The Costa Verde, from Rio to Paraty

Sugarloaf Mountain, Copacabana and Ipanema in Rio; car-free Ilha Grande, with the trail to Lopes Mendes and the Blue and Green lagoons by boat; and Paraty, the old gold port, with its car-free stone centre, a schooner trip round the bay and the beaches of Trindade.

Day by day Open the itinerary in the app

Rio de Janeiro → Ilha Grande → Paraty · 10–14 days

The route on the map, in the itinerary’s order.

BrazilRio de Janeiro
Days
4
When
Apr–Jun
Per person/day
Average 615 BRLMid-range · per person/day
Cost scope
Per person per day: accommodation, meals, urban transport, visits and a small allowance for extras. Flights excluded; larger purchases vary. Editorial estimate, not a quote.
BrazilIlha Grande
Days
3–5
When
Apr–Nov
Per person/day
Average 427 BRLMid-range · per person/day
Cost scope
Per person per day: accommodation, meals, urban transport, visits and a small allowance for extras. Flights excluded; larger purchases vary. Editorial estimate, not a quote.
BrazilParaty
Days
3–5
When
Jun–Sep
Per person/day
Explore costsGuide estimate
Cost scope
Per person per day: accommodation, meals, urban transport, visits and a small allowance for extras. Flights excluded; larger purchases vary. Editorial estimate, not a quote.

Who it is for

For anyone who wants to pair Rio with the Atlantic forest and the islands of the Costa Verde, with trails, boats and a colonial town to finish.

Not for anyone who wants to get around by car, since Ilha Grande has no private cars and Paraty’s centre is closed to them.

The strategy

Rio comes first. For Ilha Grande, the Costa Verde bus drops you at the Conceição de Jacareí pier in about 2 hours, and the speedboat reaches Abraão in 15 to 30 minutes; van-and-boat transfers collect from the Zona Sul and take about 3h30. Arrive in the morning and stay in Vila do Abraão. For Paraty, take the boat back to the mainland and continue by bus along the Rio-Santos road; Colitur runs the line between Angra dos Reis and Paraty, and some transfers combine the two. In Paraty, stay in the centre or in Pontal. The return to Rio is by bus, in about 4h40, or by car, in about 3h45; to São Paulo the bus takes six to seven hours. Avoid long holiday weekends and summer, when both stops fill up.

What you will see

Sugarloaf Mountain, Rio de Janeiro. Sugarloaf, at 396 m, stands at the entrance to Guanabara Bay.
Praia de Lopes Mendes, Ilha Grande. The island's best-known beach has about 3 km of fine white sand on the ocean side, with no houses, no permanent bars and no kiosks, sea-almond trees in the restinga and little shade.
Centro Histórico de Paraty, Paraty. Houses from the 18th and 19th centuries between the Perequê-Açu and Patitiba rivers, with pé de moleque streets and geometric symbols in relief on the façades, attributed to Freemasonry.

Day by day

Rio de Janeiro

1
Day 1: Beach, Sugarloaf and sunset
1. Sugarloaf MountainEssential
Day 2: Forest, Christ, and cobblestone streets
3
Day 3: Centro, Pequena África and an afternoon choice
1. MaracanãWorth a visit
Day 4: Leblon, Barra and the Dona Marta lookout