Salvador, the capital of Bahia

Salvador and the state of Bahia are the European birthplaces of Brazil and also the region where Brazil’s links to Africa are most prominent. Today Salvador is the eighth-largest metropolitan area in Brazil, with a population of 3.9 million. The ninth most populous city in Latin America, from this region, Bahia, by itself, is the size of France.

Portuguese, the first Europeans to arrive in Brazil, spotted it on 22 April 1500 but landed only the next day, in a place close to what is now the city of Porto Seguro, in the south of Bahia and were received by the Indians natives.

In 1549 the city of Salvador was founded by the Portuguese around a triangular peninsula that separates the Bay of All Saints (Baía de Todos os Santos) from the Atlantic. It was the first colonial capital of Brazil and is one of the oldest cities in all the New World. It retained its position as the capital until 1763, when the title transferred to Rio de Janeiro.

For many years Salvador was the most important seaport in the southern hemisphere and a major centre for the sugar industry and the slave trade. It is the slave trade that has given Bahia and Salvador their African flavour. Over 80% of the city’s current population is estimated to trace its ancestry back to Africa. Therefore, no surprise that those African influences can be found in the region’s cuisine, music, dance, dress, arts and crafts, and even religion.

The historical centre of Salvador contains an abundance of buildings and churches that date from the 17 to the 19 century. At its heart is the Pelourinho, where colonial mansions and churches have been restored to their former glory. The entire area is considered to be a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Away from Salvador popular tourist destinations along the coast to the south include Porto Seguro, Arraial d’Ajuda, Trancoso, Itacaré, Itaparica and Morro de São Paulo. To the north is Praia do Forte and Costa do Sauípe, to name just a few.

No less spectacular are the interior’s national parks, most notably the Chapada Diamantina that offers many trails through stunning unspoiled scenery. The village of Lençóis, 250 miles (400 kilometres) inland from Salvador, is the best base for trekkers interested in exploring the natural beauty of the Chapada.