Bahia State Holidays from £646

Bahía

Swim in the crystal-clear water by pristine beaches, try the Afro-Brazilian cuisine and dance the capoeira at a carnival.

Bahía is a fascinating state with indigenous and African traditions complementing the beaches. It also has historic mining towns and mountainous wilderness. Learn about the Candomblé religion practiced here, with impromptu street dancing, musical displays and traditional clothing. 

Visit the state capital of Salvador, which has urban beaches and Afro-Brazilian culinary delights, featuring lightly spiced seafood. Appreciate the coastal views as you ride the outdoor glass elevator to Pelourinho, Salvador’s historic centre sitting on the top of a cliff. Watch drummers and parades on the cobbled lanes of the Terreiro de Jesus square, which is flanked by colourful buildings.

Attend the Salvador Carnival in February to be here at the city’s most intense and exciting time. Enjoy the year-round warm temperatures with a trip to the suburban beaches, such as Ribeira, Pituba and Barra. Ride a boat to the nearby islands in All Saints’ Bay. Ilha de Itaparica and Ilha dos Frades are covered in pristine, white-sand beaches.

Make daytrips inland to Jacobina, Lençóis and Ibotirama to learn about Bahía’s history of gold mines. Nearby Cachoeira and Santo Amaro offer an insight into the colonial past.

Make your way south along the Atlantic Coast to the quaint fishing village of Valença. Visit the stunning island town of Morro de São Paulo and try watersports in Itacaré, further down the coast.

In the southernmost part of the state is Porto Seguro, where Portuguese explorers first arrived to Brazil. See the Discovery of Brazil Memorial, comprising a replica of the ship in which the settlers traveled.

For a change of pace, hike along trails leading to caves and waterfalls in the Parque Nacional da Chapada Diamantina and go scuba diving in the Parque Nacional Marinho dos Abrolhos.

The state of Bahía is just north of Minas Gerais and south of Sergipe and Alagoas on the Atlantic Coast. Fly to Salvador International Airport and get around the state with long-haul buses or with a rental car. 

Bahía has quaint colonial villages, a gold-mining past and idyllic beach islands.