There are lookouts that show you one landscape — Pedra da Macela shows you two: on one side, the sea of hills of Cunha and the Vale; on the other, far below, the ragged blue of Paraty, Angra and Ilha Grande. At 1,850 meters, on the SP-RJ border, it is the most generous balcony in the Serra do Mar — and it costs only 2.3 km of climbing.
The trail
The access point is 23 km from the center of Cunha (17 km along the Cunha-Paraty road + 6 km of dirt track to the base). From there the trail — in fact an old service road, cemented in places — climbs steadily for 2.3 km: 40-60 minutes of burning legs, self-guided and free. At the top, aerials share the space with rock slabs that serve as grandstand seating for the double spectacle. Clear winter days give endless visibility; sunrise up there is a champion’s outing.
Tips
- Check the weather: low cloud turns the double view into double milk.
- Strong, cold wind at the top all year round — windproof in the backpack.
- The climb is exposed to the sun: go early morning or late afternoon, with water and a hat.
- Combine it with the Cunha-Paraty road and drop down to the historic coast — the mountain→sea contrast in a single day is unforgettable.
🥾 Who is it for?
Effort: moderate — a steady, short climb; the firm surface makes for easy going. Children: from age 8 with the appetite for a hill (promise them “the sea down there” as the reward). Seniors and reduced mobility: the gradient is the challenge — regular walkers aged 60+ go up at their own pace with stops; for anyone not up for it, the lookouts along the Cunha-Paraty road deliver fractions of the same view from inside the car.