The area around Rio de Janeiro, itself one of the most glamorous and colourful cities in the world, hosts some of the most exotic beaches, fringed by jungle vegetation, and some of the prettiest historic towns and villages, situated on tranquil bays peppered with tiny islands. This short holiday, with time spent on sun-drenched beaches but also beyond, begins in Rio on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, before heading down the coast to the historic colonial port of Paraty where you hop on a traditional schooner for a trip round the bay with a cocktail in your hand and a bit of swimming. Take a ferry to Ilha Grande, a vehicle-free, forest-cloaked island, once a backpacker’s secret but now studded with pretty barefoot pousadas (guest houses).