An Alternative Family Holiday to Brazil: Rio, Jericoacoara & a Private Amazon Cruise

Things to see and do - Visit the Museu de Arte Moderna, built in 1960 by Alfonso Eduardo Reidy, for its perfect architecture - shop for a bikini at Bumbum - chill on Ipanema - observe trends in contemporary art at the Anita Schwartz gallery - see the Maracana Stadium and the huge concrete cone of Sao Sebastiao Cathedral, Rio's twin temples - indulge in churrasco (grilled meat) and feijoada (black bean and meat stew) - go shopping in the bohemian district of Lapa: Portuguese houses in faded colours reinvented as second-hand clothes shops, vintage shops and antique galleries, where splendid mid-century Brazilian furniture is the order of the day - sip Amazonian fruit juice in the cool of a rear courtyard in Leblon, after an afternoon's shopping.

Included in the itinerary - A visit to arty Santa Teresa, accompanied by one of its inhabitant who leads you through its cobblestone streets, where time seems to have stopped in the mid 20th century, and to its artists' workshops. In the evening, you'll meet a Rio local who will take you to expend what energy you have left on the Ipanema rooftops, trendy bars in Leblon, or Lapa's samba clubs.

Transfer to the airport and flight to Manaus, an incredible urban island of two million inhabitants in the heart of the Amazon, which sprang up from nothing at the turn of the last century thanks to the miracle of rubber, and which has retained the traces of its past splendour. Overnight accommodation in one of the city's finest establishments, decorated in Baroque colonial style. The spacious rooms are clean and elegant. The swimming pool is surrounded by lush plants and flowers. The service is excellent.

Things to see - The splendid Opera House, 'Teatro Amazonas', which testifies to the wealth of the rubber tree barons. Its 12,000-piece macacauba and jacaranda precious wood marquetry parquet flooring is a delight. Light macacauba alternates geometrically with dark brown jacaranda to symbolise the encounter of the silty waters of Solimoes River with the dark waves of the Rio Negro.

Boarding the Amazon Ecoboat, a flat-bottomed private houseboat for up to six people. She has a small footprint and a low draught, and glides along the Rio Negro. The boat offers a unique experience on the river, in cozy privacy and perfect respect for the ecosystem. From solar electricity to biodegradable bath products, management on board is strictly ecological. Cabins, showers, living room, observation deck, with solarium, hammocks: it's all very comfortable. The crew is made up of three people: the captain/guide, the second-in-command and the chef who produces small tasty dishes bursting with new flavours.

The trip begins in Manaus where the black waters of the Rio Negro meet the ochre waters of the Amazon. The two streams are so powerful that they don't mix for hundreds of miles. If its waters are ink-coloured - because of their high iron concentration - they are not cloudy and it is possible, in the Rio Negro, to observe the boto, the Amazon dolphin with a long snout, or the tucuxi, the dolphin of the Orinoco. A stop for a walk through the dense forest, a stop on one of the sandy beaches that spread along the river's edge, or the exploration of a tributary by kayak. Meet an indigenous community, go piranha fishing... Life in the Amazon cannot help but be natural, surprising and full of unexpected pleasures.

Landing and private airport transfer. Flight to Rio, and private transfer to the beautiful seaside resort of Buzios. Accommodation for three nights in a beautiful white house with blue shutters and glazed, painted tile facades, in the historic centre of Buzios, a stone's throw from Sant 'Ana's church and the beach. It looks a bit like Greece or Portugal – but in the Tropics. Brazil, with a Mediterranean twist. In the spacious rooms, vintage furniture and the most comfortable bedding. The garden has two swimming pools and lush vegetation.

A small traditional fishing port that became a popular destination on the southern Atlantic coast, the beautiful seaside resort of Buzios is located on a peninsula, has long beaches - 20 in all - and small secret coves. At the weekends, Rio's inhabitants flock here to escape the bustling city and taste the almost 'Saint Tropez of the 60s' atmosphere of Buzios. Choose your beach depending on how you are feeling at the time - relax in the shade of a parasol, swim or (kite) surf - move around by beach buggy, practice your swing, go diving with a guide, read beside the swimming pool, stroll down cobbled streets now home to galleries and designer workshops, dine on the terrace... And repeat the next day.