I flew into Rio from Sao Paulo, landing at the Santos Dumont domestic airport, which is spectacularly located between Sugar Loaf Mountain and the Statue of Christ on the Corcovado. I had picked up a good tip from a guidebook, which said I should avoid taxis and hotel transfers from the airport and opt for a ride along the coast in a municipal bus to my hotel.

It was great, especially because the slow pace of the bus gave me a chance to see some of the surroundings. As the bus crawled alongside the packed Copacabana and on to Ipanema Beach, I was almost open-mouthed in wonder. Brazilian beaches are different to any other beach I had been to. Both Copacabana and Ipanema are not only many kilometres long, but the distance from the watermark to the street is vast!

Closest to the shoreline are the families and swimmers, who nip in and and out of the sea. Then there are the sun worshippers, literally thousands of them, who lounge on beach chairs or on the sand in the skimpiest of bathing costumes. Here a tanga is a tanga and a string bikini exactly that! The beautiful people don't even seem to bother going into the sea, cooling off at showers interspersed along the beach. The aim here is to tan and parade, not to swim.

On the biggest beaches, sections will be cordoned off for volleyball courts, where boys and girls energetically throw themselves about, as interested in showing off their gorgeous bodies as winning. Finally, at the back of the beach, closest to the road, a few football pitches have been marked out in the sand.

As I sat peering through the window of the bus, I understood why Rio's beaches have held onto their reputations as the world's best. I was not surprised to learn later that the traditional New Year's Eve parties draw more than two million people to the Copacabana. There is nothing like a Rio beach anywhere, believe me.

When it comes to hotels, the one everybody dreams of staying in is the Copacabana Palace. This white landmark with its stucco-fashioned edifice is a beacon of old-fashioned glamour and a legendary meeting place for Rio's high society. For decades, royalty, film stars, stars of stage, music and sport have come here for the fine cuisine, dancing, sumptuous service and sheer sophistication. I would love to have stayed even a night here, but it was a little pricey for me.

Instead, I had reserved a room at the Rio Sheraton Hotel and Towers, which has a great beachfront setting further down the coast. From the balcony of my room I had a magnificent view of the city of Rio and Ipanema Beach. At beach level are three swimming pools, where most of the visitors spend their days.

For an on-the-move traveller like me, the hotel's location about halfway between Ipanema beach and Rio's trendiest area, Barra da Tijuca, was perfect. Both these suburbs offer fabulous restaurants, bars and shops. The Sheraton stands on its own beach, but its close to all major attractions and the hotel offers a free shuttle service to all of the beaches and the Rio Mul Shopping Mall.

After I had checked in, I immediately set about booking my day tours. Unless I did this, I knew there was a chance I could get stuck between the beach, the hotel pools and the trendy cafe's of Barra, not even seeing the rest of Rio! In the next two days, I visited four of the city's best-known attractions, the Christ the Redeemer statue on top of Corcovado mountain, Sugar Loaf mountain with its cable car; the Sambódromo, a giant permanent parade stand used during Carnival and Maracanã stadium, one of the world's largest football arenas.

My favourite was the statue of Christ. Judging from photographs, I had imagined it being closer to the centre of Rio. Between it and the sea is Lake Lagoa and inlands lies the world's largest forest inside an urban area, called Tijuca Forest. Once you have completed the climb to the top of the statue, you are rewarded with a spectacular view of the city. It is truly an amazing monument, so big that it dwarfs everything and has become the symbol of Rio.

Rio is a huge city, with around six million residents and another six million living in the greater metropolitan area. At the heart of the city is the downtown business area, with the beaches strung like pearls up the coast. First there is Copacabana, then Ipanema, then Leblon and finally Barra, a slice of American-style suburbia with modern apartment buildings, shopping malls and the newest hotels.

Up on the hills behind the most expensive residential areas are the favelas, where Rio's poorest communities live in shanty towns and squatter shacks. These buildings cling precariously to the sides of the mountain. I had watched a television documentary on these areas, traditionally the breeding ground for some of Brazil's superstar footballers. I was amazed to find guided tours of the favelas, so I jumped at the opportunity.

Despite the grinding poverty, the people couldn't have been more friendly and hospitable. Although many of them survive with virtually no furniture or clothing, I was offered food and drink. There's no doubt that almost every youngster sees himself as the next Ronaldo or Ronaldinho. The families may not have much, but they always seem to have a football.

Soccer is the national obsession, but the Cariocas, the name given to residents of Rio, are equally passionate about Carnival. Held in February each year, it is not only a tourist magnet but has become a passion among the people. My visit was months before Carnival, but the 'schools' were frantically busy getting their outfits and performances together. But, as a local explained, Carnival is not just the music, the dancing or the colourful costumes. It's all about spirit, passion and pride. I believe him.

Soon my week was over. I can tell whether I have truly fallen for a destination by the memories I take home. If the images from the brochures and postcards are replaced in my mind by the faces of people I met and places I have visited, then there is a good chance that I have been seduced.

And so it was with Rio. I yearn to have dinner at the corner cafe in Leblon where the owner plays the accordion from midnight. I would love to look down on the youngsters playing football on Ipanema beach at dusk. I miss the beach attendant who looked after my sandals while I swam by wearing them. Oh, Rio, what a beautiful place.