Paraty · Cachaça
The Paraty cachaça trail
Long before tourists, Paraty ran on cachaça — so much so that the local word for the spirit, parati, spread across Brazil. The distilleries are still here, and still pouring.
Long before tourists, Paraty ran on cachaça — so much so that the local word for the spirit, parati, spread across Brazil. The distilleries are still here, and still pouring.
In the 1700s the valleys around Paraty held scores of engenhos distilling sugarcane into cachaça. A handful of artisanal alambiques carry on today, several open to visit — a delicious, unhurried way to spend an afternoon.
Several alambiques around Paraty welcome visitors for tours and tastings. Names to look for include Engenho d'Ouro (conveniently beside the Tobogã waterfall), Paratii, Coqueiro, Corisco, and the small-batch, sought-after Maria Izabel. Tours walk you from cane to copper still to barrel, and finish with a tasting flight — usually a white (unaged), an aged, and a spiced or herbal cachaça. Some are a short drive from town; guided cachaça tours bundle two or three together.
The Caminho do Ouro and the Tobogã waterfall pair naturally with a distillery stop — walk or swim in the morning, taste in the afternoon. It's the classic Paraty combination of forest, water, and a glass of well-made pinga.
Look for bottles aged in native Brazilian woods — umburana (sweet, cinnamon-like), amburana, and jequitibá — which give artisanal cachaça a character mass-market brands lack. Sip aged cachaça neat, like a good rum; save the white for a fresh caipirinha. A bottle or two makes the best souvenir from Paraty, and far more personal than a fridge magnet. See our shopping guide for where to buy in town.
If you're here in August, the Festival da Cachaça, Cultura e Sabores (the pinga festival) takes over the historic center — distillers, food stalls, and live music for a long weekend. It's one of the town's liveliest events; see our festivals guide for timing.
Pick your chalet and check live dates on Airbnb, or message Bianca first — she'll help you plan transfers, tours, and the little details.