Paranaguá, Port municipality in Paraná, Brazil
Paranaguá is a port municipality on the coast of Paraná state in southern Brazil, stretching along the bay. The old town sits on a low hill, while the port area with its terminals and warehouses spreads over several kilometers along the waterfront.
Portuguese settlers founded the town in 1648, making it the oldest municipality in Paraná. Gold discoveries in the region attracted more colonists and turned the place into an important trading point for the interior.
The name comes from the Tupi word for "great sea" and shows the connection locals have with the water, shaped today by trade and fishing. In the morning, vendors open their stalls along the historic streets, where you can still spot façades from the 17th and 18th centuries between the modern shops.
The town sits about 90 kilometers (55 miles) east of Curitiba and can be reached by a winding mountain road or by train. Visitors who want to explore the colonial old town should arrive early in the morning, when there is less traffic through the narrow lanes.
The surroundings include protected mangrove areas that are exposed at low tide and host large numbers of crabs and seabirds. Some older residents still remember when goods from the port were carried inland by mule before the roads were built.
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