Venture into nature and rest in history. This is how the experience of staying at the Hotel Boutique Casa de Santo Antônio, in Parnaíba, the second largest city in the State of Piauí, can be defined. Part of a landscaped complex listed in 2011, the mansion was built in 1911 and underwent restoration in conjunction with IPHAN a century later. The facade, ceiling height, wooden floors, balcony tiles, walls and door flags were maintained with the same architectural characteristics from the beginning of the 20th century, which include influences from other parts of the country and abroad and can be seen in the aesthetic forms, external and internal of the property, whose decoration took place under the guidance of Maria de Lurdes Vieira de Carvalho, matriarch of the owning family that decorated Tivoli hotels and renovated mansions and houses in Portugal.
Built by a French family from the Alsace-Lorraine region, who fled a war with Germany in the late 19th century, the Casa de Santo Antônio is an architectural landmark in the city's historic center and a starting point for exploring the Parnaíba Delta. To this end, the hotel offers a spacious and comfortable infrastructure, with 22 suites, a swimming pool, jacuzzi, sauna, massage room and area for physical activities, as well as a restaurant that values local ingredients, such as fish and seafood, used in signature recipes and other Mediterranean-inspired dishes.
Part of the MVC Hotéis group, which has 3 properties, it is located in the heart of Rota das Emoções, between Maranhão and Ceará, and is considered the gateway to discovering the largest open sea delta in the Americas and the third largest in the world. This experience means getting entangled among 72 islands full of native and preserved fauna and flora. Preservation, in fact, is a characteristic of the hotel, which invests in a solar energy heating system and LED lighting in all facilities. The hotel also donates all the plastic it uses to the Bio Patas Project, which sells the material and, with what it acquires, covers the cost of neutering animals that live on the street. All cooking oil used on the property is also donated.
“We are a small, family group that offers our guests the possibility of combining, in the same trip, two destinations that complement each other, as Casa de Santo Antônio is approximately 105 km from our other property, Bahia das Caraúbas Glamping, which is in the city of Camocim, in Ceará”, says businessman Mario Viera de Carvalho, CEO of MVC Hotéis.
SANTO ANTÔNIO HOUSE SUITES
In total, the hotel offers 22 accommodations, divided into three different categories: colonial suites (4), charming suites (12) and themed suites (6). With sizes ranging from 22 to 51 m2 , all are decorated in different ways, but aligned with a classic standard and modernly equipped.
OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES AND KNOWLEDGE
The classic tours pass through Igarapé dos Periquitos, Ilha dos Potros, Ilha das Canárias and Morro Branco, including bathing and walking. It is still possible to take more exclusive itineraries by speedboat. Leaving Porto dos Tatus towards Ilha do Caju, it includes stops during navigation, such as, for example, on the islands of Bananal, Zimburana and Manguinho. In addition to these, the boat crosses Ilha da Engraça and Morro do Meio until reaching Ilha das Cobras, where you can often see the famous flock of guarás, birds with red plumage typical of the region and in danger of extinction.
Another possibility is to combine the discovery of the Delta with other attractions in the region, such as, for example, crossing the Pequenos Lençóis Piauienses on a quad bike along the trails and dunes with stops for swimming in Lagoa do Portinho and lunch on the beach. The day ends at the top of a dune to watch the spectacle of the sun setting over the distant horizon.
Tours to the Sete Cidades National Park are also offered. Piauí is home to several beauties sculpted by nature, and one of them is this park. Located in the municipalities of Brasileira and Piracuruca, in the north of the state, the place is one of the most spectacular tourist attractions in Piauí, with unique rock formations full of symbolism and history, cave paintings, trails and a waterfall.
Returning to the Parnaíba Delta, the destination offers many activities to explore the local flora and fauna. Leaving Porto dos Tatus early is the secret to seeing as much animal life as possible. Or in the late afternoon and head into the night on a night safari. Alligators, boa constrictors and monkeys await visitors. But you need to train your eyes and fingers to get the best click.
Taking a carefree walk through the historic center of Paranaíba at dusk and at night is another must-do. This way, you get in touch with the past and learn how the municipality was a rich city, visiting some other mansions. At the beginning of the 20th century, carnauba wax and jerky meat were expensive items sold to the rest of the country. Thus, an elite prospered in the region and built mansions similar to the Casa de Santo Antônio. By car you can also visit the main beaches on the coast of Piauí. Just rent a car or book a tour to the beaches of Atalaia, Peito de Moça, Coqueiro and Itaqui. In friendly Luís Correia, which has good infrastructure, the beaches of Carnaubinha, Maramar and Macapá stand out. Many tours stop at the famous Árvore Penteada and end at Lagoa do Portinho.
HOW TO GET THERE
By plane there is a direct, weekly flight from Belo Horizonte to Parnaíba. The other option is to fly to Cruz, better known as Jericoacoara Regional Airport, just 2h30 by car from Parnaíba. Or disembark in Teresina, a 3-hour drive away. Those on the Rota das Emoções can reach Lençóis Maranhenses by road, from the city of Barreirinhas, in 3 hours, or from Jericoacoara, in 3h20.
DAILY RATES
Rates from R$ 680 in double accommodation with breakfast
ADDRESS
Humberto de Campos Street (Santo Antonio Square), 988, Downtown - Parnaíba (PI)
Source: Baobá Communication, Culture and Content