With the reverberations of the World Cup 2014 only just behind us and the 2016 Olympic Games still looming, Rio de Janeiro has been hogging the holiday limelight. But while the rest of the world lands in Rio, where do the young and beautiful Rio residents go when they need to escape from it all? B\u00fazios it seems, a place we\u2019ve been getting to know for our latest travel article for Luxe Magazine<\/a>.<\/p>\n

A gloriously gorgeous seaside resort, B\u00fazios is bordered by more than 20 golden strips of soft sand. With its azure waters and endless sun, it doesn\u2019t have to work hard to court attention and can even name a VIP \u2013 Brigitte Bardot \u2013 among its fanbase. Couple that with an exciting dining scene and you\u2019ll get a sense of why B\u00fazios is a favourite destination for\u00a0cariocas. So whether you\u2019re looking to tack on a beach getaway to the end of your Olympics trip or you\u2019re a Rio dweller planning a holiday to recoup and recover after the event, scroll down\u00a0to read our full article and to discover more about this Brazilian resort.<\/p>\n

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When urban-weary cariocas need a breather from Rio\u2019s inexhaustible energy, B\u00fazios is usually their go-to destination. Just a two-and-a-half-hour drive north of Rio de Janeiro, this peninsula\u2019s seductive shoreline has city escapees smitten. With a thriving dining scene bolstering its natural appeal, it\u2019s easy to see why.<\/p>\n

Back in the 1960s, B\u00fazios was just a backwater village when French starlet Brigitte Bardot rocked into town and publicly sang its praises. This celebrity endorsement triggered a surge in popularity, particularly among Rio\u2019s well-to-do. Soon it was being touted as the \u2018Brazilian St. Tropez\u2019. But this much-cited nickname does B\u00fazios a disservice. This likeable seaside resort town is no mere Mediterranean knock-off.<\/p>\n

Deciding what to do in B\u00fazios is not tough; days are inevitably spent at the beach. The real conundrum is, which beach? There are more than 20 heavenly stretches to choose from, all of different shapes, sizes and suitability. Many are within walking distance of the cobblestone town centre, but most holidaymakers elect to hire a beach buggy, allowing them to travel from shore to shore with minimal exertion.<\/p>\n

There is no one best beach; it depends on personal preference. Gerib\u00e1, on the south side of the peninsula, is a broad expanse popular among surfers, for instance, while Ossos \u2014 a former pirate hideout and the rumoured top pick of screen siren Bardot \u2014 is now a place to see and be seen. The startlingly white and difficult-to-access Olho de Boi welcomes nudist bathers who want to tan their white bits, while horseshoe-shaped Ferradura on the eastern edge possesses blissfully calm waters.<\/p>\n

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As afternoon stretches into evening, B\u00fazios\u2019 beachgoers usually make the journey from deckchair to bar stool. If you\u2019re at Ferradura, stop for a sundowner at the Eden Beach Lounge, part of the Ins\u00f3lito Boutique Hotel \u2014 a slick 12-room retreat. Join the guests lolling on daybeds and watch the waves lap gently on the shore \u2014 an idyllic setting for an end-of-day cocktail. The obvious drink choice is a caipirinha, Brazil\u2019s ubiquitous and rather potent lime, sugar and cacha\u00e7a concoction. At Brava beach, B\u00fazios reaches peak chic as the stylish set gather at Rocka, a restaurant-cum-beach-lounge where exemplary seafood, bubbles, sun loungers and sea views invite customers to linger.<\/p>\n

While the choice of loafing around in the sand all day is there \u2014 and is one many visitors understandably indulge in \u2014 it\u2019s not the only option. Santiago Bebianno, a B\u00fazios local and proprietor of Casa Brancas Boutique Hotel & Spa, extols the range of activities on offer. \u201cFine dining, pristine exotic beaches, water sports, such as surfing, diving, kite surfing, deep-sea fishing, and nightlife \u2014 all in one place.\u201d And his top picks for things to do? \u201cWatch the sunset from the terraces of Casas Brancas Boutique Hotel, rent a local fishing boat to go on a private tour or have lessons on kite surfing in Praia Rasa.\u201d<\/p>\n

The waters around B\u00fazios are seriously clear, so going diving and snorkelling here simply makes sense. Scuba divers usually head to Ilha da \u00c2ncora, about a half an hour away by boat, to take advantage of the excellent visibility. Beneath the surface, jewel-coloured corals and barracudas, monkfish and green turtles rival the tanned and taut above-shore Brazilians with their ravishing good looks.<\/p>\n

If a typical day in B\u00fazios begins at the beach, then a typical night ends at a table eating fresh seafood. The siren call of B\u00fazios\u2019 beaches has lured foreigners to settle on its shores, and the cosmopolitan and culturally diverse inhabitants are reflected in its restaurants. Numerous international food cultures are represented, from neighbouring Argentina and Colombia to far-flung Japanese, French and Italian cuisines.<\/p>\n

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\u201cYou have all kind of options, expensive and cheap, Asian food, traditional Brazilian food, contemporary\u2026 \u201d says Fred Barros, co-founder of Menu B\u00fazios, an online dining guide designed to help visitors navigate the dining scene. \u201cHere food is a really cultural thing. Seafood is amazing, drinks are awesome, ice creams are made with Brazilian fruits you never heard of but you never forget the taste!\u201d<\/p>\n

The main dining hubs are around the areas of Rua das Pedras, Orla Bardot and Rua Manoel Tur\u00edbio (parallel to Rua das Pedras). If you\u2019re in the vicinity of Rua das Pedras, visit Argentinian-run San Telmo Parrilla for a meat fix or try banana cake in Maria Maria Caf\u00e9. About a five-minute drive south from here is Porto da Barra, where there are many more culinary finds. Standouts include the intimate Cais de Gaia, which serves up simple but superb dishes such as Bolinho de Bacalhau (cod fritters), and buzzy Zuza, which produces skillfully executed seafood, including a teeming fish platter and fresh octopus drizzled with a balsamic vinegar sauce.<\/p>\n

During summer, post-dinner fun is there for the taking. Bars blare live music and a handful of big-name clubs, including Privil\u00e9ge and Pacha, open their doors to Brazil\u2019s bold and beautiful. Tamer late-night activities include a stroll down the Orla Bardot promenade, where B\u00fazios\u2019 celebrity fan, Brigitte Bardot, is cast in solid bronze with her gaze fixed out toward the sea. Camera-touting tourists line up to pose with Bardot, and a few are struck with an irrational twinge of jealousy. And who could blame them? After all, she gets to stay here indefinitely.<\/p>\n

To see our full article as it appeared in the pages of Luxe Magazine, please click here<\/a>.\u00a0Or to read some more of our contributions to Luxe Magazine, click here<\/a>. Like what you see? Then follow us on Twitter<\/a>, where we\u2019ll be sharing more of our newly published travel articles, blogs and destination guides with our followers.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Images courtesy of\u00a0Ins\u00f3lita Boutique Hotel<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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