"Salvador, Bahia" a Salvador da Bahia Travel Page by canbalci

Salvador was the first city I visited in Brazil. We were lucky to have some friends overthere who would show us the best this city has to offer while we were there. Rio is a unique city that everyone must visit; but I felt Salvador was very different and sometimes had more to offer in terms of its distinct culture, food, and its endless beaches. For one thing, it is certainly not as touristy as Rio.

Anyone going to Brazil should place Salvador on their itinerary for its colonial architecture, interesting Afro - Brazilian culture, friendly people, great beaches, tasty food and the bahian music.

See some pictures here.

Salvador, located on a peninsula on the Todos os Santos Bay, is the capital of the federal state of Bahia. In 1549, Salvador was made the first capital of Brazil by the Portugese Crown (not until 1763 was it replaced by Rio de Janeiro) and evolved into the largest city south of the equator, with 25,000 inhabitants at the time.

As of the middle of the 16th century, Salvador served for decades as the largest port of arrival for African slaves in Brazil. This led to a legacy of African customs and more in the city. Even today the city is a fascinating example of how two utterly different cultures have completely and successfully integrated; this is where the mystical and spectacular Afro - Brazilian culture has its origins. On one had, Salvador allegedly has 365 churches - one for each day of the year. On the other hand, the tympanic ryhthms of Candomble, with more than fifty Orixas (African Gods) resound from all the street of the city.

(No, I am not a history professor - took this stuff from some of the tourist guides I bought while I was overthere...)