Rio de Janeiro

Barefoot, we beach-walk along Copacabana towards Ipanema, stopping to buy skull-tingling caipirinhas from a cart. Joggers sporting brightly-coloured short shorts overtake us, seemingly immune to the afternoon sun baking my legs inside my skinny black jeans (far too overdressed). The ferocious Atlantic waves and towering backdrop of Sugarloaf Mountain add to the drama on the beach – the music, the street hawkers, the family outings, the show-boating, the intense games of volleyball. For cariocas, the beach is not a fair-weather feat, it’s a year-round social hub.

Rio de Janeiro stands out on the world stage for its larger-than-life personality. Its rainforest, favelas, samba bars – all of these invite you to suspend your Britishness and experience life more intensely for a short while. Whether you time your visit for the carnival (February 21st-26th next year), or stop by Rio as part of a South American odyssey, it’s somewhere not to be rushed in and out of (you’ll regret it if you do).

Rio’s many neighbourhoods take time to explore. A cable car ride up to Sugarloaf Mountain one day, standing at the foot of the magnificent Christ the Redeemer statue the next – these are just the tip of the iceberg for a Rio itinerary. For nightlife, Lapa’s bars and dancefloors are where you want to be. The art galleries of the hilltop Santa Teresa district are a must – and so is a photo in front of the brightly tiled Escadaria Selaraon steps.

Rio’s glamorous side is best experienced from the rooftop terrace of Hotel Fasano (lhw.com), preferably at sundown, as the sun blazes behind Sugarloaf Mountain. The city’s incredible markets (such as Feira Hippie de Ipanema; feirahippieipanema.com), museums (check out Museu de Arte do Rio; museudeartedorio.org.br) and parks (stop by Jardim Botanico; jbrj. gov.br) are the things people miss during a flying visit.

An enticing addition to Rio’s hotel stock is Janeiro (janeirohotel.rio), an eco-friendly boutique hotel that opened in February. Situated in the peaceful area of Leblon, its 53 rooms have wicker swings and views across the sea towards the white cliffs of Cagarras Islands. Conceived by Oskar Metsavaht, a designer for Brazilian fashion brand, Osklen, it’s a bit like a high-end beach house, with beautiful use of natural and locally materials, such as blond freijo wood Travertine limestone, and blown-glass lamps made from recycled bottles. The perfect place to escape to recuperate after partying, especially if you manage to keep up with the cariocas.

By Rose Dykins