Gay Talese will be at the top literary event hosted in July at the seaside colonial village of Paraty

Photo: Nelson Godoy


Paraty, the sleepy colonial village on the coast between Rio and São Paulo, is known for its bumpy cobbled streets, whitewashed colonial façades with colorful trims and, more recently, for hosting one of the world's most important literary events.

The FLIP - Festa Literária Internacional de Paraty - is now in its 7th edition. The event - or party, more befitting of its name - opens on Wednesday, July 1st and goes on until Sunday, July 5th. The FLIP will pay tribute to the writer Manuel Bandeira (1886-1968), a native of Pernambuco state. Bandeira’s poetry ranks high in the Brazilian literary canon.

Today it was confirmed that Gay Talese, 77, one of the new journalism greats, will be in attendance. Other renowned writers who have RSVP'd include António Lobo Antunes, Carlos Fuentes, Anne Enright and Atiq Rahimi. Artist and photographer Sophie Calle and literary critics Catherine Millet and Alex Ross are also expected to go. Good to hear.

Similar to previous editions, next July the literary shindig will attract a lot of attention to Paraty itself, which was, for far too long, a hidden gem that attracted very few foreign tourists. Paraty was declared a world heritage site in 1958. Its original architecture has been kept intact to an amazing extent: most houses still look the same as they did around the time the city was founded in the 16th century. Visitors have lots to see, including an old jail, a fort, the pretty and tranquil bay, a myriad shops selling hand-made souvenirs and crafts, and, most of all, imposing colonial churches. Paraty was an important hub during the colonial period. In its heyday, in the 18th Century, Paraty was a rich town whose port served to ship massive quantities of gold extracted from the mines of Minas Gerais state (and as a port, it therefore follows that its beaches aren't great for swimming, even if today most boats are either speedboats or small fishing boats). The port lost importance with the laying of the railroad between São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro at the end of the 19th Century, and the city then started a slow but steady decline, which the FLIP has single-handedly halted.

The website of the FLIP party conveniently lists Paraty's hotels and pousadas. But beware: every single hotel and pousada is included, some of them not exactly four or five-star level. I've edited the list down to a few that I can recommend:

HOTELS AND POUSADAS IN THE OLD DOWNTOWN

Aconchego - Rua Domingos Gonçalves da Abreu, 1.
Tels.: (24) 3371 1598 or (24) 3371 1273.
E-mail: reservas@aconchegohotel.com.br.
33 rooms.
High season rates: R$ 190-370.
Low season rates: R$ 105-215.
In-room services: AC, ceiling fan, TV, minibar, safe deposit at reception, phone. Hotel services: breakfast, pool, bar, laundry, car park, restaurant.

Arte Urquijo - Rua Dona Geralda, 79.
Tel.: (24) 3371 1362.
E-mail: urquijo@terra.com.br.
6 rooms.
High season rates: R$ 290-310.
Low season rates: R$ 290-310.
In-room services: AC, minibar, terrace.
Hotel services: breakfast, bar, car park, pool, reading room, art gallery, minilibrary.


Coxixo - Rua do Comércio, 362.
Tels.: (24) 3371 1460 or (24) 3371 8327.
E-mail: hcoxixo@terra.com.br.
33 rooms.
High season rates: R$ 210-330.
Low season rates: R$ 140-220.
In-room services: AC, ceiling fan, TV, minibar, safe deposit, blow dryer.
Hotel services: breakfast, pool, sauna, bar, TV lounge, games room, car park.

Pousada Marquesa - Rua Dona Geralda, 99.
Tels.: (24) 3371 1299 or (24) 3371 1263.
E-mail: reservas@pousadamarquesa.com.br.
21 rooms.
High season rates: R$ 340-440.
Low season rates: R$ 300-400.
In-room services: AC, ceiling fan, TV, minibar, phone, hair-dryer.
Hotel services: breakfast, pool, sauna, TV lounge, games room, car park.

Ouro - Rua Doutor Pereira, 145.
Tel.: (24) 3371 4300.
E-mail: reservas@pousadaouro.com.br.
26 rooms.
High season rates: R$ 176-363.
Low season rates: R$ 159-327.
In-room services: AC, TV, minibar, phone, safe deposit.
Hotel services: breakfast, pool, sauna, Turkish bath, bar, gym, car park, internet access.

Pardieiro - Rua do Comércio, 74.
Tel.: (24) 3371 1370.
E-mail: pp@pousadapardieiro.com.br.
27 rooms.
High season rates: R$ 310-390.
Low season rates: R$ 230-290
Hotel services: breakfast, pool, 2 saunas, games room, reading room.

Pousada Porto Imperial - Rua Tenente Francisco Antônio
Tel.: (24) 3371 2323.
E-mail: reservas@pousadaportoimperial.com.br.
44 rooms.
High season rates: R$ 340-495.
Low season rates: R$ 240-425.
In-room services: AC, cable TV, minibar, safe deposit, hair-dryer.
Hotel services: reading room, pool/jacuzzi, sauna, games room, gardens.

Sandi - Largo do Rosário, 1.
Tels.: (24) 3371 2100 or (11) 3864 9111.
E-mail: contatos@pousadadosandi.com.br.
26 rooms.
High season rates: R$ 350-650.
Low season rates: R$ 350-650.
In-room services: digital AC, cable TV/DVD, king size bed, blow dryer, safe deposit, minibar.
Hotel services: breakfast, room service, pool & bar, saunas, business centre, games room, pub, internet access, massage room, TV/DVD lounge, fitness centre, restaurant, car park.

Solar dos Gerânios - Praça da Matriz, 2.
Tel.: (24) 3371 1550.
9 rooms.
High season rates: R$ 70-90.
Low season rates: R$ 50-70.
In-room services: ceiling fan.
Hotel services: breakfast.

TWO OPTIONS OUTSIDE THE OLD DOWNTOWN:

Santa Clara Hotel - Rodovia Rio-Santos, km 563. Corumbê.
Tel.: (24) 3371 8900.
E-mail: santaclara@santaclarahotel.com.br.
49 rooms.
High season rates: R$ 554-770.
Low season rates: R$ 387-538.
In-room services: balcony, AC, cable TV, safe deposit, minibar.
Hotel services: breakfast, pool, sauna, Japanese hot tub (ofuro), jacuzzi, bar, restaurant, games parlour, reading room, internet parlour, pier, helipad, car park.


Le Gite D’Indaiatiba - Rodovia Rio-Santos, km 558. Graúna.
Tels.: (24) 9999 9923 or (24) 3371 7174.
E-mail: contato@legitedindaiatiba.com.br.
3 bungalows, 2 suites.
High season rates: bungalows R$ 200, suites R$ 150.
Low season rates: bungalows R$ 150, suites R$ 120.
In-room services: ceiling fan, fireplace.
Hotel services: breakfast, restaurant, spring water swimming pool, sauna, helipad, car park, forest trails, waterfall.