Ask many travellers what their favourite travel guides are, and a good percentage are likely to say the DK Eyewitness Travel series. And just a glance at Brazil will show you why these books are held in such high esteem. As the flash at the bottom of the jacket says, these are the guides that show you what others only tell you, and it is that strikingly eye-catching (and utilitarian) format that really makes the series special. Take, for instance, the two pages here on the Parque do Ibirapuera: there is a colour layout of the grounds of the park, with colour miniphotos studded around the central image; the Hotel Unique, with its strange half-melon structure, the Oca do Ibirapuera, an amazing dome designed by Oscar Niemeyer which hosts the city"s major international art exhibitions, and the giant Cleopatra"s needle built to honour victims of political injustice. And these are only a handful of the highlights of the two pages – which is typical of the entire book. Of course, Brazil has much more to offer than most holiday destinations: apart from the beaches, nightlife and the national parks, there some of the best galleries and museums in the world along with, it goes without saying, carnival. And the world"s most famous carnival is treated to all the attention here the traveller could wish (as is soundtrack of carnival – the indelible sound of samba). Particularly useful here are the walks, scenic routes and thematic tours. If you"re planning a trip to Brazil, you need look no further than this. --Barry Forshaw.