Why we love Rio de Janeiro

Known to Brazilians as "Cidade Maravilhosa" (The Wonderful City), Rio de Janeiro is always brimming with color, sound, rhythm, and joy, which make it synonymous with Carnival, happiness, and beautiful people.

THE MAREVELOUS CITY

Exotic, rhythmic and sensual Rio de Janeiro is a city where one beach is more beautiful than the other, and where historic quarters and modern life pleasantly blend together. Immersed in the center with its strong cultural heritage and sumptuous areas of surrounding nature, the most luxurious palace hotels offers dream vacations to this festive, cultural and wellness minded city. Depending on the mood of the moment, Bohemian Rio, hyper Rio, jet set or even intimate Rio offers its multiple atmospheres to its delighted visitors.

BOHEMIAN RIO DE JANEIRO

Nestled on the hills of Old Rio, the central quarter of Santa Teresa, known as the Bohemian quarter, is filled with artists, intellectuals and highly sophisticated visitors. Strollers, window shoppers and admirers of beauty will all find what they’re seeking here. Its narrow, winding cobblestone streets, bordered by large flower filled homes in a variety of architectural styles, its walls of street art and its parks covered with mosaics make Santa Teresa one of the city’s most picturesque and trendy neighborhoods. Symbolizing the charm of the surroundings, the famous bonde electrico, a tramway built in 1896, meanders through the streets, dropping off passengers at a gastronomic restaurant, a quaint café or at a viewing spot with an incredible panorama of Guanabara Bay. To take full advantage of the numerous activities in this Brazilian equivalent of Paris’ Montmartre, book a room at the Santa Teresa Hotel.  You won’t be disappointed by its tropical chic design concept which makes it one of the South America’s most beautiful hotels.

SELECTIVE RIO DE JANEIRO

Rio de Janeiro is also a very popular jet set destination. The legendary Copacabana Beach with its fine sand acquired its fame in the 1920s with the construction of the Copacabana Beach Hotel in 1923, the only luxury hotel in Latin America at the time. Steeped in nostalgia and elegance, this mythical site welcomes eminent international personalities as well as Rio’s VIPs, who come here to sip a caïpirinha on the swimming pool terrace.Near the Copacabana Beach Hotel we do recommend the 4* Hotel Porto Bay International. Not far away, Ipanema, is even more glamorous, chic and sophisticated than its Copacabana rival. As the new center for fashion, Ipanema is the most select quarter of the city with the most luxurious boutiques in Rio. Ipanema beach, a popular spot for Rio’s privileged young people, is less crowded and calmer than Copacabana. 
Here we do recommend the hotel Fasano designed by Philippe Starck.

INTIMATE RIO DE JANEIRO

As author Stephan Zweig put it when he discovered Rio : « There is no more beautiful, inexhaustible and inextricable city in the world. One never ceases to discover it.” Rio owes its magic to its unprecedented natural setting, with an incredible combination of fine sand beaches, green morros (the mountains surrounding the city) and enchanting parks like the one in the Tijuca forest. By moving a bit further away from the beaches, the cultural center and the excitement of this city that never sleeps, that we discover the most intimate and remote sites in the area with the most luxuriant nature. Just fifteen minutes from Ipanema, the Suite for example, offers guests one of the finest views of the city on the ocean and enables them to enjoy one of the quarter’s best kept secrets: Joatinga Beach.

WHERE ?

Rio de Janeiro, the former capital of Brazil, self-proclaimed by its inhabitants as the “marvelous city,” is the country’s second largest metropolis after Sao Paulo and an historic crossroads of different civilizations as well as a site where modern life exists side by side with exotic nature. The word that best sums up this ambiance of enchanting beaches, samba rhythms and carnival is “alegria”…

WHY ?

Synonymous with festive vacations, Rio de Janeiro also possesses breathtaking landscapes. Whether it’s to swim and tan in January on one of the world’s most beautiful beaches or sway to the sound of maracas while sipping a caïpirinha or exploring the natural treasures with which the city and its surroundings are blessed, there’s something for everyone.

HOW ?

Rio de Janeiro has two airports. The Antonio Carlos Jobim Galeao International Airport is used for international flights arriving in Brazil. Santo Dumont, in the Bay of Guanabara, is closer to the center and is for domestic flights. Rio also has a centrally located train station, the Estacion Central do Brasil, although for travelling throughout the country’s interior, the highly developed national and international bus routes make Rodoviaria Novo Rio bus terminal a popular and excellent starting point. Finally, the best way to get around the city and enjoy all the sights and sounds is the legendary tramway built in 1896.

WHAT TO BRING BACK ?

