Are favela tours ethical?
'Slum tours' in South America are increasingly popular, but do they benefit local people or is favela tourism just exploitative?
The hippest 'hood in Rio de Janeiro
It may not have the glitz and glamour of Copacabana or Ipanema, but Botafogo is Rio's hippest 'hood, with an alternative scene that has as much social substance as left-field style
Rio de Janeiro: Return of the rainforest
Just 10 minutes from Rio city centre is Tijuca National Park, the world's largest urban forest
City life: Rio de Janeiro
Flamboyant and fearless, Rio is the life and soul of the party — and on the cusp of the 2016 Olympics, there's never been a better time to embrace the energy of the hedonistic host city
Like a local: Rio de Janeiro
There's never been a better time to visit the spirited city — firing on all cylinders in the run-up to the 2016 Olympics.
Food: Rio de Janeiro street food
Save your cash for football and fun nights out and get stuck into Rio de Janeiro's street food. Chef Andy Bates shares his favourite snacks, and the best places to buy them.
City of God: Rio de Janeiro
Transformed in the 21st century, Rio de Janeiro's spectacular beauty is matched only by its dedication to hedonistic lifestyle, modernist architecture and exquisite cuisine.