Abundant alcohol fuels the bloco party spirit

Rio without carnival would be like New York without fashion, or Sydney without surfers. The city lives and breathes carnival, and this colorful, musical pageant of Dyionisian delights is totally in keeping with Rio de Janeiro’s hedonistic character.

A vibrant, lively city at any time of year, Rio really begins to live up to its repuation as 24-hour party city in the months leading up to carnival, when the heat of summer instills the locals with a desire to eat, drink, dance and make very merry indeed.

And while the images of the extravagant floats and parades at the Sambadrome make up the image of carnival that is projected to the rest of the world, in reality carnvial fever sweeps over the entire city, with street parties taking place in every neighborhood from the touristic beach neighborhoods of Copacabana, Ipanema and Leblon to far-flung, little-visited
areas of the city’s less scenic north and west zones.

Carnival cultre is as entrenched in Rio society as Thanksgiving or Christmas in the West, and the build up to Carnival begins months in advance of the event, with the samba schools opening their doors to onlookers as soon as rehearsals begin in October/November. For the samba schools themselves, preparations for the next year’s event begin as soon as the current year’s is finished, with a great deal of pride (as well as a great deal of time and money) invested in trying to grab the title of Winning Samba School.

Carnival itself is a moveable feast, with dates depending on when Easter falls that year. Held in the four days leading up to Lent,it usually takes place in February, but occasionally falls in March.

While carnival is undoubtedly the most exciting time of year to visit Rio (from a partier’s perspective, at least) it is also the most expensive, meaning that travelers on a budget will need to plan well to avoid being priced out of the party altogether.

The key thing is to plan well in advance. Don’t expect to be able to turn up in Rio on the first day of carnival and find yourself a hotel room or hostel bunk for the night. With millions of visitors descending on the city, accommodation gets booked up months in advance.

It is common for hotels and hostels to charge at least four times their regular rates, so do plenty of advance research to find the best deals. Most places will impose a minimum stay of three or four nights, and for anyone planning on staying
over a week booking an apartment is often the cheapest way to stay.

While the carnival parades themselves may be the most attention-grabbing element of carnival, but tickets are expensive – expect to pay upwards of R$250. Tickets and information in English are available from riocarnival.net , and it is best to book as far in advance as possible, especially for the extravaganza that is the final night.

For carnival fun without the high price tag, head to the many street parties, or blocos that are completely free to attend,

A street party in Centro

snack on street food and enjoy an inexpensive caipirinha or two from a street vendor, have fun making your own carnival outfits (the maze of streets that make up the shopping district of Saara, in downtown Rio, is the place to come for inexpensive fancy dress items, from glitzy samba-queen bikinis and headgear to animal costumes) and prepare to have a blast at the biggest party on the planet.

Bar do Mineiro is famous for its bar snacks

Many visitors to Rio comment on the fact that, while the locals seem to drink beer as though it were water and caipirinha cocktails as though they were soft drinks, they rarely seem to get staggeringly drunk.

Part of this is down to dedicated practice, no doubt, but a large part is down to the fact that Cariocas (Rio locals) rarely drink socially without eating socially as well. It is rare for a house party to take place without a churrasco (barbeque) being the focal point, and it is rarer still to find a bar that does not sell food.

While you may not want to line your stomach with a traditional set lunch or dinner (usually meat, chicken or fish with rice, black beans, salad and fries), the ubiquitous bar snacks that are found at the city’s many botecos (neighborhood bars) make tasty companions to an ice cold beer.

Look out for bolinhos de bacalhau – little fried balls of cod, potato, onions and seasoning; kibe (a meat croquette) and, for the vegetarians, batatas calabresa (potato in chili and oil).

Pasteis (little pastries filled with anything from meat, beans or chicken to shrimp or soft cheese) are also delicious nibbles to share during a drinking session, and will help to keep the head swimming effects of those caipirinhas at bay.

For some of the best pasteis to be found in the city, try Bar do Mineiro in Santa Teresa – itself a fabulous example of the boteco as a social gathering point. Visit on a Sunday to see hordes of locals and visitors spilling outside this simple bar and onto the street outside.