To recall the taste of the exhilarating and exotic flavor of the renowned Rio cocktail, a bottle of cashaca or even the complete caïpirinha kit is highly recommended. In the area of beachwear, a pair of Havainas flip flops, a multi-colored bikini and a Copacabana sarong are excellent and practical souvenirs.

NOT TO BE MISSED

The Statue of Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf Mountain at Corcovado, via the Copacabana and Ipanema beaches of course, a visit to one of the world’s largest stadiums, the Maracana and the Tijuca National Park. And in February, Carnival in Rio of course, the world’s largest and most festive carnival!

Museu da Chácara do Céu, once the mansion of illustrious art collector Raimundo Otoni Castro Maya. Includes works by Picasso, Matisse, Monet, Jean Metzinger, Eliseu Visconti and Candido Portinari. Visit their website for more info.

Museu do Bonde, tells the story of the Santa Teresa tram, when pulled uphill by donkeys.

The Selarón stairway, 215 steps decorated with regularly-changing mosaics, created by Chilean artist Selarón who moved to Brazil in 1983.

Largo dos Guimarães, Santa Teresa’s busiest area, with most restaurants, bars and art studios. Nearby Largo das Neves, the last tram stop, also has popular bars and the Nossa Senhora das Neves Church.

The Santa Teresa Convent, and the Ship House (Casa Navio, 1938) and Valentim Castle (Castelo de Valentim, late nineteenth century), near Largo do Curvelo.

Parque das Ruínas (Ruins Park), a culture centre with fabulous 360-degree views high up the hill, which hosts exhibits and shows.

Centro Cultural Laurinda Santos Lobo (Rua Monte Alegre 306), which occupies a vintage Santa Teresa house, pays homage to an outstanding woman.

Centro Cultural Casa de Benjamin Constant, once home to Brazil’s greatest republicanist. The museum and its grounds are a perfect example of a typical Santa Teresa chácara (country house).

The Statue of Christ the Redeemer

The Statue of Christ the Redeemer (Eric Jrm Engelen)

Beautiful View Of Sugarloaf Mountain

Maracana Stadium

Copacabana Beach

Copacabana Beach

Photography by Eric Jrm Engelen

Ipanema Beach

Copacabana Beach

Bohemian Rio de Janeiro - Santa Teresa

Rio Carnival

Why You Need to Visit Venice in 2017!

The Grand Canal at Night

Venice, the capital of Veneto, in Italy’s north eastern district, was founded in the 5th century and is made up of 118 small islands on a lagoon. Isolated by canals and connected by bridges it remains one of the world’s most popular tourism destinations attracting more than twenty million visitors per year. 

Parts of the city and the lagoon were awarded UNESCO World Heritage status in 1987.

Most visitors begin their explorations at San Marco, the magnificent central square, which Napoleon Bonaparte called ‘the drawing room of Europe’.  The atmosphere is lively amid the hustle and bustle of the hoi polloi, the street hawkers jostle for position and the busy cafés serve frothy cappuccinos throughout the day.  I headed for the Florian Café, located on the square under the canopy of the arcade.

St Mark’s Square

Established in 1720, it is said that many members of Venetian society, including the playwright Carlo Goldoni and the author Giacomo Casanova, who achieved international fame as a scandalous philanderer, were regular patrons.  Today, English afternoon tea is served with aplomb on silver trays by sharp dressed waiters and includes a tasty selection of delicate sandwiches, delicious scones oozing with fruity jam and cream, and piping hot pots of tea.  And as the diners take in the grandeur of the Neo Baroque surroundings, the harmonious strains of classical music, played by the resident orchestra, drift across the café adding to the ambience.

The Doge’s Palace Exterior

After tea, a leisurely stroll around the square is just the ticket and St Mark’s Basilica, one of Venice’s main attractions, towers above the eastern end.  Five Byzantine domes and 24 carat gold leaf and glass mosaics glitter in the sunlight demanding the admiration of those passing by.  It is recorded that in 828 the remains of St Mark were smuggled out of Alexandria, Egypt, by two merchants and were presented to Giustiniano Particiaco, the Doge of Venice.

St Mark’s Basilica

St Mark’s Basilica was duly completed in 832, along with St Mark’s Campanile. Soaring 323 feet into the Venetian sky, the bell tower is one of the most recognised symbols of the city. In 976, the church was destroyed during a rebellion when the Doge Pietro IV Candiano was locked inside and the building was set on fire.  Rebuilt over the next two years, it was consecrated in 1094, following the rediscovery of the relics of St Mark, which were found secreted in a pillar by the Doge Vitale Faliero.  The Basilica remained the chapel of the Doges until 1807 when it became the seat of the archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese and Patriarch of Venice.  St Mark’s sarcophagus is now housed in the atrium within a golden altar decorated with thousands of sparkling gems including rubies, emeralds and sapphires.

