Image courtesy of Cota 200

10am

Start the day in a dazzlingly Rio way—stroll to the beach for a dip. Settle on the golden sand and soak up views of the island-dotted ocean as the cariocas, Rio’s fortunate residents, come to life.

1pm

Sugarloaf Mountain is the perfect spot for lunch. Ask your taxi driver to drop you at the cable car and ride up to Cota 200 (pictured), the stunning new restaurant on the first of the mountain’s two peaks. Be sure to make a reservation, which will allow you to breeze past the queue for the cable car. At Cota 200, ceilings soar over a cool, elegant, white space, and the top-notch menu features generous serves of dishes such as sun-cured grilled steak (picanha de sol) and duck magret with jabuticaba, a deep purple, berry-like fruit.

Image courtesy of Helisight

2:30pm

Take one of Helisight’s panoramic flights. These range from a six-minute whirl along the beaches up to a 60-minute extravaganza that takes in the whole city and crosses the bay to Niteroi to admire Oscar Niemeyer’s UFO-like MAC museum. There’s no better way to understand this gorgeous, voluptuous city than from the air.

Image by Flickr user acmoraes

4:30pm

One of the city’s loveliest art institutions is Instituto Moreira Salles, which has an outstanding reputation for fine art photography. The 1951 mansion epitomises Brazil’s world-famous slant on modernism, with its smooth lines and white curves accentuated by lush tropical gardens created by landscape maestro Roberto Burle Marx. If you only visit one cultural space in Rio, this would be an excellent choice.

Image courtesy of Oro

6pm

Praça Santos Dumont, a square named after the pioneer of Brazilian aviation, is a favourite gathering place—especially on Thursday and Sunday evenings. Flocks of relaxed young cariocas spill out of simple bars and grills to convene over bottled beer in the open air.

8pm

With a reservation made well ahead—we’re talking days rather than hours—head to Oro (pictured) for dinner, the newest and brightest jewel in Rio’s gastronomic crown. Owned and run by chef Felipe Bronze, Oro started life elsewhere in the city but closed in mid-2015, with the new incarnation opening in April this year. From the molecular wonders of the original Oro, Bronze has developed a new, grill-based menu that’s just as sophisticated, but celebrates smoke, fire and glowing embers. Choose the full Creativity tasting menu and enjoy the stunning surroundings.

Image courtesy of Casa Momus

11pm

For a taste of nightlife beyond the upscale South Zone (which includes Copacabana, Ipanema, Leblon, Jardim Botânico and Botafogo, among other districts), head downtown to Lapa, where the streets overflow with samba and the carioca spirit. Utterly chic Casa Momus is a recent addition, the result of a loving, two-year renovation of an early-1800s building. Try for a table on the front terrace to watch the street fun, or settle inside over wine or a zingy caipirinha.