Sao Luiz do Paraitinga

The town is a listed nineteenth-century centre of houses in flat strong colours around a square, in the upper Paraiba valley between the Mantiqueira and the coastal range. On 1 January 2010 the Paraitinga river rose several metres and destroyed a large part of it, collapsing the matriz church and the Rosario chapel and damaging most of the listed buildings; the reconstruction that followed used documentation and salvaged material and took years. Its Carnival is a marchinha festival - old-fashioned brass-and-drum street bands rather than samba schools or electric trios - and it is one of the best-known street carnivals in Sao Paulo state. The Festa do Divino at Pentecost is the other event, with folia groups and a procession.

History

The town was founded in 1769 by bandeirantes from Taubaté, Mogi das Cruzes and Guaratinguetá, became a municipality in 1773 and a city in 1857, and in 1873 was named an imperial city, one of the 12 most important in Brazil. In the first days of 2010 a flood of the Paraitinga river destroyed eight historic buildings, among them the main church of São Luiz de Tolosa, and in December 2010 the historic centre was declared a national heritage site, which opened federal funding for its rebuilding (Wikipedia, São Luiz do Paraitinga).

What you'll find

• A rebuilt colonial centre - reconstructed after the 2010 flood destroyed it.
• Marchinha Carnival - old brass-band street music instead of samba schools.
• The Festa do Divino - Pentecost processions and folia groups.
• Coloured facades on a square - the nineteenth-century town restored.

When to go

Carnival or Pentecost for the festivals; April to September otherwise. Two days.

Practical notes

During Carnival the town is completely full and accommodation must be booked months ahead. Outside festivals it is very quiet. The rebuilt church is a reconstruction rather than an original. The road from the coast is winding and slow.

Nearby

Ubatuba is over the range on the coast; Cunha is east.

Key facts