With its colonial history and fabulous setting, the sophisticated city of Rio de Janeiro continues to be one of the world's most spectacular destinations. It is a city of contrasts where glitzy hotels and high-rise business blocks line the palm-fringed, white-sand beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema, while shanty towns known as favelas carpet the surrounding hillside.

FASANO RIO
Av Vieira Souto 80 (00 55 11 3896 4000; www.fasano.com.br). The Fasano family's first hotel in São Paulo set a new standard for understated luxury and gastronomic excellence in Brazil when it opened in 2003; its second outpost has just opened in Rio de Janeiro, on Ipanema Beach. The Philippe Starck-designed Fasano Rio is inspired by the city's modernist heritage, although its sleek, contemporary-retro feel is a far cry from Roberto Burle Marx's vivacious 1960s pavements on nearby Copacabana beach. Furniture comes from Brazilian modernist designers such as Oscar Niemeyer and Sérgio Rodrigues, and as well as 88 rooms, the hotel has a penthouse swimming pool with Atlantic views, an Italian seafood restaurant, Fasano al Mare, and bar, Londra, both of which are set to become local hotspots. ££

SOUTH AMERICAN COPACABANA
Rua Francisco Sa 90, Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, CEP 22080-010 (00 355 21 522 0040; fax: 267 0748). This 99-room hotel is the nearest thing Rio has to a boutique hotel. It is sophisticated, modern but unpretentious. ££

COPACABANA PALACE
Avenida Atlântica 1702 (00 55 21 2548 7070; www.copacabanapalace.com.br). Opened in 1923, this handsome Art Deco landmark, recently refurbished, is still the classiest place in town. Its Cipriani restaurant is also top-notch for carpaccios, pastas and fish platters. ££

GRANDARRELL OUROVERDE HOTEL
Avenida Atlântica 1456 (00 55 21 2543 4123; www.grandarrell.com.br). Although its plain façade is easily missed, this old-style Deco-ish hotel remains a favourite for its stylish interior and fair prices. Formerly home to the best restaurant in Rio, it no longer makes the culinary grade, unfortunately. £

HOTEL GLÓRIA
Rua do Russel 632 (00 55 21 2555 7272; www.hotelgloriario.com.br). Like its namesake neighbourhood, the Gloria is a little bit worse for wear. But the old furnishings and high ceilings make for an elegant stay halfway between beach and city. Views from the third-floor pool terrace are spectacular. £

JW MARRIOTT HOTEL RIO DE JANEIRO
Avenida Atlântica 2600 (00 55 21 2545 6500). Big, bustling and boasting excellent views over the luscious curve of sand. All facilities and fine restaurants on site. £

CAESAR PARK IPANEMA
Avenida Vieira Souto 460, Rio de Janeiro, CEP 22420-000 (00 55 21 525 2525; fax: 521 6000). Respected, high-quality hotel favoured by business executives. Located on the most stylish stretch of the most stylish beach. There are 221 rooms and a good restaurant (Tiberius, on the 23rd floor). ££

RIO ATLANTICA
Avenida Atlantica 2964, Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, CEP 22070-000 (00 55 21 548 6332; fax: 25 6410). This tall and slender concrete tower contains 228 rooms and offers superlative ocean panoramas particularly from the pool terrace. It has a great location, crisp Mediterranean interiors, an easy-going atmosphere and friendly, helpful staff. ££

INTERCONTINENTAL
Avenida Prefeito Mendes de Morais 222, São Conrado, Rio de Janeiro, CEP 22610-090 (00 55 21 322 2200; fax: 322 5500). Located south of the city, this is a mighty, American-style hotel with 431 rooms and suites, most of them in the hotel tower. There are also a few cabanas gathered around the pool, several restaurants, three swimming pools, a huge gym and tennis courts. ££

BARZHINHOS DE PRAIA
Cariocas (as Rio residents are known) eat and drink on the move, stopping at barzhinhos de praia (beach bars) to buy a drink of fresh água de côco, sipped with a straw from the freshly severed coconut, or a tender cob of boiled sweetcorn.

BOTECOS
Also popular on the hop are the hundreds of little bars (botecos) with a few stools where empadinhas are served (baked or deep-fried pastries stuffed with spiced beef, pork, ham, chicken, melting cheese, vegetable, bacalhau (dried cod) and potato).

CHUMASCO LANCHONETE
Rua do Rosano 142, Centro Rio. Lanchonetes are cheap and cheerful help-yourself bars. At Chumasco Lanchonete, there are 50 dishes offered along a central buffet including dozens of salads and varied titbits as well as more substantial chicken, beef, fish and pasta dishes.

