PlanetEye

Located on a sidestreet in the heart of Lapa, the bar is one of the few places in the city that doesn't impose an 'artistic cover' charge, and consequently is absolutely packed with locals at weekends.

The vibe here is relaxed and casual, and you'll find everybody from university students to ageing hippies drinking, eating and dancing here.

On the wall is a huge mural depicting famous samba artists aboard the legendary Santa Teresa tram, and the venue has been known to attract some big names from the Brazilian music scene. 

Beco do Rato is open Thursday - Saturday from 8pm to 2am, and it's worth arriving early to grab a table and order a snack before the crowds arrive (the portion of pasties with chicken is a good bet).

Things start to get lively after around 11am, and after midnight you'll have to fight for space on the dancefloor - the house band here is exceptionally good, and plays a crowd-pleasing set of covers, including numbers originally recorded by the likes of Jorge Ben and Os Mutantes. 

Beco do Rato is located at Rua Joaquim Silva 11, Centro. It's best to take a taxi here if you're unfamiliar with the area, as it's not the best place to be wandering around looking lost. Credit and debit cards are accepted here, so there's no need to be carrying a lot of cash. 

While suites on the lower floors are smart but relatively basic, those on the upper levels have each been signed by a different designer, and offer every luxury imaginable - from plunge pools to powerful stereo systems.

The hotel's location close to Leblon's chic bars, boutiques and restaurants have made it a firm favourite with Brazilian and international celebrities who want to avoid the prying eyes of the paparazzi (those who want to sleep between the same sheets as a supermodel may be interested to know that Gisele's favourite suite is the Diamante...).

As well as a rooftop pool with fantastic ocean views, the top floor of the building boasts one of Rio's most fashionable bars, Bar D'Hotel, where the city's 'gente bonita' (beautiful people), gather to eat, drink, and pose.

The bar is open to non-guests, and cocktails here are pricey but very good - if your budget will only stretch to one drink here, try the Royal - vodka, Cointreau, lime and ginger (R$14); or the Caipirubi - vodka with mixed red berries (R$16). The menu has a strong emphasis on finger food; from mini hamburgers made with lamb and foie gras, to mini bruschettas topped with everything from sundried tomato and buffallo mozzeralla to shiitake mushroom. 

Prices for the suites range from around R$370 to R$800, and vary dramatically in terms of style - it's worth browsing the hotel's website (www.marinaallsuites.com.br) to choose the suite that most appeals. 

Service at the hotel is impeccable, and there are numerous quirky touches such as a bar/living room for entertaining guests, and a state-of-the art home cinema. Both can be pre-booked, and reception staff will arrange for requested films to be picked up, free of charge, from nearby rental stores. 

While much of the north is as unlovely as the south zone is beautiful, it's possible to find some excellent off-the-beaten-track attractions here - from the city zoo to the wonderfully quirky Feira do Nordestino.

The latter is a celebration of all things from Brazil's North East, held in a purpose-built, government-sponsored arena in the São Cristóvão neighbourhood.

Inside are more than 700 permanent stalls and stands, each selling products from the North East - you'll find everything from chilli peppers to leather cowboy hats here.

The arena opens non-stop from Friday morning to Sunday evening, and for a nominal entrance fee of just R$1, you can browse the stalls, eat at one of the many hundreds of restaurants, grab a drink or listen to live music. 

On Saturday afternoons many relocted Nordestinos (natives from the North East of Brazil) flock here to strut their stuff on the dancefloor to the sounds of forro music. Despite the advanced age of many of the dancers, there are some pretty impressive shapes being thrown here!

The neighbourhood itself is not one of Rio's safest, so make sure you know where you're going, but the arena itself is secure and well-policed. 

To get here, take a Metro to São Cristóvão and then grab a cab, or take a São Cristóvão bus from Centro and check with the driver that the route will pass the Feira Nordestino. 

One such place is New Natural, in Ipanema. Situated right next door to 'Hostel Alley' - the strip of backpacker havens on Rua Barao da Torre, this restaurant and snack bar is open for lunch, breakfast and dinner.

Although it's not exclusively vegetarian - you'll find some chicken and fish dishes too - there are plenty of soya dishes, vegetable soups, salads, quiches and numerous other treats for food-deprived veggies. 

The main restaurant serves food 'por kilo' - you load your plate up with any items you fancy, the plate is weighed, and you pay accordingly. Tip - por kilo places in Ipanema, New Natural included, are pretty pricey. If you're watching the pennies, head here for a light lunch rather than huge meal or you could end up blowing your budget!

