2 Best Sights in Paraty, Side Trips from Rio

Also known as Igreja Matriz, the neoclassical Church of Our Lady of Remedies was built in 1712 and is one of Paraty's most iconic buildings, with its gray-and-white facade shaded by a towering imperial palm tree. The small art gallery within, Pinacoteca Antônio Marino Gouveia, has paintings by modern artists such as Djanira, Di Cavalcanti, and Anita Malfatti.

The oldest church in Paraty, the simple whitewashed Church of Saint Rita sits on a grassy square with a mountain backdrop and makes for a terrific photo opportunity. The church was built in 1722 by and for freed enslaved people and has a typical Jesuit layout with a bell tower and domed front. Inside, the carved angels and ornate woodwork and ironwork catch the eye, and there are many valuable religious artifacts on display in the church's small religious art museum.