Think Brazil and images of costumed carnival revellers, women flaunting Gisele Bündchen-type bodies in minuscule bikinis on Ipanema beach and the famous green and yellow football strip will surely spring to mind. However, there’s an awful lot more to South America’s largest country, which has a population of 190 million and spans an amazing three time zones. As well as the metropolitan buzz of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil boasts a 5,000-mile stretch of coastline and is home to some glorious beaches, as well as tropical rainforests, the mighty Amazon river and the awe-inspiring Iguazu Falls. On our first trip to the former Portuguese colony, OK! opted for a quick urban fix, visiting Sao Paulo (Brazil’s biggest metropolis) and sightseeing in Rio, before chilling out and sipping caipirinhas at a luxury beach hideaway…

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WHERE CAN I STAY?

With a passion for stylish hotels, we made it our mission to check out the Fasano Group’s establishments in both Sao Paulo and Rio. The Sao Paulo outpost, in the upmarket Jardins district, is all glamorous dark woods, leather armchairs, smouldering fireplaces and exposed brickwork. The hotel’s Restaurante Fasano is pretty special too. In the summer you can enjoy classic Italian dishes under the stars as the roof of the chic eatery retracts.

Over at the Fasano Rio, the brainchild of designer Philippe Starck, his trademark whimsical touches are everywhere – from the ear-shaped mirrors dubbed ‘ears that see’ to the statement reception desk made from a hollowed-out tree trunk. Up on the roof there’s an infinity pool (where Rihanna was spied last week) with panoramic views of Ipanema beach, while in the business centre OK! found framed notes from A-list guests lining the walls – John Travola said his stay was ‘wonderful’. The Fasano even has its own slice of sand on Ipanema beach, where we were serenaded by a local samba band!

WHAT CAN I DO IN RIO?

The first stop for most Rio virgins is the iconic Christ The Redeemer statue, which sits 2,329ft above the city atop the Corcovado Mountain. From the summit the views are outstanding, as you look down over Sugarloaf Mountain to Ipanema and Copacabana beaches. Take the train up and walk the 220 steps to the observation platform. On the way down, head for the train’s first carriage – a samba band hops in and gives the journey a carnival twist!

You can’t go to Rio without hitting the beach. If you’re in town for New Year’s Eve, Copacabana is the place to be – it hosts millions of revellers on December 31. A 15-minute walk will bring you to Ipanema, home to world-class restaurants and shops as well as a gorgeous stretch of golden sand.

If you visit Rio in February, you can’t fail to miss the explosion of music, colour, dancing and partying at the world’s largest carnival.

WHERE CAN I EAT?

In Sao Paulo, OK!’s first stop was Dalva e Dito, where Brazilian home cooking is given an upscale twist. We loved our palm heart salad and grilled cheese on red rice. Lunch at Mani was also a delight. We enjoyed cocktails and a veggie take on the traditional burger, which came with the prettiest salad we’ve ever seen. The egg dessert (the yolk is ice cream, the white is coconut foam) is simply delicious.

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In Rio, fans of Heston Blumenthal will love Oro. Order the chocolate dessert sharer and the mousse will be frozen at your table with liquid nitrogen. The Fasano Al Mare’s Italian menu left us impressed – try the baby calamari with black olive gnocchi and the dreamy tiramisu. Or head away from the beaches to the arty Santa Teresa neighbourhood and Aprazivel. Set high in the trees, the location, the potent fresh fruit caipirinhas and the menu are divine – and we heard Antonio Banderas visited the day before us!

WHERE CAN I SHOP?

Footballer Ronaldo and many of Brazil’s millionaires live in Sao Paulo, so expect lots of designer boutiques catering for the super-rich crowd. Head for the beautiful Jardins district and Rua Oscar Freire, where you’ll find Christian Dior, MaxMara and Lacoste, as well as the flagship Havaianas store, where you can design your own flip flops. There’s also an antiques market every Saturday at Benedito Calixto Square and lifestyle shops aplenty. We loved Coletivo Amor de Madre, an Alessi-style design store with its own gallery next door.

In Rio, it’s all about the bikini. Head for one of the top bikini boutiques – Salinas, Lenny, Rosa Cha or BumBum – and browse the different designs in numerous prints, colours and fabrics. Bikinis aside, we loved Perfumaria Phebo, Brazil’s most traditional perfume house. After browsing the colourful scented shelves, we left with a peppermint feet treat gift set.

WHAT'S THE BEST BEACH RETREAT?

Head south to Ponta Dos Ganchos, an idyllic resort located on a private peninsula on Brazil’s Emerald Coast, just 25 minutes from Santa Catarina’s state capital Florianopolis. The exclusive adults-only hideaway, which comprises 25 bungalows that all overlook the sea, is one of the country’s most exclusive beach resort and the staff really can’t do enough for you. The spacious rooms are amazing – OK!’s had a hot tub, steam room, double rain shower, flat screen TV and a massive bed with Egyptian cotton sheets and a therapeutic infra-red mattress that heals as you sleep. Outside on our huge sundeck we took a dip in the infinity plunge pool before enjoying the uninterrupted sea views from the comfort of our hammock. Songstress Beyoncé Knowles stayed at the resort during her recent I Am world tour and apparently loved her villa so much that she hardly left it!

Normally dinner is the highlight of any holiday, but OK! thought the resort’s ten-course breakfast tasting menu was unbeatable. Delights included a kale, ginger and Sicilian lemon shot, warm canapé-sized sandwiches, a goat’s cheese omelette and French toast, rounded off with a personalised cappuccino with your name written in chocolate! Dinner can be eaten at the thatched-roofed beach-front restaurant, on the hotel’s super-romantic private island or candlelit on the beach – and if nothing on the menu (which changes daily) takes your fancy, the chef will whip up any dish you like!

By day, top up your tan or go exploring. OK! took a guided walking trail to Praia de Fora, where we relaxed on a beautiful deserted beach, and enjoyed a leisurely sunset cruise. We were also pampered in the Christian Dior spa, where the open-air pavilions overlook the clear blue sea. Outside the resort, take a tour of Florianopolis. We loved the story surrounding the 100-year-old fig tree in Figueira Square. Apparently if you walk round it clockwise, you’ll marry. If you walk anti-clockwise, you’ll divorce!

HOW DO I GET THERE?

British Airways (www.ba.com; 0844 493 0787) flies from London Heathrow to Sao Paulo from £919 return, including taxes. TAM (www.tam.com.br) fly internally from Sao Paulo to Florianopolis (60 mins) and from Florianopolis to Rio (90 mins).

Room rates at Ponta Dos Ganchos (www.pontadosganchos.com), a Relais & Châteaux hotel, start from £476 per room per night, including all meals. Rates at the Fasano (www.fasano.com.br) in Rio and Sao Paulo start at £416 plus tax per room per night.