Food from the main restaurant can be eaten in or taken away, and there's also a stand up snack bar and health-food store attached. Here you can pick up absolutely delicious wholemeal pasteis (pastries), oven-baked and filled with a choice of delicious, wholesome ingredients. My favourite is the palmito (palm-heart) with catupiry cheese - personally I think this has to be the best pastel in the whole of Rio. 

 

The latter has to be one of the city's best-kept secrets - as well as boasting trails up to a vantage point with spectacular views over the Lagoa, it serves as an open-air art gallery, with impressive sculptures from local artists dotted around the place. Monkeys and tropical birds can be spotted overhead and, after taking the well-marked short hike up to the viewing point, you'll see condors swooping past you as you take in the breathtaking views. 

Although the park sits directly behind the Lagoa - itself a major tourist attraction - it is little visited by tourists. When I visited, I found that my only company was the little monkeys sunning themselves on the park's benches.

But while the peace and quiet today provide a welcome respite from the heat and the pace of city life, less than 40 years ago the scene here would have been very different. The site was once home to one of Rio's notorious favelas (shanty towns). At one stage, up to 15,000 people lived here with in self-built homes, but an urban renovation program saw the favela demolished in 1970. The residents were shipped out to various sites in the suburbs - most famously Cidade de Deus (City of God) - the setting for the film of the same name. 

Entrance to the park is free, and this is the perfect place to unwind and recharge your batteries after a few days in a city that can be exhausting as it is exhilarating. 

It's very much an institution up here in arty, bohemian Santa (as the locals like to call the place), and attracts vast hordes of the neighbourhood's most fashionable every night of the week. 

The trouble is, as a foreigner it's a little difficult to see the appeal. The white tiled walls and black and white photographs of Brazilian musicians are pleasant enough, but the harsh lighting does little to encourage a relaxed drinking atmosphere. Drinks are somewhat overpriced, as is the food, which is not a patch on the much-cheaper meals served down the road at Bar do Arnaudo. Service is functional but nothing more. 

In addition, the chairs are uncomfortable and there's little leg room under the tables - if more than a couple of people are sitting there you'll spend the whole evening apologising for kicking your friends' legs. 

To my mind, there are far superior drinking spots in Santa Teresa, the most obvious being Bar do Gomez. Here, drinks are cheaper, the atmosphere is relaxed, service is friendly and the place is packed with all kinds of eccentric characters (half of whom are working behind the bar). The food's good here too, and there's a covered space outside for drinking your beers on the street when things get crowded indoors.  However, Rio locals tend to define themselves by where they socialise - whether it's a particular spot ('Posto') on Ipanema beach, or a particular bar in Santa Teresa. It seems that, by affiliating themselves with Bar do Mineiro, locals like to think they are making the statement that they are fashionable, arty, and politically conscious. Personally, I'd rather drink in comfort among the assorted eccentrics in Bar do Gomez, who care very little about what social labels are attached to them. 

Clubs such as Casa da Matriz and Bukowski are attracting hordes of fashionable 20 and 30-somethings, and restaurants such as the excellent Miam Miam are providing a refreshing alternative to the starched collars and extortionate prices of areas such as Ipanema, Leblon and Jardim Botanico. 

Housed in a cute little white colonial building on Rua General Goés  (about 10 minutes' walk from Botafogo metro station), Miam Miam is easy to miss - the name is simply etched in tiny letters on the front window. The French/Brazilian owners describe the restaurant's cuisine as 'comfort food', and you can expect hearty portions of indulgent dishes such as an amazing risotto of wild mushroom, with wild rice. There's an interesting take on the Bahian dish Moqueca (seafood stew) as well - here it almost resembles a curry. 

As Miam Miam is only small, you'd be advised to make recommendations even on weeknights (it's open from 19.30-00.30 Tue-Fri, and until 01.30 on Saturdays). There are a couple of tables and chairs outside for al-fresco dining, but you'll want to take a peek inside too - the entire place has been kitted out with original pieces from the 1950s, 60s and 70s. Even the toilets are a masterclass in kitsch design! The background music is a break from the norm, too. The owners asked several local DJs to compile CDs featuring the music they listen to at home, and the result is a mixed bag of jazz, bossa nova, tropicalia and samba. 

In a city where many of the restaurants suffer from an overly formal atmosphere, it is refreshing to be greeted here by waitstaff with untucked shirts, jeans and piercings. Unsurprisingly, there's no dress code here for diners either, and 'relaxed chic' is the general look among the clientele.

Despite the casual attire, this is no student hangout - the restuarant is popular with food lovers of all ages. Prices are on the high side for Botafogo - around R$30 for a main, and R$5 for a small beer - but modest in comparison to what you'd pay for food of a similar quality in Leblon.