Ipanema is one of the world’s most famous beaches, an elegant stretch of golden sand framed by the Dois Irmaos mountains and immortalised in the song The Girl from Ipanema. Fashionable and lively, its numbered lifeguard posts mark out distinct social scenes, and the beachfront buzzes with sunbathers, surfers, vendors and volleyball. Backed by chic streets of shops, bars and restaurants, and spectacular at sunset, it captures the beach culture and easy glamour that define life in Rio de Janeiro.