Almost every visitor to the Brazilian Amazon must pass through Manaus, the city at the heart of the jungle but pretty much in the middle of nowhere; the primary means of getting in and out are by boat or plane. As a travel destination, it doesn’t have a great wrap – it’s hot, humid, hectic and has a reputation for being a little unsafe.

But, while it probably no longer lives up to its old moniker of the “Paris of the Tropics”, we were pleasantly surprised by the place, and found it offered a bit more than just the opportunity to do our post-jungle laundry.

The Paris nickname was earned back in the rubber boom days of the 1800s during which, on the back of the native tree, it became the richest city in South America. Many wealthy European families settled in the area and lived pretty decadent lives by…