No Brazil itinerary would be complete without including some time spent in Rio de Janeiro. At least, not if you wanted the full Brazilian experience. 

The Marvellous City is absolutely gorgeous, situated as it is in the world's largest urban forest. Pair all that lush nature with an equally arresting shoreline and sweeping beaches, and you have a backdrop that is nothing short of world class.

Let's face it, Rio is without a doubt one of the most beautiful cities in the world. 

It's also jam packed with things to do. From world renowned tourist sites and historical buildings, to cultural attractions, outdoor adventure activities and brilliant nightlife - Rio de Janeiro has it all. 

We had a very limited amount of vacation time to spend in the city, and as first time visitors to the country we had a bunch of things we wanted to see. And so here is how we squeezed most of it into a 3 days itinerary in Rio. 

Day 1: Cosme Velho and Santa Teresa 

First things first. Possibly the most recognisable landmark in all of Rio is the Christ the Redeemer statue.

So bright and early on our first morning, we took ourselves over to the little Cosme Velho station to hop aboard the Corcovado train. This adorable little locomotive chugs its way up the mountain during a journey of about 20 minutes, gigantic jack fruits and sweeping views for company.

Some would say we'd gotten a bit unlucky as the day was pretty overcast, and we couldn't really make out the statue from the foot of the slope, blanketed as it was in clouds. On the other hand, for a journey that is known for queues, we had no trouble boarding the first train after we arrived - presumably because some visitors had been put off by the weather.

And similarly once we reached the summit, while our views of the statue were somewhat obscured, there were far fewer crowds than we'd been expecting.

Our views of Rio below also came and went, as the clouds shifted about, but we still got some magnificent vistas from what is one of the best places to see the city from on high. 

On descending the mountain, we decided to wander around the local area of Cosme Velho.

It is a charming neighbourhood of winding streets, with sometimes disheveled colonial era houses that are full of character, that offer a glimpse into the historic charm of the city. There was also some pretty cool graffiti just waiting to be photographed.

After lunch we were back in the suburb of Santa Teresa where our accommodation for our stay in Rio was located: The tranquil boutique MGallery Santa Teresa hotel.

We spent our first afternoon discovering Santa Teresa, a vibrant and eclectic neighbourhood. Criss-crossed with often narrow streets that wind their way up the hillside, Santa Teresa is known for its bohemian atmosphere, and walls adorned with colourful murals and artistic touches.

Santa Teresa has an exuberant cultural scene, and is a popular spot for locals hanging out in the evenings and over weekends - at one of its many art studios, music venues, and intimate cafes. Combined with elevated views of the Rio bay, it was a perfect place for us to experience the spirit of Rio.

Don't forget to hop on for a ride on the pretty vintage Santa Teresa tram, which has been running for over 150 years. 

Day 2: Lapa, Centro and Urca 

Our second day in Rio would be the busiest of our stay - a jam-packed travel itinerary as we hit the pavement on a walking tour. Having decided as tourists that we'd feel more safe with a guide, we'd organised the wonderful local carioca Rodrigo Romano of Rio Photo Tours to take us on a guided photography-focused outing to see Rio's attractions.

Our guide met us at our Santa Teresa hotel, from where we wandered over to the Parque das Ruínas, and then the Escadaria Selaron. The iconic Selaron stairs are covered in hand painted tiles by a local artist, and are the perfect opportunity for a quintessential Rio de Janeiro photo.

A short walk away we wandered beneath the Arcos de Lapa section of the Aqueduto da Carioca, an ancient aqueduct that is visually impressive, and that these days serves as a bridge for the Santa Teresa tram.

Both these attractions are found in the vibrant central neighbourhood of Lapa, which is also a great location for spotting some eye-catching street art graffiti.

From there our route took us through the Centro section of Rio, for viewings of the Municipal Theater building as well as popping in to see the artsy interior of the Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil (CCBB) - via a pitstop at the Confeitaria Colombo. This cafe is a popular coffee shop tourist stop, in a lovely century-old building, the iconic and glamorous interiors a reminder of Rio's colonial past.

A few minutes' walk further from the CCBB would take us to the harbour front, where we stepped into the beautiful monastery Mosteiro de Sao Bento.

Then it was time for an amble along the Boulevard Olimpico, a promenade which stretches from the Praca Maua to Aqua Rio and the Yup Star observation wheel. At the near end is the Museu do Amanha. The Museum of Tomorrow is a strikingly imposing structure that is well worth a photo stop - as well as a visit if you have the time, though we did not.

