Bahia

Located in the micro region of Salvador, the city is a national metropolis with nearly three million inhabitants, and is the largest city of northeastern Brazil, the third most populous country, and the eighth largest throughout Latin America. The metropolitan area, known as Metropolitan of Salvador or the Great Savior, has 3,767,902 inhabitants, which renders it the most populated in the Northeast, and the fifth largest in Brazil. It is known for its great cultural influence from Africa.

Most of the population originates from the continent of Africa, making it the center of Yoruba Candomblé and the martial art dance capoeira. It has more than 350 churches, which is why the area has earned fame as being the "Black Rome." Beyond religion, the African influence extends to the food and music (from the spiritual afoxé to the most popular axé and samba).

It has a rich cultural heritage, beautiful beaches and is famous for its grand celebrations of Carnival, which is why Salvador de Bahia was also known as the "City of Joy."
Salvador boasts a warm, tropical climate with a relatively high humidity level during the year. The city does not, however, suffer from extreme temperatures due to the proximity of the ocean and its breeze.

What to do

The historic city of Salvador called Pelourinho is a place full of colonial buildings painted in different colors and declared a World Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO. In Salvador tourists may choose to go to the beach in the morning, take a stroll through the historic city in the evening, dine at one of the many quality restaurants in the city, and go dancing at night to the sounds of several Carnival "blocos" (local bands), or other musical styles presented in the city. Other entertainment options are theaters like the Teatro Castro Alves, Teatro Jorge Amado, or Vila Velha. A nice evening option is to visit the "Farol da Barra" to watch the magnificent sunset over the Bay of All Saints. The places to be visited are abundant: the Lacerda elevator which connects the Lower City to the Upper City, the Abaete Alagoa, the Tamar proieto (100 km), Isla Itaparica, Morro de San Pablo, the Church of Iemanya, the Church of Our Lord of Bomfim, and obviously the Pelourinho, with all its churches to visit including the Cathedral, the church of San Francisco or the Church of our Lady of the Pretos. The Mercado Modelo is the choice for most tourists for buying typical souvenirs from Bahía.
One may also visit many shows depending on the date: Carnival in February, the summer festival a month before Carnival, Iemanjá lavage the 2nd of February, new year at the Barra Beach with its fireworks show and the concert on January 1st.
At Praia do Forte the highlights are the natural pools boasting clear water, perfect for snorkelling and the many sports activities such as surfing, biking, horseback riding, quad, zip line, etc.... Some of the most recommended places are: Itacimirim and Guarajuba beaches, with clear waters ideal for swimming; Imbassaí and San Antonio for its natural resources, its sand dunes and coconut trees, as well as the rich craftsmanship of San Antonio, with articles plaited straw; Diogo, which is located five kilometers from Imbassai, and which is a haven for artists and is distinguished for its cuisine; Mangue Seco that is a little further, but well known for its rich ecosystem of sand dunes, mangroves, estuaries and beaches.

Hotels