Photo: Lucy Bryson

Rio de Janeiro’s mountains frame almost every neighborhood in the city, and their unusual formations make for some challenging climbing opportunities Rio de Janeiro unarguably offers the best urban climbing to be found anywhere in the world, and it is even possible to scale the sides of the legendary Sugar Loaf mountain. You don’t have to be an expert to have a go, either. Climb in Rio offers guided climbs for everybody from absolute beginners to expert climbers, and with so many mountains to climb in the city, there’s no chance of getting bored whatever your level of expertise.

Natural pools make it possible to take a mid-hike dip in Tijuca National Park

For those with a head for heights, soaring over Rio de Janeiro on a tandem hang gliding flight is an unforgettable way to see the city. Expert instructors will ensure you are in safe hands, as you take a running jump of the flat summit of Pedra da Gavea, joining the condors in their flight over Rio, and taking in what is possibly the world’s most beautiful cityscape before making a soft landing on the sands of Sao Conrado beach.

Rio de Janeiro is also home to the largest area of urban rainforest anywhere on the planet, the Parque Nacional de Tijuca and hikes through this thick jungle are not for the faint of heart. Head off in the early morning, bring insect repellent, plenty of water and some energy-giving snacks, and always go with a guide – the park’s sheer size makes it all too easy to get lost, and spending the night stranded in the forest is not the kind of adrenaline rush that anybody needs. Bring swimming gear, too, as natural pools and waterfalls make great places to cool off mid-hike.

There are many companies offering outdoor adventures in Rio, of which the aptly-named Rio Adventures is one of the best, running hikes, climbs and other excursions in the city and out towards the peaks of the nearby Serra dos Orgaos mountain range.

Photo: Lucy Bryson

Photo courtesy of Shenanigans

Head to any city, anywhere in the world, and chances are that you will find an Irish pub there. Rio de Janeiro is no exception, and the party-hard Irish spirit fits in perfectly with Rio’s own love of the good times.

In fact, given the size of the city and the number of foreign visitors it attracts each year, it is perhaps surprising that there are currently a couple of optionsavailable to visitors looking to sink a few pints of Guinness and swap a few travelers’ tales.

2011 saw the closure of a real Gringo institution, the Irish Pub in Ipanema, after a drawn out dispute over the lease agreement, while a newcomer on the scene Waxy’s, also closed its doors after struggling to turn a profit.

However, the two establishments that remain, Shenanigans in Ipanema and the Lapa Irish Pub, are lively locations meeting points for both locals and foreigners (and indeed, locals hoping to meet foreigners, and vice versa).

Shenanigans, in particular, is renowned as a party hangout for groups of visiting backpackers and other young, party-hard tourists, as well as groups of locals keen to try out their English. The venue has a prime location at the heart of Ipanema, with a terrace overlooking the upmarket neighborhood’s main square. Serving Guinness (naturally) as well as other imported beers and traditional food such as fish and chips, Shenanigans opens into the wee small hours and is also a popular spot for watching international sports matches.

The Lapa Irish Pub, on the other hand, has the advantage of a location directly beneath the perennially popular Rio Bohemia Hostel (formerly Sambavilla Hostel), which sits right across from the Arcos da Lapa (Lapa Arches) at the very heart of Rio’s downtown party action.

The Lapa Irish Pub offers few surprises on the food and drinks menu – fish and chips and burger and chips being among the usual suspects to be found here, but the one must-try option is the Guinness Pie, which is sure to satisfy a few cravings for both Irish food and the country’s most famous drink.

Speaking of which, Guinness is thankfully present here, along with other draught and bottled imported beers and a range of Brazilian favorites such as Brahma, Bohemia and Antartica, High import taxes mean that non-national beers are expensive, so anyone with a hankering for a sip of Guinness might find that they opt for the local options instead once they clock the price tag.

Both Irish pubs attract a party-loving crowd that are well and truly up for the craic, and these are good spots to meet fellow travelers and enjoy drinks promotions such as cocktail jugs and two for one beers.

