View from Santa Teresa

With its soft curves of white sand beaches, lush vegetation and jutting mountains, Rio de Janeiro is arguably the most stunning city on the planet. But there is more to the city than beautiful beaches and beautiful people, and the longer you spend here, the more you will get to know the many faces of this most fascinating of cities.

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Locals flock to Nega Teresa's acaraje stall

While nobody should come to Rio de Janeiro without making the tourist pilgrimages to see the Christ Statue, Sugar Loaf mountain and the beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana, there are times when visitors want to get off the tourist trail and experience the city like a local.

Fortunately, you won’t have to venture too far off the beaten track to discover the spots that locals love but that remain largely off the tourist radar.  For an eating and drinking experience that feels different from the norm, head away from the beaches and up into the hills of Santa Teresa on a weekend evening. Instead of joining the tourist throng that mills around the main eating and drinking strip around Largo do Guimaraes, follow the tram line up Almirante Alexandrino until you reach ‘Castelinho‘ a fairytale-esque turreted white castle. In front of the castle sits a little strip of watering holes and cafes that, while popular with locals, are largely unknown to tourists.

While the food and drink at Mike’s Haus and Bar do Bonde are tasty enough, the real reason to venture up here is to try the northeastern delicacies of Nega Teresa, who sets up stall here from Thursday through Sunday. Dressed in the white gowns and headwrap of the candomble religion, Teresa sits beneath a sparkling chandelier, adding a touch of glamour to this unassuming street scene.

Her speciality is Acaraje  - a Bahian street food that sees beanflour patties fried in palm oil and split like a sandwich, to be filled with shrimp, chopped tomato, a gooey okra paste and spicy chilli (you can ask for any of these to be left out if they are not to your taste).

Pull up a seat at one of Bar do Bonde’s sidewalk tables, order a gin and tonic (this is one of few spots in Rio where you can find one at a less than budget-busting price) and place your order with Nega Teresa at her stall.

On Saturday nights, there are live samba, choro and pagode performances in Bar do Bonde, providing a wonderful musical backdrop to your culinary adventure.

Photo courtesy of Lucy Bryson

Restaurante Aprazivel has an all-Brazilian wine list

It’s not difficult to find an ice cold beer in Rio. The locals are happy to sink a cooling glass of cerveja at virtually any time of day or night, and you’re never more than a few feet from a bar or street vendor.

Those who prefer the grape to the grain, however, will face more of a challenge in the city. Brazil is not a great wine-drinking nation on the whole and, while most upscale restaurants in Rio feature decent lists, it can be hard to find a drinkable glass at prices that won’t blow the budget.

Red wine lovers should be particularly wary – the cheaper varieties, as served in lower-priced bars and restaurants, are sweet, chilled, and very often served from a plastic bottle. White wine, where available, can be approaching sherry in strength in cheaper spots, and tends to be expensive when it is of decent quality.

For fine wines, Rio’s top-flight restaurants such as Olympe, Le Pre Catalan and Fasano Al Mare all have extensive lists of Old World and New World bottles, but be prepared to pay through the nose.

If you are merely looking for something drinkable, Bar do Gomes

in Santa Teresa does a reasonable bottle of white Chilean Sauvignon Blanc for R$25 (don’t opt for house wine by the glass here, it comes from a box and is barely drinkable); while for something a little more special Ovelha Negra in Botafogo has a huge range of sparkling wines – including, but not limited to, champagne.

Should you be curious about the emergence of national bottles onto the world wine scene, the all-Brazilian list of fine wines at Restaurante Aprazivel proves that we should not be so quick to dismiss the country’s viticulture.

Photo courtesy of apartmentinrio.net

While animal rights may not be at the top of many locals’ agendas, looking good on the beach is a major concern, and as such there are plenty of wholefood restaurants in the centre of the city and in the beach neighborhoods of the Zona Sul, many of which feature largely meat-free menus.

One good option for meat-free snacks on the hoof as well as sit-down buffet lunches is New Natural, on Rua Barao de Torre in Ipanema, handily located just a couple of blocks back from the beach and right next door to the little side street of backpacker accommodation that has become known as ‘Hostel Alley’.

