though paraty has a nearly endless list of attractions, the biggest draw here is the town itself, specifically the historical center where the beautiful cobblestone streets are located - called ruas pés-de-moleque, these roads use cobblestones so uniquely large and uneven that it takes some getting used to, and to make traffic on it by car extremely slow.

in contrast to most brazilian cities of the colonial era, paraty was planned from its inception, with a north-south grid system and church-centric orientation taken from the portuguese model.

all houses were built above street level to prevent flooding when tidal waters inundate the cobblestone roads, and many are adorned with masonic symbols, reflecting the large community of freemasons in paraty during its colonial heyday - the district encompasses 31 blocks and 4 plazas, all closed off to automobile traffic. the opportunity to leave human culture behind and embrace nature in its essence is also readily available in paraty.