Rio de Janeiro - Ilha de Paquetá

Ilha de Paquetá

The island of Paquetá, with an area of just over a square kilometer and a population of rather more than 2000, is one of the most attractive places in Rio. It lies in Guanabara Bay, an hour's boat trip from Praça 15 de Novembro. The island, which can be explored only on foot, on a bicycle or in a horse-drawn carriage, has preserved many historic old buildings. Of particular interest are the Solar del Rey, a palace in which Dom João VI frequently stayed; the chapel of São Roque (1698); the houses of José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva, father of Brazilian independence, and the writer Joaquim Manuel de Macedo; and the beaches of José Bomifácio and Comprida (or Moreninha).