Photo: Cipiriani, courtesy of www.pololido.com.br

Hotel restaurants worldwide have something of a reputation for serving overpriced, uninspired fare, but that is about as far as it is possible to get from Rio’s hotel restaurant scene.

Many of Rio’s very best restaurants can be found within the confines of the city’s better hotels, and between them the restaurants of Copacabana Palace, Sofitel Rio and Fasano Rio share a list of awards that is as long as your arm.

Happily for those travelers whose budgets won’t stretch to a night at one of these super-expensive esatablishments, the restaurants welcome non-guests, although do be sure to dress up for the occasion as you will be mingling with Rio high society here. You should also be prepared to spend big bucks – dining out in Rio is an expensive business, and never more so than at these sophisticated establishments.

For a really special night out, book yourself a table at Cipriani (reservations are essential at all the top hotel restaurants), Copacabana Palace’s refined and romantic Italian restaurant. Madonna, Will Smith and the Obamas have all dined here in recent years, and the service is as impeccable as one would expect for a restaurant accustomed to welcoming A-listers from across the world.

Begin your dining experience with a Cipriani (essentially a Bellini – Champagne with peach juice) and take your pick from the Northern Italian classics that head chef Nicola Finamore lovingly assembles. Guests here are required to keep mobile phones switched off, which should give some idea of the restrained atmosphere that prevails here – if you are looking for a rowdy celebratory dinner, this is not the place to head for.

For Italian dishes with an emphasis on seafood, head for Fasano Al Mare, the formal restaurant at the Phillipe Starck-designed Fasano Rio hotel. As chic, elegant and contemporary as the hotel itself, Fasano Al Mare has welcomed such illustrious guests as Tom Cruise and Katie H0lmes, and had been showered with awards from local food and drink publications within just a few months of its opening in 2008.

Chef Luca Gozzani makes regular updates to the menu to make best use of seasonal ingredients, and delicacies such as mini-squid stuffed with herbs and breadcrumbs and serves with black olive gnocchi are among the sophisticated ante-pasti you can find here. Expensive by any standards, Fasano Al Mare does offer a lunchtime set menu where guests can enjoy three courses for under R$100.

For fine French food with a view that is every bit as delicious as the dishes, head to Sofitel Rio in Copacabana. This luxury hotel may lack the fame of Copacabana Palace and Fasano Rio, but the hotel restaurant Le Pre Catalan is among the most celebrated in the city. To sample the best of chef Roland Villard’s cuisine, order the taster menu, which costs around R$250 but will offer a culinary journey that is worth every centavo.

Photo courtesy of Copacabana Palace/Orient Express

Sunset view from Arpoador

New Year’s in Rio was a rather wet and rainy affair , so if you didn’t book a holiday here and have been cursing yourself for missing an opportunity to ring in 2012 in romantic style, you may well have had a lucky break.

Valentine’s Day is just weeks away, and with the New Year crowds long gone and the Carnival crush yet to begin, February 14th is sure to be a wonderful time to be in Rio de Janeiro.

To make things even better for romantic couples heading here for Valentine’s Day, Brazilians don’t celebrate the occasion in February (their own version, Dia dos Namorados, or ‘Lovers’ Day’ falls in June), so there is none of the struggle for a restaurant table, the rushed service and the vastly inflated prices that you would expect back home.

Instead, you should easily be able to find a table at one of Rio’s most romantic restaurants, before heading home to spend the night at one of the city’s most romantic hotels. Rio is a city whose sheer beauty is bound to have the pulse racing, so heading here for the most romantic day of the year is sure to be a special occasion. For an ultra romantic date, take the cable car upSugar Loaf mountain

at sunset and bring along a bottle of bubbly and two glasses to enjoy at the summit before heading off to dinner.

Angra dos Reis

It’s midwinter in North America and Europe, which means it’s midsummer in Rio de Janeiro, and temperatures in this steamy city are spiralling into the high 30s and above.

When things start to hot up in Rio they get seriously hot, and for those who literally can’t stand the heat it’s time to make like the locals and head off to breezier beach resorts in Rio de Janeiro state.