The Doge’s Palace interior Courtesy of Visitmuve.it

Beside the Basilica and joined by a ceremonial entrance, the ‘Porta della Carta’ leads into the Doge’s Palace, a Gothic architectural masterpiece and a major landmark of the city. The building, erected in 1340, served as the centre of government and the official residence of the Doge of Venice.  Today, visitors are at liberty to wander around the courtyards, the Doge’s living quarters, and the grand halls of the institutional chambers, which feature frescoed walls, gold plated ceilings, elaborate murals and magnificent works of art including Tintoretto’s Il Paradiso, which was completed in 1577 and is located in the Sala del Collegio.

For a first rate Venitian luncheon, the Ristorante Al Giardinetto da Severino, located on Sestiere Castello, is only a five minute stroll from St Mark’s Square. The property dates back to the 15th century and has been managed by the same family since 1949.  The main dining room, which features a vaulted ceiling, was once a chapel, and there is also a spacious courtyard where diners are seated under a vine covered canopy.  I opted for the scrumptious fegato alla veneziana (Venetian style calves liver), and the glass of Solaia 1988 complimented the flavours perfectly.

Bridge of Sighs

Another famous landmark is the Bridge of Sighs, connecting the Doge’s Palace with the prison.  The graceful Baroque arch features two intricately carved stone grills and it is believed that prisoners on their way to the cells would sigh as they snatched a brief glimpse of the lagoon.  Records show that in 1755, Giacomo Casanova was sentenced to five years solitary confinement, without trial, for ‘public outrages against the holy religion’.  Following a successful appeal, launched by an influential associate, he was moved to a shared cell and provided with better food, bedding and books.  Finding a piece of marble, on his daily exercise walk, he carved it into an implement for digging, and aided by a fellow prisoner – Casanova, escaped and fled in a gondola.  In 1787 Casanova’s book The Story of My Flight, was published and he described his solitary confinement in ‘the worst of all the cells’.

For those seeking an infinitely more comfortable and luxurious residence, and one which offers exceptional service and a first rate concierge, the elegant Londra Palace, which dates back to 1860, is located on the Riva Degli Schiavoni promenade, a short walk from San Marco.  An associate of Relais & Chateaux, this hotel offers spacious accommodation with a selection of suites featuring large windows affording sweeping views across the lagoon and San Marco’s Basin.  I stayed in a stylish junior suite with Biedermeier-style furniture and walls adorned with rich tapestries and brocades, soft carpeting underfoot and an ultra comfortable bed.  The marble bathrooms feature a large bath tub and separate shower, dual washbasins, and there is a generous selection of fragrant Ortigia toiletries.  The hotel’s fascinating list of past residents includes Tchaikovsky, who was inspired to write the first three movements of his fourth symphony as he gazed across the lagoon to the island of San Giorgio.  He named his symphony Do Leoni, in honour of the Lion of San Marco and the hotel’s restaurant bears this name.  I sampled the fillet of sea bass in a bread crumb crust with a Sorrento lemon sauce, accompanied by a glass of the delicious Orto Venezia 2011; the only wine produced on the Venetian island of St. Erasmus.

Hotel Gabrelli Bedroom

For visitors on a limited budget, the Hotel Gabrielli, which has been in business since 1856 and is also located on the Riva Degli Schiavoni, offers a traditional Venetian experience.  Accommodations are spacious and feature Venetian antique furniture with wooden floors and colourful Murano glass chandeliers.  The hotel comprises of four inter-connecting houses and there is a roof top terrace, which is the ideal spot for an afternoon tipple.  The Restaurant Gabrielli offers a wide choice of dishes and I opted for the succulent mixed grilled fish, served with a chilled glass of Sauvignon (Venito) 2014.

To go further afield, head for the Bistrot de Venise, featured in the 2016 Michelin Guide.  Located on Calle dei Fabbri, this restaurant offers historical Venetian cuisine with a contemporary twist, in addition to classic and modern dishes.  The historical tasting menu, paired with a fine selection of Italian wines, presents a choice of six courses and includes a tasty almond crusted umbrine in a black grape sauce, served with a yellow garlic and almond pudding, which is divine and based on a 15th century recipe.

After dining, take a gondola or boat ride along the Grand Canal; sail underneath the charming Rialto Bridge and along the meandering narrow waterways.  It is a truly enchanting experience and provides the opportunity to fully appreciate the city’s exceptional examples of Gothic and Renaissance architecture.

For those contemplating a romantic weekend getaway, consider the words of Truman Capote, ‘Venice is like eating an entire box of chocolate liqueurs in one go’.