Angra dos Reis

[nycpaul]

How far is Angra dos Reis by car from Rio? What are the main attractions? Is it worth a day trip there? Any saunas or similar activities there? Thanks in advance for your help.

[trilingual]

Angra is about a two hour drive from Rio. It's on the "Costa Verde" along the Rio-Santos highway. Although it's a very old settlement, little remains of its colonial heritage. The town itself is fairly sprawling and relatively new.

 

In Brazil, states are subdivided into "municipalities" that are roughly equivalent to U.S. counties. Unlike the U.S., there are no separate city governments. Each Brazilian municipality is considered a "city," governed by a mayor and municipal council. This is true even of large, rural municipalities which actually consist of a main town and numerous other scattered communities and towns. Legally, they're all considered to be the same "city," governed by the same mayor and council. In the U.S. they'd be considered "city-counties."

 

This is to explain why the name "Angra" also applies to numerous scattered communities that may be of more interest to visitors than the actual city of Angra itself. The area is full of hotels and "condomínios" (gated communities) that are weekend getaways or retirement homes for middle and upper-class cariocas. Some of these places are very deluxe, and they're all scenic, with green tropical mountains meeting the sea, forming endless coves and picture-perfect beaches.

 

Angra faces the bay of the same name, which is studded with hundreds of islands, big and small. There are hotels and inns on some of the islands. Others are "private," on which stand lavish private homes and clubs for Brazil's rich-and-powerful. A few of the islands are very large. The biggest (over 100km²) and most scenic, Ilha Grande, faces the town of Angra and is also part of the same municipality. Connected to the mainland by ferries, Ilha Grande is mostly a nature preserve. There are a couple of settlements; the main one is called Abraão ("Abraham"). There are numerous inns on the island, and it's a great place to chill out and spend time hiking the trails or taking boat excursions to the many virtually deserted beaches and coves.

 

The city of Angra has about 100,000 residents. There may be a gay bar, but there are no saunas or other organized gay life, to speak of. Angra is close enough to visit on a day trip from Rio, but I'm not sure it's worth it. It's chief appeal is as a getaway, and it would be most enjoyable, I think, as a place to spend a few days in a charming hotel or pousada, in the company of friends or someone special.

 

If you're interested, I'd suggest contacting Carlo Romano for specific information on packages and accommodations that are gay-friendly. Driving in Brazil is hazardous, particularly for foreigners who aren't familiar with the local rules of the road, and the Rio-Santos highway can be dangerous. You might want to consider getting to Angra with a car-and-driver, or taking the bus (comfortable and frequent).

 

For a day trip to see some of the same scenery, there are boat trips into the bay to visit the "Virgin Islands" leaving from the town of Itacuruça, which is closer to Rio than Angra. Every travel agency in town sells such tours, and they can usually be arranged at your hotel. You could also check with Carlo about the occasional gay boat trip. You get picked up at your hotel by a bus or van in the morning (early), drive to Itacuruça, get on the boat, and spend the rest of the day cruising the islands, with stops to swim at isolated beaches and lunch.

 

If you're going to spend a couple of days on an idyllic tropical getaway, my personal preference is Parati, which is a four-hour bus ride from Rio, along the same coastline. Parati is an old colonial port from the gold-boom days that was subsequently bypassed by Rio, sinking into isolation and oblivion for a couple of centuries. As a result, it was perfectly preserved, and in the past 30 years or so (with the construction of the Rio-Santos highway) has been restored into an artist colony and utterly charming getaway for people from Rio and São Paulo. There are dozens of charming pousadas in and near the historic colonial center of town, which is a car-free zone. There is a gay bar (opens late, on weekends) and boat tours of the islands and deserted beaches. On a beautiful day it's as close to heaven as you can get! Photos and info can be found at http://www.paraty.com.br and you can find other references to it here using the "search" function within the Escorts South board.

