Carnivals and Cultures

Arrive in Rio de Janeiro and meet your private driver for the transfer to Copacabana Palace, where your Deluxe Ocean View Room looks across one of the world’s most recognisable beaches. The hotel’s century-old Art Deco setting makes an elegant base for the first four nights, pairing heritage with a prime position on the Atlantic. Spend the evening settling into Rio’s rhythm, perhaps with a drink beside the pool or an easy walk along the Copacabana promenade as the city comes alive around you.

Set out with your private guide for Sugarloaf Mountain, using fast-track access to reach its celebrated viewpoints over Guanabara Bay, Rio’s beaches and the surrounding peaks. The perspective becomes even more dramatic later in the day during a helicopter flight around Christ the Redeemer, soaring above the green expanse of Tijuca Forest and the city below. Afterwards, the rest of the day is yours to enjoy at leisure, whether returning to Copacabana Palace or continuing to explore Rio at your own pace.

Step behind the spectacle of Carnival with privileged access to a Rio samba school, where costumes, floats and choreography are developed long before the celebrations begin. Learn about the creativity and teamwork that transform the Sambadrome each year before continuing into Rio’s historic centre for a privately guided walk. Trace the city’s architectural layers through its colonial and grand civic streets, with cultural landmarks such as Confeitaria Colombo and the Theatro Municipal adding another dimension to the day.

Take to the water aboard a private yacht for a relaxed cruise across Guanabara Bay, enjoying a new perspective on Rio’s skyline, Sugarloaf Mountain and the islands scattered offshore. Return to land for lunch in stylish Ipanema before travelling to Vidigal, where you will meet the Batucavidi Project, a community initiative introducing local young people to samba. Join an informal session and learn the foundations of Afro-Brazilian rhythm, ending your time in Rio with an experience rooted in both music and community.

Leave Rio for the coastal town of Paraty, travelling privately by road or upgrading to a helicopter transfer. Check into Pousada Literária, a refined retreat set within restored colonial buildings in the heart of the historic centre. Later, explore Paraty on foot with a guide, wandering its cobbled lanes past whitewashed façades, colourful doors and centuries-old churches. Complete the afternoon at a local distillery, where a cachaça tasting introduces the sugarcane spirit that has long been woven into Brazilian culture.

Venture into the forest surrounding Fazenda Bananal, a sustainable farm and conservation project outside Paraty. Accompanied by a local expert, explore the landscape in search of edible fruits, herbs and nuts while learning how native ingredients have shaped regional food traditions. What you gather then becomes part of a hands-on cooking experience, turning the forest itself into the starting point for lunch. Return afterwards to Pousada Literária, where the pool, spa and tranquil garden setting offer a restful contrast to the morning’s exploration.

Board a traditional wooden sailboat for a private day exploring the islands and coves around Paraty. Cruise through emerald-green waters towards beaches that are most easily reached from the sea, pausing to swim, relax on the sand and enjoy the tranquillity of this forest-fringed coastline. A gourmet picnic is served aboard as you continue between secluded anchorages, creating an unhurried day focused entirely on the landscape. Return to Paraty later in the afternoon, with the evening free to enjoy the historic centre independently.

Travel from Paraty to São Paulo by road, or opt for a helicopter transfer for a faster arrival. Check into Rosewood São Paulo, set within the historic Cidade Matarazzo complex and designed as much as a cultural destination as a hotel, with Brazilian art and architecture throughout. In the evening, dine at D.O.M., Alex Atala’s two-Michelin-starred restaurant, where native Brazilian ingredients and flavours — including those associated with the Amazon — are interpreted through contemporary fine dining.

Explore São Paulo’s creative identity with a private guide, beginning with major cultural institutions such as the Pinacoteca do Estado before turning to the architecture and contemporary energy surrounding Avenida Paulista. Along the way, discover the influence of Brazilian modernism, including the legacy of Oscar Niemeyer, while contrasting formal museums with the open-air murals of Beco do Batman if desired. The afternoon remains free for further neighbourhood exploration or time back at Rosewood São Paulo.

Fly north to Salvador, where a private transfer brings you to Fasano Salvador, housed in a restored Art Deco landmark overlooking All Saints Bay. After settling in, explore Pelourinho with your guide, walking through brightly painted colonial streets and visiting the richly decorated São Francisco Church while learning about the city’s African, Indigenous and Portuguese cultural influences. End the day over a Bahian dinner before returning to Fasano, whose rooftop setting offers a refined base in the historic centre.

Immerse yourself in Bahian culture during a hands-on day of music and food. Begin at the home studio of Giba, experimenting with instruments such as the atabaque, surdo and berimbau during an energetic percussion session. Later, visit São Joaquim Market to select ingredients before learning to prepare moqueca, Bahia’s celebrated seafood stew built around coconut milk, palm oil and aromatic seasonings. For your final evening, attend a performance by the Bahia Folkloric Ballet at Miguel Santana Theatre, bringing together dance, percussion and regional folklore.

Enjoy a final morning in Salvador before your private transfer to the airport for your onward journey. Your 12-day experience concludes after tracing a richly varied route through Rio de Janeiro, Paraty, São Paulo and Salvador, combining headline landmarks with encounters centred on Carnival, community projects, Brazilian cuisine, rainforest ingredients, art and Afro-Brazilian culture. It is a journey designed less around simply seeing Brazil and more around participating in the traditions, flavours and creative life that give each destination its character.