In nearby Leblon, Vegetariano Social Clube is one of the best-regarded vegetarian restaurants in the city, with a vast lunch buffet and evening a-la-carte options that are all entirely free of meat and animal products. The restaurant manages to avoid any potential stuffiness, and even offers a range of potent cocktails made with organic cachaca and fresh fruit.

Vegetarians can also take heart in the fact that many churrascarias are in fact great places to enjoy a meat free feast. The set price to eat at legendary meat grills such as Porcao

A wealth of fresh, locally-grown fruit and vegetables means vegetarians won't go hungry in Rio

includes unlimited trips to the buffet bar, which groans under the weight of a staggering array of colorful salads, fresh fruits, vegetables and cheeses, breads,  pasta and rice dishes, sushi (much of which is fish-free) and tempting morsels such as palm hearts and stuffed olives.

Similarly, even the cheapest of pay-by-weight lunch restaurants (abundant in Rio) will offer a huge selection of meat-free salads and hot and cold sides, and it is often easy to tuck into a loaded plateful of fresh, healthy meat-free food while paying significantly less than at a dedicated vegetarian restaurant.

Do be wary when dining out in Rio, as soups, beans and other dishes very often contain pieces of meat or meat stock. If in doubt, avoid a dish, as even the most well-meaning of waiters will often insist that dishes are meat-free when they in fact are made with animal ingredients.The black or brown beans that are a staple part of the Carioca diet are usually hiding meaty ingredients, so avoid unless you are 100 per cent sure what you are eating.

Ilha Grande: Appreciate nature at its most magnificent

While Rio de Janeiro is undoubtedly one of the best places in the world to let your inner party animal roam free, there are times when even the most hardcore of hedonists may begin to crave a little respite from the relentless heat and driving samba beats.

March sees the city slip into post-carnival recovery mode, but while the spangly headdressses and sequinned bikinis are put back into storage for another year, the intense summer heat continues to beat down, and the beaches are crammed with locals and tourists jostling for a little elbow room.

If you really want to relax and revitalise at this time of year, the best thing to do is to take a trip out of the city and breathe some pure air, take a dip in a freshwater pool, and shower under natural waterfalls.

If time is of the essence, take a day trip out to Vargem Grande, which lies less than an hour’s bus or cab ride (more in times of heavy traffic) from central Rio. Just west of the built up, wealthy suburb of Barra da Tijuca, Vargem Grande is famous for its nature trails through lush jungles, which can be traversed on foot, bicycle or horseback. The neighborhood is also famous for its excellent restaurants, with Quinta the best of an impressive bunch.

Should you have a little more time to spare, it is possible to immerse yourself totally in the cleansing power of nature at a revitalising retreat. st over two hours’comfortable coach ride, followed by a half-hour ferry ride, and you can be in beautiful Ilha Grande, the vast nature reserve island famed for its pristine beaches.

From March to December each year, The Island Experience holds ‘active retreat’ programmes from a wonderfully off-the-beaten-track destination on the island, far from the crowds of tourists that pack the hotels and hostels in Vila de Abraao – the one and only town on the island. Guests can combine active pursuits such as trekking and kayaking with spa treatments and twice daily yoga classes, as well as trying their hand at capoieira, the elegant combination of dance and martial arts.

Meals are planned to fuel and re-energise the body, and are largely vegetarian, although dedicated meat eaters will not go hungry. With a location close to white sands, blue sea and dense jungle, this is the perfect place to escape the madding crowd and appreciate nature at its most spectacular.

A taxi to Vargem Grande will cost R$60-70 each way, independent of the number of passengers, so it is worth getting a group together for a trip out west. Coaches leave hourly from Rio de Janeiro’s main bus station, Novo Rio, for Angra dos Reis – the departure point for ferries and fishing boats to Ilha Grande. For more information on The Island Experience, emal information@theislandexperience.com.br

Photos courtesy of The Island Experience

The Island Experience combines relaxation with active pursuits

Taking baby to the beach needs to be carefully planned

Rio de Janeiro is a great place for families, but if you are coming here with babies or very young children, there are some practicalities to take into consideration if you want your trip to go as smoothly as possible.

Firstly, bear in mind that restaurants and cafes rarely have high chairs, so it’s well worth bringing along a lightweight portable high chair if you want baby to be able to join you at the table, and make the dining experience a whole lot easier and more enjoyable for all concerned. Babies are welcomed at all but the most formal restaurants, and staff will happily provide fruit or water and heat up bottles or food if required.

