Stay
The fashionable new place to stay is the Hotel Fasano (Avenida Vieira Souto, 80, Ipanema; +55 21 3202 4000), a Havaiana's throw from Ipanema beach, with its own rooftop pool and Philippe Starck-designed rooms. You might think you'd strayed into a Bond villain's lair at La Suite (501 Rua Jackson de Figueiredo; +55 21 2484 1962), perched by the sea in Rio's answer to Beverly Hills. It's a supremely glamorous and private boutique hotel about a 15-minute drive from the city, which is a good or bad thing depending on your view.
Eat
Gero, rua Anibal de Mendonça, a first-class contemporary Italian restaurant and part of the Fasano empire, adds more than a touch of understated sophistication to Rio's otherwise flashy scene. For something local, churrascarias are a carnivore's paradise - the waiters bring round chunks of meat to your table and slice it straight onto your plate. Find them all over the city.
DRINK
Rio Scenarium, rua do Lavradio 20 (rioscenarium.com.br)is a three-storey bar in an elegantly crumbling 19th-century warehouse in Lapa, that might look like a shambolic antiques shop but is full of beautiful people drinking and dancing to live samba bands.
Dance
Get up close and personal with the locals at Carioca da Gema (Rua Mem de Sá 79; barcariocadagema.com.br), which kickstarted the Lapa district's revival as a bohemian party zone. It's small, intimate and one of the best places to hop to live music. Should you get samba fatigue, the glamorous 00 or Zero Zero (Planetário de Gavea, Avenida Padre Leonel France 240; 00site.com.br) is a slick restaurant and nightclub with a great outdoor terrace, in the upscale Gavea district. The music here is much the same as you'd get in fashionable clubs in London or New York.
Beach
Joatinga Beach is small, idyllic, and frequented mostly by locals on weekends, so if you turn up on a weekday, you will be one of the only people there. It's at the end of the Estrada de Joá, where there is a precarious trail down to the beach or you can go via boat.
Visit
Don't miss the statue of Christ the Redeemer (recently named one of the new seven wonders of the world). You'll be able to see the 40m statue from almost anywhere in the city, but it's worth paying him a visit close-up. Go on a clear day for an amazing view of Rio spread out beneath his arms, or see him during a beautifully eerie sunset.
Shop
Clube Chocolate is an amazing fashion store, complete with very cool bars and restaurants in the heart of Rio. There is also one in São Paulo that's very cool. (clubechocolate.com)
Escape
If Rio's packed beaches don't do it for you or you prefer something more picture-postcard, Ihla Grande is a two-and-a-half-hour drive south of Rio. This unspoilt national park island (you get to it by boat) has everything you'd expect of a mini paradise - lush rainforest, pristine beaches, hidden pirate coves. And monkeys.
Way to go
British Airways flies to Rio de Janeiro. Visit ba.com. Travel with South American travel specialists Dehouche from £1,850 per person including one week's accommodation in Rio (subject to availability at time of booking and excluding international flights). Contact dehouche.com, call +55 212 512 3895 or email info@dehouche.com. High Life readers who book a Dehouche holiday will receive a courtesy panoramic helicopter flight over Rio, taking off from and landing on the iconic Sugar Loaf Mountain. Quote 'BA High Life' when booking your trip. British Airways Holidays offers city breaks to Rio de Janeiro. For further information or to book call BA Holidays on 0870 243 3406 or visit ba.com.
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