[nycpaul]

Thank you Tri for such a comprehensive response to my question. I knew in advance that I could count on you for such valuable information. I appreciate all your posts and appreciate the time and effort you give to helping us have a wonderful experience in

Brazil. I will be coming down there soon for my third visit in seven months, so you can see that I am hooked. As I would like to see something else other than Rio on this third trip, someone had suggested Angra dos Reis. Based on your description, I think it would be more interesting for me to go to Parati or Itacuruca and the "Vigin Islands." I don't want to be too far from Rio for too long as I need my daily sauna fix. I will be in touch with Carlo to help with the arrangements.

By the way, what is a "pousada?" Is it like a bed and breakfast or a pension?

Thanks again.

[trilingual]

Yes. "Pousada" is the Portuguese word for "inn."

 

Personally, I adore Parati. If you have enough time, find some hottie to take along with you and go spend a couple of days. If the weather is good you'll have a memorable time!

 

If you go to Parati, let me put in a plug for the very pleasant Pousada do Príncipe, owned by one of the hunkiest (and best endowed) members of the former Brazilian royal family. (When he was in his 30s and 40s, Prince Joãozinho always seemed to be photographed in a pair of sprayed-on jeans prominently displaying the impressive size of the royal sceptre!)

 

There are many other charming pousadas in Parati, but for me the advantage of Pousada do Príncipe is that it is one-and-a-half blocks from the bus station, so you can walk there when you arrive, and it's only three blocks down the main drag to the car-free "centro histórico." The rates are also reasonable, particularly for weekdays off-season. There's air-conditioning and window screens, important in an area with mosquitoes.

[CT Dick]

Last April I spend two nights in Parati. Carlo Romano arranged the whole thing, including picking me up at my hotel and walking me to the door of the bus. He then met me when I returned and drove me back to the Atlântico.

 

The historic section is small and very easily handled. I went to a tourist agency just outside of the mail entrance to the Centro and hired an English language walking guide for an hour. She was worth the small amount I paid. There is a lot to learn about this old city.

 

Even the bus ride was interesting on a luxurious couch.

 

Dick

[+ Axiom2001]

Although I've been to the places mentioned in the preceding posts, I am with Tri on his recommending Parati or Paraty. (I aksed Carlo about the variance in spelling.) The place is idyllic and charming and rather quaint with its cobblestoned streets throughout.

 

And as Tri stated, try to take someone with you. I was fortunate to have been with Carlo, his assistant and five guys from Sao Paulo, thus I wasn't alone to enjoy and to experience. It's definitely worth a visit for two or more days.

[catnip]

That was a wonderful response, tri. Now I'm dying to go to Paraty!

 

Along the lines of looking for interesting places to go, does anyone have experience with the online version of the Guia Quatro Rodas? It costs about 70 reais for a one year subscription, but since I'm going to Brazil in a few weeks and would like to research in advance, I thought it might be worth it. Also, it might beat having to lug around that big book in my suitcase.

 

Thanks,

[trilingual]

I haven't used the online version of the Guia 4 Rodas. A hard copy (available at any newstand) is about half the price. As everyone knows, there are advantages and disadvantages to both formats. Searching is probably easier on-line, but I prefer the hard copy because I can take it without having to worry about whether a computer is easily at hand, and I like being able to see all the hotels/restaurants/etc. listed at once so I can compare and contrast. The actual book isn't huge (paperbound) or that heavy, so it's not burdensome to carry on a trip, and it's extremely useful (particularly if you can read Portuguese).

 

BTW, Parati is also spelled Paraty, the archaic spelling. Around the turn of the last century, or shortly thereafter, Portuguese underwent a spelling reform that, among other changes, eliminated a lot of silent letters (like the "h" in the word "Teatro" which still appears in occasional use in names of old theaters, like the "Theatro Municipal"). Parati is the modern spelling, but the older spelling is also used, particularly in Parati itself, which prizes everything old and historic!