Legends

Apparition / Haunting Santa Rita Church and square, Historic Center

The Bride of Santa Rita

According to Paraty tradition, a bride returned to Santa Rita Square in search of water, raising the fear that she had been buried alive.

Haunting / Folklore Toca do Cassununga, Jabaquara Beach

The Corpo-Seco of Toca do Cassununga

At Toca do Cassununga in Jabaquara, tradition places a man so cruel that heaven, hell, and the earth itself all rejected him.

Supernatural creature / Folklore Ilha do Araújo, Paraty Bay

The Headless Mule of Ilha do Araújo

On Ilha do Araújo, a local version of the Headless Mule is tied to a large pau-d’alho tree, a circle of stones, and the mysterious Pedra do Espelho.

Buried treasure / Adventure Caixadaço Beach and Ilha do Tesouro, Trindade

The Treasure of Trindade

A local tradition places a treasure attributed to Spanish pirates near Caixadaço, hidden among the forest, rocks, and the small island known as Ilha do Tesouro.

Buried treasure / Origins Paraty coast, Trindade, and the main parish church

Roque José da Silva and the Gold in the Mountains

The legend connects a boy who survived a shipwreck, a treasure hidden near Trindade, and the funds used to build Paraty’s main parish church.

Maritime folklore / Apparition Ilha do Araújo, Ilha Comprida, and Paraty Bay

The Canoe of Thirty

Fishermen along Paraty’s coast tell of an unusually long canoe powered by thirty rowers that appears in the dark and can never be caught.

Enchanted nature / Folklore Pico do Frade, Pico do Cairuçu, and Toca do Ouro

The Mother of Gold

In the version told in Paraty, the Mother of Gold moves among mountain peaks and caves, carrying a treasure that she protects from the greedy.