CASA DA FEIJOADA
Rua Prudente de Morais 10, Ipanema (00 55 21 267 4994). Rio is famous for one important dish, feijoada, a bean stew. The best is served at Casa da Feijoada, a cosy, relaxed restaurant in a fashionable, quiet corner of Ipanema.

ACADEMIA DA CACHACA
Rua Conde Bernadotte 26, Ioja G, Leblon (00 55 21 1542). Caipirinhas are Brazil's greatest gift to the world of drink. It is a rum sour made with crushed sugar, limes and cachaça (the national white rum distilled from cane sugar). The Academia de Cachaça has 2,000 different examples of cachaça, the oldest dating back to 1875, a Fazenda Capão Grosso. The Academia is something of an institution and over 11 years it has become a great visitor attraction and a source of pride to Cariocas. It is a wonderful restaurant tucked away, where you can enjoy specialities such as shredded beef with cassava cream purée or a melting cheese sauce, or fillet steak sliced and cooked in ginger.

PORCAO
Rua Barão da Torre 218, Ipanema (00 55 21 522 0999) and also at avenida Armando Lombardi 591, Barra da Tijuca (00 55 21 493 3355). Porcão is a churrascaria (barbecue restaurant) patronised by meat-loving Cariocas. This is as typical as Brazilian eating gets, since it's the everyday food of the south. Both Porcão restaurants are huge, lively and busy with waiters circling the room with grilled meat skewered on swords.

CAFE DE LA PAIX
Le Méridien, avenida Atlântica 1020, Copacabana (00 55 21 275 992). Go for the excellent breakfasts of fresh tropical fruits, dried fruits, cereals, savoury choices of hams, salamis, eggs and cheeses, as well as cakes and sweet desserts.

SIRI MOLE & CIA
Rua Francisco Otaviano 50, Copacabana (00 55 21 267 0894). Rio's best Bahian restaurant serving specialities from Bahia including fish grilled over wood fires and seafood stews called moquecas.

CENTRO

CONFEITARIA COLOMBO
Rua Gonçalves Dias 32 (00 55 21 2232 2300; www.confeitariacolombo.com.br). This belle époque beauty is indisputably one of the worlds most elegant cafés. Check out the old photos and the glass cabinets full of silverware from a bygone era.

OSTERIA DELLANGOLO
Rua Teófilo Otoni 63 (00 55 21 2518 6913). Reliable North Italian cooking, including light, tasty risottos and polenta dishes. (There is also a branch in Ipanema at Rua Paul Redfern 40; 00 55 21 2259 3148.)

AMARELINHO
Praça Floriano 55 (00 55 21 2240 8434). This, the Cinelândia branch of a well-liked chain, is good for salads, the bean dish feijoada, fish and meat dishes, ice-cold chopps (draught beer) and people-watching. The plaza setting is lovely.

FLAMENGO
Café Lamas, rua Marquês de Abrantes 18 (00 55 21 2556 0799). Football on TV, cold beer and Portuguese wines accompany basic Brazilian food. Founded in 1874, this is a favourite with hacks and intellectuals.

BOTAFOGO
Roda de Choro, praça Mauro Duarte (no telephone). Laid-back bars and eateries (sushi, Brazilian, pizzas, sandwiches) set around a fruit-and-vegetable market. Perfect for relaxing and chatting with chorinho in the background on Sunday evenings from 7pm onwards.

IPANEMA/LEBLON

ACADEMIA DA CACHAÇA
Rua Conde Bernadotte 26 (00 55 21 2239 1542; www.academiadacachaca.com.br). Offering cocktails as well as hundreds of brands of Brazils noble firewater, this is a relaxed, family-friendly, open-air bar/restaurant. Sun-dried beef and other snacks are available.

BAR D'HOTEL
Avenida Delfim Moreira 696 (00 55 21 2540 4990). Sophisticated, sexy meeting place for the smart set - gay and straight - upstairs at Hotel Marina All Suites on the Leblon front.

CARLOTA
Rua Dias Ferreira 64 (00 55 21 2294 6257). Contemporary Brazilian food from guava soufflé to fillet steak, tapping into the rich ethnic mix of the city.

GERO
Rua Anibal de Mendonça 157 (00 55 21 2239 8158). High-class Italian food for Rios media, film and millionaire-celeb crowd.

A GAROTA DE IPANEMA
Rua Vinicius de Moraes 49 (00 55 21 2523 3787). Noisy at weekends when families pack the place, so go in the week for a chilled beer accompanied by grilled meats or pizza. The Girl from Ipanema was written here.

PLATAFORMA
Rua Adalberto Ferreira 32 (00 55 21 2274 4022). Enjoy steak and samba at this renowned churrascaria (grill) which pulls in tourists and cariocas.

