Flavours & Rhythms of Brazil

Touchdown in Rio de Janeiro, known as cidade maravilhosa (the marvellous city), steamy, sensuous, ever-surprising. Rio is full of contrasts of colour, customs and dazzling scenery. A city of sea and mountains, samba and Carnival. Witness the people of Rio who enjoy a truly relaxed and unique way of life. On arrival, meet your A&K representative who will assist you with your private transfer to your beachfront accommodation. Spend time relaxing in the hotel or head out on your own and explore. Get your bearings in this impossibly fabulous city, with its curving white beaches and city neighbourhoods studded with green-shrouded mountains.

Copacabana Palace, A Belmond Hotel

Witness one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World, Corcovado’s Christ the Redeemer. Gaze skywards at the sandstone figure towering 38 metres into the air, with arms pointing north and south, and breathe in sweeping views of the city rightly considered a UNESCO World Heritage site. Drive back to your hotel via the Maracanã stadium and famous Sambadrome, home to the annual Carnival parade. Your afternoon is at leisure to simply soak up the atmosphere from your beachfront home. Or continue to discover why this is truly one of the world’s most vibrant cities. Navigate the streets by bicycle, taking in the hotspots of Copacabana, Ipanema, Leblon and Rodrigo de Freitas lagoon (additional charge), or visit the Botanical Gardens, one of the world’s most important ecological sanctuaries, at the foot of Corcovado Mountain (additional charge). Alternatively, head to the bohemian Santa Teresa neighbourhood on Morro do Desterro (Exile Hill) for a taste of Old Rio. Take to the hills in a charming street car, seek out art studios and bars, and stop at the “Little Castle” (additional charge).

Copacabana Palace, A Belmond Hotel | Meals: B

Begin your day hovering over Sugar Loaf Mountain, Christ the Redeemer and the golden beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana on a helicopter flight over the city (additional charge). Then, step backstage into the captivating world of Rio’s Carnival, witnessing the artistry and creation of the elaborate costumes and imaginative floats that culminate in the world’s most vibrant street party. You will also have the chance to try on one of the carnival costumes. Afterwards take a driving tour through local neighbourhoods to the base of the mountain. Enjoy the cable car ride to the summit for the best sunset views in the city and sundowners with a backdrop of the city lights twinkling through the sea mist.

Copacabana Palace, A Belmond Hotel | Meals: B

Proceed to the airport for your flight to Foz do Iguaçu on the Brazilian side of the mighty Iguassu Falls. Your local A&K representative will meet you at the airport and assist with your private transfer. Drop your bags at the only hotel located within Brazil’s Iguassu National Park, just a short stroll from one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Descend into the canyon and soak up the vista of some 275 falls, before taking a glass elevator back to the top. Later appreciate your exclusive access to this magnificent wonder when the park is closed to non-hotel guests. Witness rainbows of colour over this incredible force of nature or perhaps enjoy a champagne overlooking the falls in near solitude.

Hotel Das Cataratas, A Belmond Hotel | Meals: B

No visit to the Iguassu is complete without experiencing the falls from the Argentinian perspective, as today’s adventure will prove. Cross the bridge to Argentina and wander along the network of pathways around the endless sheath of water. Venture by train to the suspended platform at the very brink of the roaring ‘Garganta del Diablo’ waterfall (Devil’s Throat). Here, a motorboat awaits to take you up the Lower Iguassu River, through rapids into the roaring Garganta del Diablo canyon in the heart of the falls. Return to your accommodation or perhaps you may like to experience a helicopter flight (additional charge) over the Iguassu National Park for an unrivalled view of the waterfalls, Três Fronteiras (the meeting point of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay).

Hotel Das Cataratas, A Belmond Hotel | Meals: B

Head to the Iguassu Bird Park, an internationally recognised rescue and conservation centre, for a behind-the scenes experience where you get up close to rare birdlife. Continue to the airport for your flight to Salvador, once the magnificent capital of Portugal’s New World colony and today the country’s Afro-Brazilian jewel. Meet your A&K representative and transfer to the historic centre where you can unwind in your boutique accommodation. Spend your first evening immersed in Bahian heritage at the intimate Miguel Santana Theatre. In an explosion of drums, music and energy, the world-renowned Bahia Folklore Company will enact the dances of the gods in the Candomblé pantheon and the rhythmic martial art, the capoeira.

Hotel Fasano | Meals: B

To peel back the layers of this Brazilian enigma, start in Pelourinho, a UNESCO World Heritage site and the largest complex of colonial architecture in South America. During a walking tour wander the cobbled, hilly streets and stop awhile in the municipal square to soak up the city vibe. Take the Elevador Lacerda, a concrete-encased elevator, down to the lower, more modern Salvador where the air is filled with the aroma of acarajé, an African-inspired street food of sizzling shrimp-filled dumplings. Learn to drink like a local with a curated tasting of cachaça, the Brazilian sugar cane liquor followed by lunch inspired by a creative mix of Mediterranean and North Eastern cuisine. Discover more of Salvador your way during an afternoon at leisure or simply relax in your hotel.

Hotel Fasano | Meals: BL

Spend a morning soaking up the local culture in São Joaquim market, the largest market in Salvador. Wander the labyrinth of passageways filled with everything from fresh meat and fish to shoes and statues. Look out for coriander, limes, garlic, coconut milk and dendê palm oil – the ingredients of Bahia’s best-known dish, moqueca. Then, head to a local eatery where you discover how to prepare this rich seafood stew. Fuelled by Bahian inspiration, find your rhythm in an intriguing percussion demonstration and workshop. Pick up the cuica or berimbau drums and follow the local percussionist through a cacophony of beats and techniques.

Hotel Fasano | Meals: BL

Set off on a final stroll around this enchanting destination before your private transfer to the airport for your onward journey.

Meals: B