Maricá: Culture, Coast and Lagoons

Maricá combines a historically shaped centre with varied landscapes across the municipality. Those interested in culture can explore the city’s history around the Matriz de Nossa Senhora do Amparo and the Museu Histórico de Maricá. The municipality also has a coastline of about 46 kilometres and a lagoon system. Cachoeira do Espraiado has been recognised as part of the State of Rio de Janeiro’s tangible cultural, tourism and landscape heritage. When choosing your holiday rental, you can consider whether the historic centre or the municipality’s landscapes should be the focus of your trip.

Culture in the historic centre

The first cultural city tour, the City Tour Cultural, was an approximately four-hour guided route through Maricá’s historic centre. Its stops included the Escadaria da Boa Vista, the Igreja Matriz de Nossa Senhora do Amparo and the Casa de Cultura. The Culture Trolley at the Central de Passeios was also visited; an exhibition of local handicrafts was on display there. The route thus brought together a range of cultural experiences, from architecture and public spaces to handicrafts.

The history of the Matriz de Nossa Senhora do Amparo dates back to the 18th century: construction began in 1778. The church was inaugurated on 15 August 1802; this date still marks the feast of the patron saint. This offers a special point of interest for planning your trip if you are interested in Maricá’s historical development and religious traditions.

The Museu Histórico de Maricá is located at Praça Orlando de Barros Pimentel in the Centro. The museum offers guided visits for groups who want to learn more about the city’s history and cultural heritage. As well as the impressions gained on a city tour, this gives you the opportunity to focus specifically on the city’s history.

Getting around and excursions

The Central de Passeios offers tourists maps and cultural and food guides. Around 15 local providers are brought together there, and organised routes run regularly. This information complements the cultural stops with details about what is available across the municipality. If you want to combine culture with local experiences, you can use the different themes of the tours and guides to help plan your research.

The Tarifa Zero system is another part of getting around Maricá. It includes free buses, known as the “Vermelhinhos”, vans and bicycles, known as the “Vermelhinhas”. The system’s various options may interest travellers looking into transport around the municipality; no specific routes or journey times are provided here.

The municipality’s coast, lagoons and landscapes

The municipality of Maricá has a coastline of about 46 kilometres, stretching between Itaipuaçu and Jaconé. The lagoon system includes Lagoa de Araçatiba. These landscape features offer a different focus from the cultural sites in the historic centre. When choosing your holiday rental, you can therefore first decide whether the city’s history or its coastal and lagoon landscapes better match your interests.

Another special destination within the municipality is Cachoeira do Espraiado. It has been recognised as part of the State of Rio de Janeiro’s tangible cultural, tourism and landscape heritage. Together with the coast and lagoons, it shows that Maricá can be explored not only through its historic sites but also through its varied landscapes and cultural heritage.

Traditions and travel interests

The traditional Festa da Padroeira Nossa Senhora do Amparo included a programme of four free days of events, with religious celebrations, cultural performances and concerts. Part of the programme took place at Praça Orlando de Barros Pimentel in the Centro. The festival and its patron saint add a living tradition to the history of the Matriz. If you are planning a trip with your family, you can weigh up the different options and decide whether to spend more time discovering the culture of the centre or exploring the municipality’s landscapes.

For more places to explore, see also Porto Real, Santa Maria Madalena, Paraíba Do Sul, Ilha Grande, Abadia, Vila Do Abraão, Vassouras and Parati.

For the wider travel overview: Rio De Janeiro.