Paraty, Brazil

Next year's World Cup will shine the spotlight on Brazil's biggest cities but those visiting shouldn't miss the country's lesser known charms including the paradise that is Paraty...

To say Christmas was a bit different this year is a huge understatement. No family bickering about how the Turkey will be cooked, no coming home to a dark, cold house and putting the Christmas lights and heating on, no shops playing Slade two months before the big day, no being forced to carols on the green on Christmas Eve and certainly no stockings. Christmas in Paraty, Brazil involved sunbathing, an adopted family, a hint of sadness and a lot of rum.

Last week Jon and I officially began our summer break. Having spent my formative years in the northern hemisphere, it seems strange to crank up the barbeque and watch the temperatures soar into the upper 90s around the same time that Dear Ole St. Nick readies his reindeer and sled for his round the world…

Paraty Christmas Package: Christmas opening celebrations, folia de Reis (folklore) and other cultural activities. Enjoy a different Christmas at the beaches of

From New Mexico to New Zealand, a world of amazing Christmas getaways awaits. See our top picks!

The New Year is celebrated by people from Paraty in a very special way. New year´s eve is considered to be the third important event in town´s touristic calendar. Paraty, RJ

My girlfriend and I are travelling around Brazil in December and January. We are thinking of basing ourselves in Paraty for a while. Is it possible to stay here and venture out for day trips around hot spots? We dont want to go onto Ilha Grande over New Years as we have heard fro