The Gold Route from Rio to Paraty

Trip Description

Accomodation

Stay program

• day 1

  Paris - Rio de Janeiro - Petrópolis

  Takeoff from France towards Rio de Janeiro. Economy class flight on a regular airline. Arrival at the airport, welcome by your French-speaking guide. Pick up your vehicle. Drive towards Petropolis. Meals at your leisure. Overnight at the Solar do Imperio hotel.

• day 2

  Ouro Preto

  Road towards Ouro Preto. Ouro Preto, previously known as Vila Rica, is the former capital of the State of Minas Gerais. In 1980, it became the first Brazilian city to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The name "Ouro Preto" originates from a strange black metal discovered in 1693 by the Bandeirantes, which turned out to be gold. The resulting wealth and prosperity transformed cultural expression and led to the rise of the great artists Manuel da Costa Athayde and Antonio Francisco Lisboa. Ouro Preto is the largest homogeneous collection of baroque art in the world. Some of these works are the churches São Francisco de Assis and Nossa Senhora do Pilar, one of the most eccentric temples in Minas Gerais. Free day and meals at your leisure. Overnight at Pousada Laços de Minas.

• day 3

  Ouro Preto

  Free day and free meals in Ouro Preto. Night at the Pousada Laços de Minas.

• day 4

  Tiradentes

  Route towards Tiradentes. Tiradentes, a town with an important collection of baroque art, is named after a hero, martyr of the Inconfidência Mineira (Mineira Conspiracy) of 1789 against the Portuguese. His name was originally Joaquim da Silva Xavier. He conspired for the independence of Brazil with the help of six other accomplices, but spies denounced their plan, which led to Xavier's execution. Free days and free meals. 2 nights at Villa Allegra.

• day 5

  Tiradentes

  Road towards Tiradentes. Tiradentes, a town with an important collection of baroque art, is named after a hero, martyr of the Inconfidência Mineira (Mineira Conspiracy) of 1789 against the Portuguese. His name was originally Joaquim da Silva Xavier. He conspired for the independence of Brazil with the help of six other accomplices, but spies denounced their plan, which led to Xavier's execution. Free days and free meals. 2 nights at Villa Allegra.

• day 6

  Valença

  Road towards Valença. Free day and free meals. Night at the Palmeira Imperial hotel.

• day 7

  Paraty

  Route towards Paraty. As demonstrated by its status as a monument that is part of the UNESCO World Heritage, Paraty is a jewel of planned colonial architecture, a legacy from the end of the 17th century, when it became a port for shipping gold from Minas Gerais. Paraty is nowadays known for its literature festival. Its churches and cobbled streets, set against a backdrop of hills with lush forest, as well as its deserted beaches in the surroundings, make Paraty a must-stop for anyone visiting the region. Beyond, at the border of the states of Rio and São Paulo, the Serra da Bocaina National Park stretches from the Atlantic rainforest and Araucaria forest up to the summit of Boa Vista. Free day and meals at your leisure. Night at the Pousada Do Príncipe.

• day 8

  Paraty

  Free day and free meals. Night at the Pousada do Príncipe.

• day 9

  Rio de Janeiro

  Route towards Rio de Janeiro. You have to see it to believe it: Rio is a city of dreamlike beauty that exceeds all expectations. Take the train up to Corcovado to see the breathtaking landscape that stretches out beneath the open arms of Christ, or take the cable car to reach the top of the famous "Sugarloaf Mountain" and discover the spectacular scenery of this marvelous city. These embrace fine sandy beaches, sparkling bays, beautiful residential neighborhoods, and forest-covered mountains that tower over everything. The landscape is so spectacular that even the tallest skyscrapers seem tiny next to the many peaks and in the face of the largest urban rainforest in the world, which is itself a monument to environmental preservation. Free day and meals at your leisure. Overnight at the Copa Sul hotel.

• day 10

  Rio de Janeiro

  From the city center, the historical starting point of imperial Brazil, to the classic elegance of Copacabana or the contemporary refinement of Ipanema and Leblon, passing through the Barra da Tijuca district, Rio de Janeiro has many faces, including that of the largest favela in the world and the suburb of Santa Teresa, where trams continue to run on the winding cobblestone streets through artistic neighborhoods on the mountainside. The natives of Rio are renowned for proudly reflecting the city's qualities in their daily pursuit of health, beauty, and elegance: the coastline, the lake shores, and the Tijuca forest park have always been the favorite destinations of city dwellers for sports or simply to enjoy the natural delights that their extraordinary city has to offer. Free day and meals at your leisure. Overnight at the Copa Sul hotel.

• day 11

  Rio de Janeiro - Paris

  Hotel / airport transfer. Return flight to Paris.