Being situated on the Bay of All Saints in Bahia, there are beaches aplenty for those who seek sun and sand.  Salvador’s location on the northeastern portion of Brazil and its proximity to the equator means visitors will have no trouble finding their warm, tropical getaway here.  For the more active, you might want to try the challenging and physically demanding martial art of Capoeira.  With its origins in slavery and thus the need of the slaves to disguise their deadly art from the slave masters, one can see today the mix of dance-like moves mixed with more overt fighting techniques.  Capoeira practitioners must be in tip top shape, exhibiting peak levels of speed, strength, flexibility, and balance.  Add in the creativity and you have a real Capoerista.  Not a pro like the ones you see in Salvador?  Have no fear, there are several schools which take on new students, making the difficult moves and maneuvers fun.  Still, expect to be sore afterwards if this is your first time!

Of course, the must-see place in the must-see city of Salvador must be Pelourinho, the old town situated on the upper level of the city.  Connected to the city below by means of the Salvador’s landmark, a giant elevator in the middle of the city, Pelourinho is the old colonial city with buildings from that period.  The facades are painted in bright colors, and the streets are of cobblestone.  Though it has become a major tourist attraction and thus has all the trappings of one, visitors to Pelourinho will still be delighted by its old-world charm.