Luckily for those in search of the perfect beach, Rio de Janeiro is surrounded by plenty of contenders for that title. Around two hours by coach lies the gorgeous beach resort of Buzios, a one-time quiet fishing village that became one of Brazil’s hottest destinations during the 1960s, when Bridget Bardot took a holiday there with her Brazilian boyfriend of the time. Today, Buzios is a hot destination for surfers, sunbathers and well-to-do Rio locals who spend their days at the 20-something beaches and their nights at the town’s many restaurants.

A slightly less touristic option is Angra dos Reis, a beach town surrounded by 365 islands (one for every day of the year, as the locals say) and which is often overlooked by tourists as they make their way directly to the largest of the islands, Ilha Grande.

Book a hotel at Praia do Bonfim, in Angra dos Reis, and you will be right on the sands of a perfect sandy bay with clear waters that are safe for swimming and home to a population of sea turtles. Strong swimmers can make their way out to a tiny island on which sits an even tinier whitewashed church – if you doubt your swimming abilities (it’s about 15 minutes with a significant undertow), ask your hotel to loan you a canoe to make the short trip.

Regular comfortable, air conditioned buses depart for both Angra dos Reis (here you can take boats to Ilha Grande) and Buzios from Rio de Janeiro’s main bus station, Rodoviaria Novo Rio.

Restaurante Aprazivel, in Santa Teresa, courtesy of http://www.apartmentinrio.net

Balmy evenings, beautiful views, and an abundance of fresh tropical delicacies…all these factors combine to make dining out in Rio a memorable experience as long as you pick the right restaurants and avoid the tourist traps. (Hint, with few exceptions, the bar-restaurants and pizza joints along Copacabana beach front fall into the latter category…)

But if you want to go all out to impress that special someone – be it your long-term partner or that Brazilian beauty you met on Ipanema Beach – there are some restaurants that are guaranteed to score top points for romance. And while some of Rio’s most romantic restaurants do fall into the ‘luxury’ category, others are affordable even for those on tight travel budgets.

Here’s our pick of the top romantic restaurants in Rio de Janeiro.

1. Pergula Nothing says glamour quite like sipping a glass of champagne by the pool at Copacabana Palace, and at this informal restaurant non-guests are welcome to do just that. While the indoor restaurant, Cipriani, requires formal dress, here you can relax in your slinkiest holiday wear and let the romantic mood take over as you choose from a range of finger foods and main meals, all with an Italian-Brazilian flavour. Very pricey, but worth it as a treat.

2. Aprazivel The French-Brazilian food here is delicious, but it’s the al-fresco dining and the stunning views over Guanabara Bay that make Aprazivel extra special. The restaurant sits high on a hilltop in the leafy, bohemian neighbourhood of Santa Teresa, and tables and chairs are set out under tropical trees lit with sparkling fairy lights and visited by monkeys and toucans. Pricey, but not budget-busting.

3. Fasano Al Mare The Fasano Rio hotel in Ipanema was the first hotel to really give Copacabana Palace a run for its money when it opened in 2008, and its elegant Italian seaood restaurant scores is easily the equal of Cipriani at Copacabana Palace. The understated white decor and tranquil ambience are pleasant enough, but the seafood is simply outstanding. Guests can ask for their tables to be curtained off to up the romance factor even more. Very expensive.

4. Espirito Santa Pull up a chair at one of the tables on the candle-lit patio, and order a cocktail made with native Brazilian fruits before ordering from a menu that makes good use of fresh fruit, vegetables and seafood from across the country, with a particular emphasis on the Amazon. The views over the scenic streets of Santa Teresa are almost as delicious as the food. Prices here are moderate, by Brazilian standards.

5. Mr Lam Chinese food had never been associated with fine dining in Rio until the arrival of Mr Lam, in 2007. This stylish restuarant is located between the two well-to-do neighborhoods of Lagoa and Jardim Botanico, and attracts a clientele that includes stars of stage, screen and sport. The food is undeniably good, but the main reason to come here on a romantic date is the setting. The top floor tables sit directly beneath the arms of the Christ statue, and on clear, warm nights the glass roof slides right back to offer immaculate views of Rio’s most famous resident. Expensive, but the set meals are a real feast.