Bear in mind, too, that restaurants and cafes do not usually have changing rooms. Bring changing mats with you, and be prepared to change baby on whatever flat surface you can find. Again, ask staff and they will usually be able to point you in the direction of a suitable space.

On the other hand, shopping malls have marvelous changing rooms – complete with baby baths, rocking chairs and cool water for nursing mothers, microwaves for heating up food, and even free nappies and wipes.

The beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana also have strategically placed changing tables, so there’s no need to risk sand in the nappy. These are basic but functional, and you’ll need to bring your changing mat along.

Check with your hotel if they are able to provide a cot or crib – cheaper places tend not to, so a lightweight travel cot is a wise investment.

Lastly, bear in mind that the rough paving of Rio de Janeiro’s streets can make walking with a stroller tough going, so be prepared to take a lot of taxis.

Come prepared, and you and your family are sure to have a wonderful trip to Rio – Brazilians love babies, and your child is sure to receive a huge amount of friendly attention.

The teeny tiny bikinis of Rio are famous the world over

It’s hard to think of Rio de Janeiro beaches without picturing the famous images of bronzed, bootlilicious ladies in the teeniest, tiniest of bikinis. Brazil’s dental floss beachwear did, after all, generate a whole new style of ‘take it all off’ waxing (the ‘Brazilian’) and it is fair to say that this barely there swimwear is still the most popular style of bikini among the female frequenters of Rio’s legendary beaches such as Copacabana and Ipanema.

But while this may have male visitors hurriedly packing their mirror sunglasses and female visitors anxiously trying to fit in some emergency gym sessions, it is worth pointing out that not everybody on the beach fits the tourist image of the perfect female form. Ladies of all ages, shapes and sizes pour themselves into these tiny bikinis, and while there are indeed some supernaturally beautiful women to be spotted on the sands, those 0f us with more ‘down to Earth’ physiques can feel perfectly at home, too.

Rio’s beaches are open to all walks of life, and that includes those who look less than perfect in a tiny two piece. Oh, and something else to gladden the heart of female readers – the ‘small is beautiful’ attitude to swimwear applies to men, too, and the Brazilian male form is every bit as bronzed and sculpted as the female.

Photo courtesy of Lynn Yocum

Brazilian fruits such as guava are delicious when made into a vitamina with milk - or even a batida with vodka or cachaca

Meat eaters in Rio de Janeiro are spoiled for choice thanks to the plethora of churrascarias (all-you-can-eat meat grills) to be found across the city, but that’s not to say that there isn’t plenty of reason for vegetarians and health food fans to celebrate too.

The tropical climate and lush vegetation make for an abundance of delicious fruits, many of which are unheard of outside Brazil.

Brazilians love their fresh fruit juices, and there are juice bars on every street corner in the city, ranging from homely hole in the wall affairs to more sophisticated spots such as.

Even the simplest juice bar will offer a range of juices so vast that it can be difficult to make a choice, especially as many of the fruits here don’t even have translations in English.To get you started on your fruit-filled path to health and happiness, here are some not-to-be-missed choices:

• Acai: This Amazonian ‘power berry’ is packed with antioxidants and is said to fix everything from hangovers to the ageing process. Served frozen and often mixed with banana or other fruit and topped with anything from granola to chocolate sprinkles and strawberry sauce, it tastes like an intriguing mix of nuts and bubblegum. But a lot better than that may sound.
• Acerola: This little orange berry packs more vitamin C into its compact form than any other fruit on the planet. Very sour by itself, it is often mixed with orange juice for a real vitamin-C fest. Ask for your juice ‘natural’ if you don’t want it to come stiff with sugar.
• Abacate: You may think you know avocados, but it’s unlikely you have ever seen anything the size of the avocados in Rio. Brazilians eat them sweet, and often made into a vitamina – a blend of fruit and milk
• Caju: The fruit of the cashew nut, this is an aquired taste and not to everybody’s liking, but those who do like it tend to absolutely love it. It’s a taste that is almost impossible to describe, so you’ll need to try it yourself to find out if you are a caju lover or hater.

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