Paquetá Island

Paquetá Island lies inside Guanabara Bay and is a neighborhood of the city of Rio itself. At just over 1.2 square kilometers and with about 3,600 residents, according to Wikipedia, it is an island without car traffic, with old mansions, reached by ferry from downtown.

The name comes from the Tupi language and means “many pacas” (a large rodent).

Getting there

The main way to get there is the ferry (barca) from Praça XV, downtown, according to Wikipedia. The crossing is a sightseeing trip in itself, with views of the bay and its islands. The details of the trip are in the guide ferry to Niterói and Paquetá.

A little history

The island was recorded by the French in 1555, in the time of France Antarctique, and was inhabited by the Tamoio people. After the Portuguese victory and the founding of Rio in 1565, it was divided into two land grants (sesmarias), which gave rise to the island’s two parts that still exist today, Campo and Ponte, according to Wikipedia.

Settlement grew with the visits of King João VI, with the regular ferry line from 1838 and with the novel A Moreninha by Joaquim Manuel de Macedo, published in 1844 and set on the island. Moreninha beach recalls the book.

What to see

• The island on foot or by bike: with no private cars, Paquetá is best explored slowly, along its tree-lined streets and waterfront.
• The baobabs: the island has twenty baobabs, trees of African origin, according to the English Wikipedia.
• Historic mansions: the manor house that hosted King João VI, the house of José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva and the Casa de Cultura, according to Wikipedia.
• Festivals: the feast of São Roque, the island’s patron saint, around August 16, and the São Pedro maritime procession on June 29, according to the English Wikipedia.

Swimming

Paquetá’s beaches lie inside Guanabara Bay. Before going into the water, check the water quality reports published by the environmental agencies.

Combine with

Before boarding, enjoy Praça XV: the Paço Imperial is on the same square as the ferries, and Ilha Fiscal can be seen in the bay. See other outings in tours in Rio.