Anne Hawes loses herself to the latin charms of Brazil...

I was very lucky to have the opportunity to travel to Brazil with Sunvil, who ventured into South America 6 years ago and added Brazil to their programme in 2003.

Travel was with TAP from London to Recife (via Lisbon) and then onto Porto de Galinhas - a small fishing village with some fantastic beaches, good shops and many excellent restaurants to choose from. The village is colourful and relaxing and popular without being too commercial.

There are three beaches here, which are situated very close to each other, with Maracaipe in particular is renowned for surfing.

We stayed at the Hotel Armacao, directly opposite one of the beach fronts. The hotel has both twin and double rooms and is set within tropical gardens. There are two swimming pools, one of which is stunning and overlooks the beach. Here you can while away any tension by having a massage as you lie by the pool looking out over the ocean.

Porto de Galinhas is reminiscent of how Greece was many years ago before tourism really took hold. It is a good base for visiting Recife and Olinda - which with its treasure of baroque art and archirecture has been declared a World Heritage site.

Next stop was Salvador City, a stunning, vibrant city and well worth a visit. The capital of brazil until 1763, the city is rich in colonial buildings and a mix of African culture. The spirit of Carnival is all over Brazil, not just in Rio.

We stayed in the Hotel Pestana Carlton Bahia, spectacularly set on a promontory with the sea on three sides and a stunning view of the city from the hotel restaurant on the 23rd floor.

From here we journeyed on to unmissable Rio, staying at the Pestana Rio Atlantico which faces onto the famous Copocabana Beach. The hotel has a roof-top pool, bar, coffe shop and a fitness centre offering sauna and massage facilities.

The hugely familiar images of Copocabana, Ipanema, Sugar Loaf Mountain and the statue of Christ The Redeemer on top of Corcovado Mountain do not prepare you for the views in reality. Rio de Janeiro has everything and is simply not to be missed!

Brazil is a fascinating and colourful country with friendly people seemingly ready to lose themselves to the music and dance and spirit of the country. The food was delicious catering for meat and fish eaters alike, usually grilled or barbecued and the fruit tasted fresh as if it had just been picked that day. The country has much to offer everyone, I only experienced a small part but loved every minute of it - and so will you.

Hotel Armacao in Porto de Galinhas

Rio's perfect beaches

The magnificent statue of Christ The Redeemer

Hotel Pestana Carlton Bahia