DESTINATIONS RIO DE JANEIRO | LATIN AMERICA best


OF THE REST


FROM FAR LEFT: Ipanema Beach; Selarón Steps; Mural das Etnias; Rio Scenarium; Copacabana Beach; Jardim Botanico; Sugarloaf Mountain;


Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Sebastian PICTURES: Shutterstock, Unsplash


DAY TWO


10.00: Kick things off with a trip to the Olympic Boulevard, whose cluster of port-side attractions helped revitalise a once-dilapidated area in the city’s historic centre. At its heart is Mural das Etnias, the world’s biggest street art mural, stretching 15m high and some 200m along the waterfront. Created by Brazilian graffiti artist Eduardo Kobra, the sprawling patchwork of colour was designed to depict Indigenous groups from across the world and took two months, 500 gallons of paint and 3,500 cans of spray paint to produce, and the result is nothing short of masterly.


11.00: Next to it you’ll find the Museum of Tomorrow, a solar- panelled, armadillo-like juggernaut that houses an array of interactive displays tracing how the Earth began, how it’s changed since and what it may look like in the future. It’s deep, thought-provoking stuff that spans the rise of megacities to climate change, rising population


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numbers and beyond, with immersive experiences that leave a lasting impression.


13.00: Hop south to Ipanema to explore one of Rio’s trendiest (and fanciest) neighbourhoods, set just along from the iconic Copacabana. You’re not short on lunch spots here, but for one of the best try Casa da Feijoada, which serves Brazil’s renowned black bean and cured meat stew with all the trimmings. You can choose how traditional you want to go – from sausage and salt ribs to pig’s ear and tail – then wash it down with a caipirinha, in true Carioca style.


14.00: Wander around Ipanema’s streets to browse its boutiques, then head to the beach to spot surfers strutting their stuff against snow-white sand and cerulean sea. Stroll along the promenade to reach Copacabana, the spot that shot to fame in the 1950s and now draws football-playing locals, snack-selling vendors and, during carnival, feather-wearing revellers.


16.00: For a dose of nature, walk 20 minutes inland to explore the Jardim Botanico, a peaceful, 137-hectare stretch of greenery home to a huge water lily pond, an exotic Amazonas section and 600 species of orchid, plus colourful birds flitting above it all.


20.00: Venture back to the coast to explore the upscale Leblon neigh- bourhood, where bougie bars and restaurants line manicured streets, and make a beeline for Giuseppe Grill. Tender steak and exquisite seafood are the showstoppers here, with guava jam and cheese ice cream for a quirky sweetener, alongside arty surroundings and regular live jazz bands.


22.00: Leblon has some of the city’s best nightlife, so if you’ve still got energy, head to Rua Dias Ferreira for the likes of Stuzzi Bar, where the star cocktail is Yami, an unusual combination of soursop, vodka and jam made from the local jabuticaba fruit. Just don’t miss your flight home the next day – they’re potent.


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Largo do Boticario: This square of neoclassical houses tucked away in the Cosme Velho neighbourhood (from where the train up to Christ the Redeemer departs) offers an intriguing glimpse into the city’s past, with colourfully painted, now-abandoned houses peeping out amid exotic rainforest.


Parque Lage: A mansion- turned-park at the foot of Corcovado, this patch of calming green remains something of a hidden gem. The architecture is impressive, and the views of Christ the Redeemer in the background make for ideal photo territory.


Biblioteca Nacional do Brasil: Pay a visit to the largest library in Latin America to witness nine million items, many brought over from Portugal in the early 19th century, housed in exquisite surroundings.


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