· Espaço Brasa in Leblon – the newest churrascaria restaurant in town. Though not cheap you leave feeling that whole experience is excellent valueÂ…besides attentive service, the range of meats, salads, desserts & wines is astonishing

· Sugar Loaf Mountain – though Christos is perhaps more iconic, SL offers the spectacular cable car ascent/descent. Not one for the faint hearted, it gives you excellent views into the city & along its coasts !

· A long neck of Bohemia on sunny Ipanema beach at 9AM or after a swim in the ocean – clears the throat like no other !

· Rio Scenarium in Lapa – a big, long night out in RdJÂ’s club land – DJs & bands turn their hands to all flavours of music, particularly cool & hip samba. The queues are worth the effort to get inÂ…

· Buses – they cover all parts of the city and and are so cheap & varied. Whilst there are train lines, this mode of getting around drives the city – well worth the effort & quite easy.

· Devassa beers & bars – a microbrewery with its own outletsÂ…try the Negra or Ruiva beers particularly, they make a grand change from lagers that dominate your choices.