At Oro you might be served a steamed-bun sandwich in a tree branch. Or a stew of black beans and kale bubbles. Or açai, banana slices and liquid nitrogen. Or a series of hors-d’oeuvres in test tubes and on bricks. But far from being an exercise in gimmickry, the startling presentation prepares you well for flavours that are inventive, surprising and terrific.

Luxury doesn’t often get more luxurious than this. Ipanema’s Hotel Fasano might have the most photographed infinity pool on Earth and one of the most desirable vistas known to international travel. But while the sights of Corcovado, Two Brothers Mountain and the surrounding beaches are indeed prime Rio, the interior of the hotel itself meets the external beauty in nearly every way.

It’s hard to say if this would be the best way to start a Rio holiday, or the best way to finish it. But it doesn’t matter. Konrad Heilmann is an outstanding tandem pilot, and his team will make you feel utterly safe throughout this hang-gliding adventure over one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

Four kilometres of heaven. A Mecca for sun-worship for as long as anyone can remember, Copacabana beach remains a favourite today with both tourists and cariocas, and for reasons that extend beyond its cultural folklore.