ZUKA
Rua Dias Ferreira 233 (00 55 21 3205 7154). Lovingly presented, mainly European cuisine in a restaurant ranked as one of Rios most fashionable.

LAPA/CENTRO ANTIGO

BAR DO CLAUDIO
Rua Joaquim Silva 90A (no telephone). Popular bar with kitsch decor. Hearty Brazilian food is served.

CARIOCA DA GEMA
Avenida Mem de Sá 79 (00 55 21 2221 0043). Live music and cocktails attract Lapa's boho crowd.

CENTRO CULTURAL CARIOCA
Rua do Teatro 37 (00 55 21 2242 9642; www.centroculturalcarioca.com). Spacious modern bar/restaurant in an old building, with regular live bands and dance classes. The fruity vodka- and cachaça-based cocktails are good for a late drink. Closesaround 2am.

RIO SCENARIUM
Rua do Lavradio 20 (00 55 21 3852 5516). Unmissable music venue in opulent surroundings, with a good modern Brazilian menu: tapas of seafood and meat, or main meals.

SANTA TERESA

BAR DO ARNAUDO
Rua Almirante Alexandrino 316 (00 55 21 2252 7246). Venue famed for quality dishes from Brazils north-east, with a regular clientele of intellectuals and artists.

BAR DO MARCO
Rua Almirante Alexandrino 412A (00 55 21 2531 8787). Friendly, sleepy Bahian restaurant overlooking the morros of Santa Teresa. The moqueca, made with local fish, is nicely tinged with spices.

FAVELAS
Travellers are increasingly paying visits to the hillside slums known as favelas. Rio has 600 of these; they are picturesque at night, and fascinating, if poor, up close. To take a non-voyeuristic tour of two, call Marcelo Armstrong on 00 55 21 3322 2727 or visit www.favelatour.com.br.

FOOTBALL
To organise a guided visit to one of the big matches at Maracanã Stadium, ask your hotel concierge. Several Rio-based tour operators book VIP seats for main matches.

CARNIVAL
Visit www.brazil.org.uk for carnival information, samba schools and links for ordering costumes.

CORCOVADO
For a fabulous view of Rio, head to the top of Corcovado, the 750m mountain peak with the statue of Christ the Redeemer at its summit. From here you will see that Rio is divided into two zones, norte (north) and sul (south), by the Serra da Carioca, steep mountains, part of the Parque Nacional da Tijuca.

PAO DE ACUCAR
Take the two cable cars which climb 396m above Rio and the Baía de Guanabara to the top of Pão de Açúcar (Sugar Loaf Mountain). For the most romantic view, go at sunset.

BEACHES
Copacabana is one of the world's most famous beaches, extending for 4.5km along Rio's coast. Ipanema is Rio's richest and chicest beach. Other popular beaches within and near the city include Pepino, Barra da Tijuca, Flamengo and Arpoador.

BUZIOS
Two hours' drive north of Rio, on the Costa do Sol, is the peninsula of Cabo Frio and the resort of Armação de Buzios. With over a dozen sandy coves, this is the sort of paradise that was lost some time back in Rio. Buzios was 'discovered' by tourism after Brigitte Bardot visited in 1964. Out of season, the secluded beaches and little boats beyond the headlands evoke the feel of a fishing village.

BEACHWEAR

SALINAS
Rua Visconde de Pirajá 547 (00 55 21 274 0644). Salinas is the most stylish bikini label in Rio, where the bikinis are possibly the most stylish in the world. This is one of the few places in the world where you will find both summer and winter bikinis. Open daily, 9am to 7pm.

LENNY
Rua Visconde de Pirajá 351 (00 55 21 523 3796). Equally high quality bikinis as those by Salinas, but less exclusive. Open daily, 10am to 8pm.

TOTEM
Rua Visconde de Pirajá 547 (00 55 21 540 0661). Sells surfwear made from natural fibres. Open Mon to Fri, 9.30am to 7.30pm.

JEWELLERS

ANTONIO BERNARDO
Rua Visconde de Pirajá 351 (00 55 21 523 3192). Bernardo is Brazil's most acclaimed jewellery designer and although he is known internationally, he only has outlets in his home country. Open Mon to Fri, 10am to 8pm.

H STERN
Rua Garcia D'Avila 113 (00 55 21 259 7442). Hans Stern, a German Jew who emigrated to Brazil shortly before World War II, has created one of the world's largest jewellery empires, based on indigenous Brazilian gemstones. There are now over 170 stores and this one, in Ipanema, is the largest - shoppers can visit a museum and watch the firm's stonecutters at work. Open Mon to Fri, 10am to 7pm; Sat 10am to 2pm.