Further along is the remarkable Etnias graffiti wall, a mural that apparently holds the Guinness world record for the largest graffiti in the world, and is a collection of moving images by artist Eduardo Kobra that portray the diversity of indigenous peoples across 5 continents.

To finish off our day it was time for a change of location. We hopped on a metro to Botafogo station, where we grabbed a quick bite to eat at a local vendor, then walked over to Praia Vermelha. This tiny Red Beach is frequented mainly by locals, and with its relative calm and perfect views in the shadow of Sugarloaf it is an underrated option amongst Rio's otherwise well-known beaches.

And we finished our busy day at a more relaxed pace, discovering what was to be one of our favourite Rio areas: the neighbourhood of Urca.

Wrapped around a secluded bay, Urca is a suburb of colourful boats and bijou beaches, with lovely views of downtown Rio. Historic buildings are nestled along treelined streets, and the atmosphere in this upmarket suburb is one of laid-back cozy cafes and small restaurants, perfect for whiling away the early-evening hours.

Day 3: Gavea and Tijuca National Park

The morning of our final full day in Rio was spent in the affluent residential neighbourhood of Gavea.

We started off with a visit to the wonderful Instituto Moreira Salles (IMS Rio), a contemporary art center that promotes a diverse collection of photography, visual arts and music exhibitions, all of it set in a striking architectural space.

Afterwards, a quick walk took us to the Parque Natural Municipal da Cidade, for some more rambling through some of the enchanting natural setting that is Rio.

And onwards for more of the same - a quick taxi ride took us to Parque Lage, a smaller but beautiful park set against the backdrop of the Corcovado. It is a romantic setting with lots of hidden secrets to discover, as well as the atmospheric Palacio at the center of the space.

It was here that our local guide met us once again, and we hopped into a car for the drive over to the Tijuca National Park, where we would spend much of the afternoon. This re-established tropical rainforest is lush, serene and invigorating, and makes for a peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of the city down below. Once again this was one of our Rio highlights, and a highly recommended must-see.

There are plenty of lookout spots dotted around the park, for magnificent birds-eye views back down to Rio, including the belvedere Mirante Dona Marta, the Mesa do Imperador and the Vista Chinesa.

Towards the end of the afternoon we'd made our way over to Quilombo da Pedra Bonita, where we sat on a sloping deck - views down to the Praia da Gavea far below - and watched visitors braver than us launching themselves into their hang gliding journeys.

And finally, as the day was coming to its end, we found ourselves at Ipanema beach, perched on the Arpoador rocks. Drinks in hand, looking out over the ocean as the crowd grew quieter, we joined the locals in applauding what is quite possibly Rio's best sunset.

And that completed our whirlwind tour of one of the world's most exciting cities. 

From here, we'd make our way to the Brazilian Amazon forest, and an unforgettable stay at the Anavilhanas Jungle lodge.

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As it turned out, we would have in the end 1 more day in Rio available to us, on what was to be our last night after travelling around the country. And so we did manage to squeeze just a little more out of our 'things to see in Rio' list. For anyone who has a 4th day available in this incredible city, here's how we spent ours:

Rio 4 day itinerary

As this was to be our last day in the country, we wanted it to be a little more relaxed. To take in a last scrap of the carioca vibe; soak up just a last little bit of the feeling of Brazil.

Our 2 weeks holiday itinerary around Brazil had passed far too fast.

And so we spent some of it by the pool at our hotel, sipping cocktails, and some more of it on the beach watching the locals kick a ball around. We wandered the length of the Copacabana boardwalk, stopping at some of the many beach bars for a bite to eat.

We also took the opportunity to head up the nearby Sugarloaf mountain cable car (which to be fair is one of the Rio highlights, so do try to squeeze this in somewhere if you only have 3 days in the city).

And towards the end of the day, we took a taxi over to the Botanical Gardens of Rio, an expansive garden featuring exotic Brazilian plants. The gardens offer peaceful walking paths and beautiful landscapes, and don't miss the impressive Avenue of Royal Palms.

It's also worth mentioning here that we had originally planned to take a favela tour, but during our stay in the country there had been some local safety issues involving shootings and police helicopters, and we decided it might be too dangerous.

And so there it was, the end of our trip. We waved goodbye to Brazil as we boarded our plane for the journey back home.

Brazil had been a wonder, and Rio de Janeiro had been a big part of that. With its stunning scenery and warm people, it had crept into our hearts, and while we were sad to say goodbye, we left hoping that we'd one day have another opportunity to revisit this captivating city.