Photo shows Aprazivel, in Santa Teresa, courtesy of  www.apartmentinrio.net

Motels generally charge per six hours or 12 hours, and while they tend to be much more affordable than standard hotels, the vibe is more raunchy than romantic. If that’s what you’re looking for, then you are spoiled for choice – look for places with such subtle names as Sinless and Hotel Love Time, and you won’t go far wrong.

Should you be looking for something a little classier, there are options in every price range, from budget-friendly to blow out. Rio is a city that gets the heart racing, and romantic hotels here will be sure to have you falling head over heels in love with the city. Here’s our pick of the top five romantic hotels in Rio.

1. Copacabana Palace

Age has not withered this classic beauty, which has been syonymous with glamour and luxury since its construction in the 1920s, and it is still the hotel of choice for VIP guests, with the Obamas, Madonna and Will Smith among the long list of stars to have stayed at Copacabana Palace in recent years. Rooms with sea views are well worth the extra cash, and the hotel’s pool is a wonderful place for a cocktail and a bite to eat. The more formal restaurant, Cipriani, is one of the top restaurants in Rio.

2. Fasano Rio

Yes, it’s expensive, but as a blow-out romantic treat this Phillipe Starck-designed hotel overlooking Ipanema beach is worth it. The rooms and restaurant are elegant, and the rooftop infinity pool with views over the beach is the perfect place to be at sunset. Just add a champagne cocktail to up the wow factor even more.

3. Hotel Santa Teresa

This five-star hotel opened in 2009 and brought a touch of luxury and glamour to the boho hillside neighborhood of Santa Teresa. It was the hotel of choice for the late Amy Winehouse during her 2011 Brazilian tour, and its location some distance from the beaches of the Zona Sul means that it offers its five-star luxury at prices that are a fraction of those in Ipanema, Leblon or Copacabana. If you don’t mind taking a cab to the beach, this hotel, with its sweeping views, large pool and romantic rooms and suites, could be for you.

4. Marina All Suites

This design hotel is located on the beachfront at Leblon, Rio’s most exclusive neighborhood. Each suite has been signed by a different designer, and all feature luxurious extras such as stereo systems and beautifully appointed mini- kitchens. There’s even a private cinema, and guests can make film requests with the friendly staff downstairs. One regular guest is the supermodel Gisele Bundchen, and the bar and restaurant, Bar d’Hotel, is a hangout for Rio’s beautiful elite.

5. Casa 579

Hidden away in Santa Teresa, this hilltop guesthouse offers some of the best views in Rio from its rooftop pool. The double rooms (there are dorms too) are much more affordable than many hotels in Rio, and each is themed around a separate Rio samba school. For romance on a realistic budget, this is our top choice.

Photo: Copacabana Palace, courtesy of hotels.com

Once the domain of drug cartels, many of Rio’s favelas are now under military police occupation, as the city council pulls out all the stops to try and reduce crime levels ahead of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, and the 2016 Rio Olympics. With power wrested from the hands of the powerful drugs gangs, the favelas are now proving more and more enticing to tourists. The last few years have seen a trend for pousasas (guest houses) springing up in Rio’s favelas, and now is perhaps a better time than ever to stay in one of these unique spots.

Established pousadas such as The Maze, close to Catete, and Favelinha, near Santa Teresa, have built up a solid reputation with locals over the years and, as such, guests are likely to be received with friendly curiosity in the community. It goes without saying that guests should be respectful of the surroundings and avoid wandering off willy-nilly into the favela, but contrary to popular belief crime against tourists is actually significantly lower in these areas than in super-touristy locations such as Copacabana.

Avoid very recently-opened pousadas in the favelas, as these may not yet have built up a solid rapport with the community and outsiders may, in some cases, be met with suspicion.

The two examples cited here are both safe to visit, and offer unbeatable views over Rio, in addition to a visitor experience that is very different to the tourist view of Rio as seen from the beachfront tower blocks. Photos courtesy of Pousada Favelinha