Paraiba do Sul, Estrada

The city of Paraíba do Sul is situated on the banks of the Paraíba do Sul River in the state of Rio de Janeiro. It is one of the oldest hydrothermal resorts in the state.

The city was established in 1681 by Garcia Rodrigues Paes, who oversaw the construction of the Caminho Novo. When he discovered a backwater on the river directly north of the city of Rio de Janeiro, Garcia agreed with the crown that he would build a road cutting the travel time from Minas Gerais to Rio from three months to 15 days, which he did. For services rendered, the crown granted him farming lands along the road and a village charter. Garcia went on to discover gold, had a successful cattle farm and was promoted to General Mining Guard. By the time of his passing, Garcia was among the wealthiest people alive.

"One of the highlights in the city is the Renaissance-influenced mansion of Baron Miguel Ribeiro de Sá, a wealthy landowner who made his fortune from coffee plantations. Miguel was known for his philanthropic work, donating textbooks to schools and assisting financially in the construction of several churches and shelter homes."

The mansion was built in 1886 and today serves as the municipal government. The wide-fronted building is set on two floors with a stunning curving staircase leading to the upper entrance. On either side of the central door are four large windows with small cast-iron balconies. Above the doorway is a triangular pediment with a detailed fresco representing the Baron’s coat of arms. The building’s facade is painted salmon pink with white trim. The mansion is surrounded by gardens, fountains and gazebos.

Heading out of town, I passed by an iron bridge of English origin spanning the Paraíba do Sul River. It was used for cargo transportation in the late 19th century, but more recently it was part of a 9mi (14km) sightseeing tour of the city. The bridge has a fantastic truss structure, but the view of the river was the real gem at this location.