TOUCANS & TRANCOSO

Rio is jam-packed with world-famous landmarks and beaches, with a tropical jungle and mountain backdrop packaging it all in a stunning setting. Take the cable car up Sugarloaf Mountain for panoramic views over the city, the beaches and the coastline, visit the Christ the Redeemer statue, which overlooks Rio from the top of Mount Corcovado, and feel the sand between your toes on the beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema. Your hotel, the luxurious Belmond Copacabana Palace, itself a Rio landmark, is right in front of the legendary Copacabana Beach, guaranteeing quintessential Rio beach views.

Get more off the beaten track on an eye-opening walking tour of the favelas (or shanty towns), journeying around the maze of alleys and getting an idea of what it is like to live there. You will be accompanied by a local tour guide and your visit will support the local communities, enabling you to give something back on your holiday. During the tour you'll also learn about local and global innovations in urban development, democracy and sustainability, and visit social projects such as a reforestation initiative and a teaching programme in which the children of the favelas can learn mountain sports. Along the way, you'll get to enjoy breathtaking views over the city. 

Discover one of Brazil’s, and the world’s, most beautiful natural wonders. The Iguazu Falls traverse the borders of three countries – Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay – and are most definitely a bucket-list must-see. Your hotel, Belmond Hotel das Cataratas, has an unbeatable location – right next to the falls on the Brazilian side, guaranteeing spectacular views over the falls and the surrounding tropical forest.

You’ll get to spend the day exploring the falls on the Argentinian side: walk all around them on the trails, and enjoy all the different vantage points of the hundreds of falls (a perfect photo opportunity). For something more adventurous, head out on the water on a boat trip to get even closer to the thundering waters, or abseil down the gorge.

Explore historic UNESCO World Heritage-listed Salvador, surrounded by colonial mansions, ornate Baroque churches, pastel-coloured houses and attractive squares. Wander around the cobbled streets, listening to the beat of bongo drums, and as night falls, enjoy sunset cocktails and spicy Bahian specialities, and immerse yourself in the vibrant cultural scene - rhythmic Salvador is Brazil’s cultural capital, pulsating with Afro-Brazilian style, whose irresistible music and capoeira in the streets can’t fail to draw you in. Immerse yourself in Brazil’s music scene on a percussion tour with local expert percussionists, or discover your inner dancer and learn capoeira, an infectious dance that blends dance, acrobatics and martial arts.

Stay at Aram Yami, a beautiful boutique hotel housed in a restored colonial building in the heart of Salvador - perfect for exploring - and on your return, cool off in one of the two pools and enjoy the views over the Bay of All Saints. 

Spend a blissful week in Trancoso, a picturesque and attractively laidback clifftop fishing village with colourful houses, stylish boutiques and a beautiful square, Quadrado, which overlooks the ocean. This is an idyllic spot for a delicious dinner featuring fresh fish caught that day, with the sound of local musicians filling the air.   Villas de Trancoso is a charming beachfront hotel set in tropical gardens, with just a few villas, guaranteeing privacy, exclusivity and plenty of space for A-list relaxation – and you’ll have the beautiful Bahian coastline on your doorstep, with miles of pristine beach to enjoy. Explore it all by swimming, snorkelling, kayaking and horse riding, and take a speedboat trip to the impossibly lovely Espelho (Mirror) Beach, which is surrounded by vivid blue waters and protected by a reef, to see one of the world’s most beautiful beaches for yourself.