Salvador do Bahia & Beyond

Stroll the narrow cobbled streets of the UNESCO-protected old town of Salvador do Bahia, Brazil’s first capital in 1549. Take in the well-preserved, pastel-hued Spanish colonial houses and the gilded Baroque-looking churches, adorned inside with gold, silver and precious gems. Visit the Museo de Arte Sacra (housed in a former Carmelite monastery) to see one of Brazil’s most important collections of religious art. Shop for souvenirs at Mercado Modelo. Catch a boat to Sao Marcelo do Mar Fortress. Linger at a sidewalk café, sipping strong coffee and admiring women in their traditional clothing – colourful shawls, long full skirts and turban-like head coverings. You will want to sunbathe on secluded island beaches, explore the ruins of a 16th-century castle, dive to old shipwrecks all along the coast and trek through Chapada Diamantina National Park.