Recommend June 2011 - (Page 47)

Ouro Preto is one of the Gold Towns near Belo Horizonte. the most famous of the colonial gems and a UNESCO World Heritage site. All the Gold Towns—Ouro Preto, Mariana, Tiradentes and Congonhas—have winding cobblestone streets, brilliant baroque churches, impessive mansions, and museums and colorful markets. Additionally, the pousada accommodations alone are worth a detour to Ouro Preto and Tiradentes. STAY: While not centrally located, the Ouro Minas Palace Hotel is the only ve-star hotel in Belo Horizonte and it is palatial indeed, with large rooms and well-appointed baths, a pool with waterfalls, health club, and restaurant. The Othon Palace has its own advantages that include a great downtown location, spacious rooms and spectacular views from the upper oors over the Municipal Park. DINE: There are many excellent restaurants, many in the Savassi and Lourdes neighborhoods. Xapuri is a local institution that o ers fabulous Mineiro food served at picnic tables under a thatched roof. Mineiro food is also outstanding at Dona Lucinha, featuring a grand bu et. A mainstay is tutu, a tasty mash of beans with roast pork loin, sausage, chopped collard greens, manioc meal and boiled egg, served with other meat dishes. For Italian food, Vecchio Sogno is considered one of Belo’s best. WORLD CUP VENUE: Mineirao Stadium (capacity: 68,950) Rio de Janeiro FLY: To Rio de Janeiro Galeao International Airport—via American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines, LAN, TAM, United Airlines, and US Airways—45 minutes from the Rio beaches. Most ights (international and domestic) arrive and depart from Galeao, however, some ights to and from Sao Paulo and other Brazilian cities use Santos Dumont Airport, 20 minutes from the beach hotels. The major domestic airlines are Gol and TAM, with additional services provided by Azul, Ocean Air, TRIP and Webjet. City Airport Codes: Galeao-GIG; Santo Dumont-SDU. SEE: City Sights: Rio de Janeiro provides her visitors with magni cent mountain-top vistas on a cable car ride to the top of Sugar Loaf Mountain and a tram trip up to the summit of Corcovado, crowned by the Christ the Redeemer statue. Early morning is the best time for these excursions, especially on weekends. And on a good city itinerary is a long walk in the superb Botanical Gardens; a cultural tour of the churches (from the 17th century Sao Bento Monastery to the 20th century Metropolitan Cathedral) to the Royal Palace and museums downtown, with a co ee break and pastries at the art deco Confeitaria Colombo. While not known for museums, Rio’s cultural centers are varied and interesting. Those of special interest include the Belas Artes Museum, Cultural Center of the Banco Central, Edson Carneiro Folklore Museum and the Carmen Miranda Museum. Rio’s famous jewelers, H. Stern and Amsterdam Sauer, each have interesting gem and jewelry museums next to their stores. Rio o ers her visitors good bus and metro transportation. However, to explore the Santa Teresa neighborhood (a bit like a tropical Parisian Montmartre), you move up the hilly neighborhood by tram (a.k.a. bonde) to reach historic mansions, the Chacara do Ceu Museum, delicious little places to eat and drink, and handicrafts boutiques. On foot is the only way to uncover the treasures in the Hippie Market held Sundays in Ipanema and a smaller version in Copacabana on Saturdays and Sundays, as well as the Rio Antiques Fair held the rst Saturday of each month on Rua do Lavradio in the Lapa district. And, of course, to know Rio, walk or jog with the cariocas along the beaches they love, then take a boat ride to enjoy looking in at beautiful Rio: the commuter ferry to Niteroi (home to Oscar Niemeyer’s Museum of Contemporary Art) o ers one perspective, a sunset cruise around Guanabara Bay o ers another. Side Trips: An hour away from Rio and you’re in the mountain resort town of Petropolis, where on foot or by horse and buggy, the attractions are the cool air, the neo-gothic Cathedral Sao Pedro de Alcantara, the beautifully preserved Casa de Ipiranga (lovely restaurant on premises), and the Imperial Museum, which was built as the summer palace of Dom Pedro II, Brazil’s last emperor. A bit farther a eld—two hours from Rio—is Buzios, “discovered” by bikini-clad Brigitte Bardot and now a fashionable haven for Rio socialites. The resort o ers lovely pousada accommodations, great restaurants and a choice of some 20 beaches for sur ng, wake boarding and windsur ng. STAY: Away from the hotel hubs of Copacabana and Ipanema are many boutique-style places to stay. On Leblon Beach is Marina All Suites, whose Designer Suites o er high style and comfort with ocean views, and whose Bar l’Hotel restaurant and rooftop pool draw the beautiful crowd. O the beach and hilltop is the boutique Hotel Santa Teresa, a historic preservation property whose elegant interiors re ect the culture and origins of Brazil, whose spa o ers Amazon ➤ Rio de Janeiro’s beaches are its star attraction. june 2011 B11

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend June 2011

Editor's Notes/Agent Speak
Club Med Weddings by Imagine
A Perfect Honeymoon
Super-Sexy Voyages by Sea
Home-Based Happily Ever Afters
Kiss & Tell
Saying "I Do" on an Island
The Best Beach Honeymoons
Brazil Travel Planner
Say "I Do" to Central America
Steamy Love in South America
Finding Honeymoon Gems in Europe
Mesmerizing Retreats
Exotic Africa—The Perfect Honeymoon Haven
Five Fiery Honeymoons in Mexico
Mexico Says "I Do" to Destination Weddings

Recommend June 2011