HERITAGE ART AND BEACHES

Day 1 Arrive in Ouro Preto

Connect from Sao Paulo or Rio to Belo Horizonte and transfer to Ouro Preto, the beautiful UNESCO World Heritage city.

Overnight: Hotel Solar do Rosario

Day 2 Explore Ouro Preto

Ouro Preto has managed to preserve its 18th Century Baroque architecture and was designated a World Heritage site in 1980. Today an expert local guide will escort you on a tour of the city.

Overnight: Hotel Solar do Rosario

Day 3 Museums and churches

Today you will visit Sao Francisco de Assis Matriz do Pilar and Matriz de Antonio Dias churches, as well as the Museum of Mineralogy and the Opera House and Oratory Museum. After lunch, drive about 30 minutes to Mariana, the first official city of the state of Minas Gerais. Visit the Passagem gold mine, and if you wish explore the Matriz do Carmo, São Pedro, São Francisco de Assis and Carmo churches. You can also see the Town Council building and the Antonio Pereira imperial topaz mine before returning to your hotel in Ouro Preto.

Overnight: Hotel Solar do Rosario

Day 4 Explore Inhotim

After breakfast you will be driven to the Inhotim Contemporary Art Centre - a two hour journey by road. Known around the world for its intriguing, beautiful art installations, the area covers 87 acres of gardens - parts of which were created by renowned landscape architect Roberto Burle Marx - as well as works of art indoors and out. You will stay at a hotel close by in the town of Brumadinho.

Overnight: Boutique hotel

Day 5 Fly to Salvador

Head back to the airport at Belo Horizonte for the flight to the city of Salvador. You will be met and driven to the historic and vibrant district of Pelourinho, and will later be met by a guide for an orientation walk of the area around your hotel.

Overnight: Villa Bahia

Day 6 Explore the UNESCO Heritage city of Salvador

You will have a guided tour of the Centro Historico, now a national monument and protected by UNESCO. The Pelourinho is where the Portuguese built their fortified city, and survives as one of the Americas' most important architectural sites.

Overnight: Villa Bahia

Day 7 Travel to Itacare on the Bahian coast

Transfer back to the airport for the short flight to Ilheus. You will be met and driven to your blissful beach resort near Itacaré. Txai's alluring collection of bungalows look out over the pristine stretch of private beach, while six swimming pools and a serene spa provide further venues from where you can unwind completely.

Overnight: Txai

Day 8 - 11 Beach relaxation in Bahia

Spend some time recharging your batteries in the idyllic surrounds of Txai. Should you find yourself getting restless you may wish to venture out to explore some of the area's 16 nearby beaches, visit a cocoa farm or embark upon a rainforest hike to a hidden waterfall. Closer to home, spend some time on the tennis courts, take a surfing lesson or learn the secrets of capoeira with a local master.

Overnight: Txai

Day 12 Travel to Rio

Transfer back to the airport at Ilheus for the flight to Rio de Janeiro. On arrival you will be met and driven to your hotel in Santa Teresa, the colonial district in the hills overlooking the city, beach and ocean.

Overnight: Hotel Santa Teresa

Day 13 Explore Rio's sights

Today or tomorrow you will have the opportunity to visit Rio's iconic sites including Christ the Redeemer on Corcovado Mountain and the cable car to Sugar Loaf Mountain.

Overnight: Hotel Santa Teresa

Day 14 Delve further into the city

Explore the lesser known sites of Rio by push bike along the flat beach roads from Copacabana to Leblon or take a Yoga class in the peaceful and impressive award winning Botanical Gardens. If you would like to learn more about Rio's favelas (the other side of Rio), perched perilously in the Rio mountains, a visit to a kite workshop is a wonderful way to get to know the communities.

Overnight: Hotel Santa Teresa

Day 15 Travel home

You will be driven to the airport for your return flight home.