FASHION

ANDREA SALETTO
Rua Nascimento da Silva 244 (00 55 21 522 5858). Saletto is the most individual and sophisticated of Rio's designers; considering the norm is quite garish, the clothes on sale here are refreshingly modest and chic. Open Mon to Sat, 10am to 8pm.

MARIA BONITA
Rua Vinícius de Moraes 149 (00 55 21 523 4093). For more than 20 years Maria Candida Sarmento has dressed Rio's elegant set with her cosmopolitan designs. She often experiments with new materials and is well known for her painted fabrics. Open Mon to Fri, 10am to 8pm; Sat 10am to 2pm.

GILSON MARTINS
Rua Visconde de Pirajá 565B (00 55 21 540 5868). Has a line of handbags with classic designs but made in futuristically coloured, synthetic materials. Also worth looking at are his purses, which are both funky and functional. Open Mon to Fri, 9am to 8pm; Sat, 9am to 6pm.

FLORISTS

FLOWER FOREVER
Rua Visconde de Pirajá 547 (no telephone). Dried flowers have never looked this good. The arrangements, made by staff, look innovative and striking. Open daily, 9am to 7pm.

INTERIORS

VIT, SHOPPING DA GAVEA
Rua Marquês de São Vicente 42, third floor (00 55 21 294 4210). A wonderful shop, as much a museum of Art Deco, Art Nouveau and 20th-century rococo interior design as it is a commercial concern. Stocks authentic objects from the 1920s to the 1950s, including hardwood tables, curved sofas, Italian desk lights and ceramics. Open Mon to Sat, 11am to 7pm.

RIO DESIGN CENTRE
Avenida Ataulfo de Paiva 270 (00 55 21 274 7893). The Rio Design Centre is a three-storey complex full of sophisticated boutiques selling everything you might need for the home. Open Mon to Fri, 10am to 10pm; Sat, 10am to 6pm.

CRAFTWORK

JOHN SOMERS, SHOPPING DA GÁVEA
Rua Marquês de São Vicente 52, second floor (00 55 21 512 8779). John Somers is an Englishman who came to Brazil and became the country's foremost expert on pewter and tin, a metal the country has in abundance. The shop has everything from cups to candelabra in modern and traditional designs. JS monogrammed pewter is now a byword for quality and class. Open Mon to Fri, 10am to 9pm; Sat 10am to 8pm.

FEIRA HAPPY (HIPPY MARKET)
Praça General Osório. Depending on your point of view, this is either a bustling, thriving market where you can find authentic local crafts, or a shanty town of stalls selling predictable hippy jewellery, naff leather gear and tacky paintings. But, by common consent, it's probably the best place to buy a hammock; and the giant leather beanbags are so kitsch they're actually quite fun. Open Sun 9am to 6pm.

BOOKS AND RECORDS

BAR DAS ARTES
Praça XV de Novembro 48 (00 55 21 2215 5795; www.bistro.com.br). Lovely bookshop specialising in art, history, photography and works about Rio, with a good selection in English. It is also home to a smart café/restaurant and specialist Brazilian record store.

MODERN SOUND
Rua Barata Ribeiro 502D (00 55 21 2548 5005; www.modernsound.com.br). Copacabana's music megastore, packed with samba, bossa, forró, choro, tropicalismo, maracatu, repentismo, frevo and everything else.

AIRPORT
Galeão international airport is 15km north of the city centre on Ilha do Governador.

AIRLINES FROM THE UK
Varig (020 8321 7170; www.varig.co.uk) flies to Rio de Janeiro via São Paolo; TAP Air Portugal (0845 601 0932; www.tap-airportugal.co.uk) flies from London Heathrow to Rio de Janeiro via Lisbon; British Airways (0870 850 9850; www.britishairways.com) flies from London Heathrow to Rio de Janeiro via São Paolo.

When out and about in Rio, it is important to leave your valuables in your hotel room (if you consider it reliable) or safe. Also leave behind all important documents such as your passport; carry a photocopy instead. Do not carry too much cash and keep small change handy so that you can pay for small expenses without extracting large wads which attract attention. Sightseeing in the centre of town is safer during the week when there are more people around. At night, avoid walking down any alleys, narrow streets or wherever there may be hiding places.

The main tourist office (00 55 21 217 7575; fax: 531 1872) is at Rua da Assembléia 10, 8th floor, but it has a special 'tourist room' (00 55 21 541 7522) at Avenida Princesa Isabel 183 in Copacabana, offering free brochures and maps.

Visit www.brazil.org.uk, the website of the Brazilian Embassy in London.

Always consult the Foreign Office before travelling.