Bahia

Bahia, on Brazil’s north-eastern coast, is where the country’s African heritage is most visible, from the capoeira and Candomble ceremonies of Salvador’s streets to the Afro-Brazilian cuisine that defines the region’s food. Salvador’s Pelourinho district, its colonial buildings painted in bright colour, forms the historic heart of the city, while the coastline beyond runs to palm-lined beaches and colonial fishing towns. It offers a genuinely different side of Brazil to Rio, with a rhythm and culture distinctly its own.