Ezio is the best host ever! He does everything in his power to make you feel at home. During a whole week he pampered me with delicious breakfasts, including fresh fruit salads and home made bread. When you get home tired he invites you to a cup of tea and a piece of cake or quiche. We talked and laughed a lot, and went out to the cinema and concerts together. I even had the chance to meet Ezio's friends who are - like him - very educated and artsy people interested in different cultures. His apartment is very stylish, and I enjoyed the amazing view from my bedroom window, offering a panopticum of life in Rio. Not to mention the countless pictures of Christ and Corcovado I took from the bathroom window. There are two bus lines connecting to the centre of Santa Teresa (5 mins. by bus or 20 mins. walk downhill) and the centre of Rio. For the rest of the time Ezio offered to call taxis, which on weekends tend to be a bit slow to climb up the hill. The only thing I regretted was that I didn't speak more Portuguese since Ezio's German is excellent. The next time I go to Rio I will certainly stay with him again!