Salvador & Bahia

Salvador da Bahia in Brazil comes alive to the beat of the drums! With roots stemming from the African slave trade, over 85% of the people have close ties to the music they grew up with, and it is inherent in every part of Salvadorian culture.

The old part of Salvador rises up on the hillside from the more recent developments below. Here lies the charm of the city with its cobbled streets, colourful colonial houses and boutique hotels. Incredibly beautiful cathedrals (there seems to be one for every day of the year!) dominate the skyline and tree-lined streets attract locals who natter and giggle away, invariably playing some new and creative form of music.

It’s worth stopping off here before heading to the beach, and spending a few nights living barefoot amongst the friendly residents of this area in some very unusual properties that really fit in with the landscape.