SALVADOR

SALVADOR IS THE LARGEST CITY of the nine states of the Brazilian Northeast which contain nearly 39 million inhabitants and some of the world's most beautiful beaches. For the first half of its 500 year history, it was the capital of the New World's southern hemisphere. You can still live this history with its unrivaled collection of colonial architecture as you wander its labyrinth of hills and narrow streets. Until the 19th century, the city of Salvador boomed as a port city with a lucrative local sugar-cane industry supported by a large slave population, and as an international trade broker with easy access to nearby gold and diamonds.
Today, Salvador, the capital city of the state of Bahia, is considered a renowned center of Afro-American culture and spirituality. The list of Salvador's fastest growing exports should include Capoeria, Candomblé and Carnaval, three products for the soul which refuse to be bought and sold like traditional goods and services. Like most art forms, they succeed best when you first give to them. A pilgrimage to this City by the Todos os Santos Bay is a great place to start.

Salvador's Carnival is arguably now Brazil's biggest. The ability to fully participate in high energy events as well as a complete integration of the city's rich and central Afro-American art, culture and music means Salvador's hotel rooms will sell out before Rio's for the Carnaval season. How the huge Rio Carnaval responds to this challenge can only be good news for us. While year-round spontaneous joy and celebration is a natural consequence of the Carnival culture, the summer months of December through February offer many special ceremonies and festival highlights for visitors. A new Salvador Carnival encore festival occurs six months later in October.
Journey from the lower district to the historic Upper City in the morning on the Lacerda elevator, enjoy a bounty of beautiful sights, return to the water in the afternoon before you immerse yourself in the alchemy of Bahia culinary and cultural treasures for the evening. Remember, Bahia is the land of happiness and unforgettable discoveries (particularly for those who plan well).

Also consider before and after Carnaval, there are many beautiful beaches calling your name. || Coconut (north) coast || Dende (just south) Coast || Cocoa (Ilheus) Coast || Discovery (Porto Alegre) Coast
Not going for Carnaval, consider getting into the rhythm with another Bahia Event.
As the first capital of Brazil, from 1549 to 1763 Salvador is the gateway to the early and most compelling history of the blending of the cultures which best defines the Americas. No state of Brazil has a greater treasure of history and ecology to protect according to