor facilities and lodging are located. A popular activity is a four-hour hike from Abraão along a forest trail to the southeastern shore and the long, palm-lined stretch of Lopes Mendes Beach, returning to Abraão with a relaxing cruise onboard a schooner. Other beaches are impossible to reach by land, so a boat tour is a great way to explore beautiful coves and quieter beaches for snorkelling and swimming. The best hike is an early morning ascent of Pico do Papagaio (Parrot Peak), one of the highest viewpoints and a great place to enjoy the sunrise.
Returning to the mainland it’s a two hour drive to Paraty, a historical town of cobblestone streets and splendid colonial architecture, known for its boutique hotels and fine restaurants.
The town’s elegance dates back to the 17th and 18th century gold era, when it was the terminus of the Gold Trail, a paved road constructed by African slaves to bring gold and gemstones out of the Brazilian interior to be loaded onto ships bound for Portugal. The following century saw the advent of coffee production and several fine coffee plantations still stand.
A tour of the forest-covered slopes behind Paraty traces the development of the town through the sugar, gold and coffee eras and tells the stories of the people: the European adventurers, soldiers, sailors, royalty, colonisers, priests, plantation owners; the indigenous peoples who resisted the new arrivals; and the African slaves brutally torn from their native lands. This eclectic, diverse and somewhat unlikely group of protagonists would go on to collectively establish this incredible, enigmatic and never-boring country that we know as Brazil.
