WEDGED between white sandy beaches and lush mountains, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil's capital for 200 years, is blessed with an abundance of natural features and charm – and like its population, it knows how to have fun with them. Even the buildings are a riot of curvaceous modernism mixed with elegant charm.
Before you go Have a look at Wallpaper City Guide: Rio de Janeiro (Phaidon Press, £4.95) for an up-to-date, incisive guide – and don't forget to attend to your bikini line, because dental-floss thongs are de rigueur on the beach.
When to go It's a
n all-season city with a humid, tropical climate, so take your pick. New Year and January are hot, while February is packed for the Carnaval. Now is a perfect time to visit, as September is usually quiet.
Planes, trains, automobiles Fly from Edinburgh with Iberia (www.iberia.com), from £644, or Air France (www.airfrance. com), from £553, and from Glasgow with Affordable Flights (www.affordableflights. co.uk), from £475.
Tourist trail The Copacabana is like Sienna Miller on a Sunday morning – stunning but a bit tired – so make like the smart set and head for Ipanema, where the girls are as beautiful as the famous song says. After topping up your tan on the white sand, drop into Garota de Ipanema, the bar where it was written, in Rua Vinicius de Moraes.
Away from the beach, there's the statue of Christ, 693 metres up a reasonably easy track on Corcovado. You can also climb the Sugar Loaf – or opt for a cable car and stop off for a bite to eat at Morro da Urca.
Back in the city, there's much strikingly modern architecture to admire, from Roberto Burle Marx's mosaic-tiled Copacabana Promenade to Oscar Niemeyer's Museu de Arte Contemporânea de Niterói.
Go native The shanty towns, or favelas, run by the cocaine cartels, are best avoided without a guide known to locals, but there are some tours available for the curious (or foolhardy). Samba and football are everywhere, and for a traditional taste of the Copacabana, try Bar Luiz Beach Kiosk, in Rua da Carioca, which has been selling Austro-German food since 1887.
What to buy Beachwear, of course, and since Cariocas have a highly developed sense of style, clothing. Look for Osklen, a chain of sporty fashion stores, and anything by Maria Bonita and Isabela Capeto. Vintage furniture and books are also big in Rio, with Letras & Espressoes the place to pick up a coffee while you browse. Modern Sound, in Rua Barata Ribeiro, is the place to find some contemporary Brazilian sounds.
Nightlife Lapa is Rio's latest happening party district, where you can samba every night until your feet bleed and you have thighs like Chris Hoy's. At the weekend, Cariocas really go for it, so try Scenarium, Carioca da Gema and Estrela da Lapa, where throbbing isn't restricted to the soles.
Where to stay The Orient-Express chain's Copacabana Palace (020 7960 0500, www.copacabanapalace.com.br) is where the well-heeled park their Louis Vuitton cases, with Caesar Park Ipanema (00 55 21 2525 2525, www.caesarpark-rio.com) and Sofitel Rio Palace (www.sofitel.com) offering similar top-end pampering. More affordable are the Orla Copacabana Hotel (00 55 21 2525-2425, www.orlahotel.com.br) and Portinari Design Hotel (00 55 21 3222 8800, www.hotelportinari.com.br).
Where to eat The restaurants of Leblon's Rua Dias Ferreira are the place to go for international cuisine. For Brazilian dishes, try the open-air Guimas, in Rua José Roberto Macedo Soares. Hungry carnivores will love the churrascarias – or all-you-can-eat grilled steak restaurants – while there is an abundance of food vendors for those who like to eat on the hoof.
Can you drink the water? You can, but it would be a shame to miss out on the caipirinhas, made with lime, sugar, ice and the cane liquor cachaça – they are almost the Brazilian national drink.
