READY, STEADY — RIO!
for k ayaking a nd p addle-boarding. Alternatively, head west to the upmarket suburb of Barra da tijuca, the location for the olympic athletes’ village. A new metro line, No 4, has opened just in time for the games, making the area’s seven miles of clean beaches — plus assorted Miami-style luxury hotels a nd s hopping m alls — j ust a short h op f rom d owntown.
Finally, to the west of Barra, Prainha and Grumari beaches are wilder, quieter spots where the city’s hustle evaporates.
CHILL OUT SPOTS
RIo’s J ardim B otanico i s a t ranquil tropical garden where capuchin monkeys clamber through bamboo thickets and turtles loll in the ponds.
After a s troll, r elax u nder t he c eiling fans of la Bicyclette (labicyclette.com.br), a French-colonialstyle b istro s erving a rtisan p astries. down t he r oad i s t he h uge R odrigo de Freitas lagoon, venue for the olympic r owing — a p leasant s pot for a n a fternoon a mble.
TOP TIP FOR CULTURE
tHe city’s newest attraction is the Museum of tomorrow (museudoamanha.org.br).
Part of the olympic-fuelled regeneration of the old dockyards, the building is an attraction in itself, resembling a giant reptile eyeing Guanabara Bay. Inside, a series of digital exhibits analyse the impact that humans have had on the world and how we might live more sustainably.
FAVELA TOURS
RIo’s shantytowns were once notorious for drug-fuelled v iolence. Many are still no-go areas, but — since they mainly hug the city’s hilly fringes — you won’t stumble into them.
More central ones — including Vidigal, Babilonia and santa Marta — have been ‘pacified’, and tourism i s h elping t o s upport t heir hard-working residents. take a walking tour through the candycoloured jumble of santa Marta with a local guide (search ‘santa Marta F avela t our’ o n t ripadvisor) for a fascinating insight into an a lternative c ommunity.
SWEET DREAMS
tHe Belmond Copacabana P alace is the swankiest address in town. Huge and white like an art deco wedding cake, it’s been favoured by A-listers and royalty since it opened in 1923.
It has Rio’s biggest hotel pool and a M ichelin-starred r estaurant (from £299, belmond.com). there are boutique options, too, including the beachfront Marina All s uites i n l eblon ( from £ 176 p er night, leblonallsuites.com.br/en), the g ood-value I panema I nn ( from £108, ipanemainn.com.br/en) and neo-colonial H otel s anta t eresa i n a hilly, boho district (from £231, santateresahotelrio.com).
BEST RESTAURANTS
tHe district around the Jardim Botanico i s f ast b ecoming a d iners’ hotspot — on Rua Pacheco leao, you will find funky Bar do Horto, laid-back Jojo Cafe Bistro, and home-made B razilian f ood a t B orogodo. the backstreets of Ipanema and leblon are packed with informal botecos a s w ell a s m any o f the c ity’s t rendiest r estaurants.
Rua dias Ferreira alone houses sushi leblon (Japanese), Zuka (modern Italian) and Momo Gelato (ice cream heaven).
Nearby, y ou c an s ip a c aipirinha at the touristy, but atmospheric, GarotadeIpanemabar,wherebossa n ova c lassic t he G irl F rom Ipanema was penned in 1962.
PARTY CENTRAL
FoRMeR red-light district lapa has t he l iveliest n ightlife. H ead t o Avenida M em d e s a f or b ars w ith dJs and live music. the nearby antique-filled Rio scenarium nightclub is a great place to watch — or try — samba.
HOW DO I GET THERE?
BRItIsH Airways (ba.com, 0344 493 0787) flies Heathrow to Rio daily f rom £ 649 r eturn. l atin A merica expert last Frontiers (last frontiers.com, 01296 653000) can organise b espoke t rips t o B razil.