Location:
City located on a peninsula on the north-east Atlantic coast of Brazil. Capital of Bahia state, with a population of 2,440,886.
Distances from the country’s main cities: Brasilia: 1540 Km.; Rio de Janeiro: 1730 Km., and São Paulo: 1960 km.
Until 1763, Salvador was the capital of Brazil, which was a Portuguese colony. It was also the southern hemisphere’s main port until the end of the 18th century.

Climate:
Salvador has a hot tropical climate, with rainy seasons in winter and summer. Minimum temperatures can fall to around 20ºC in winter, and maximum temperatures in summer are approximately 36ºC.

Language:
Portuguese.

Currency:
The currency is the Real (BRL).

The exchange rate by August 17, 2007 was:

100 BRL = 36 EUR
100 EUR = 280 BRL
100 BRL = 48 USD
100 USD = 208 BRL

There are many national and international bank branches in the city. Most commercial establishments accept payment with credit cards.

How to get there:
By air: all Brazilian airlines have daily flights to Salvador from all the country’s state capitals. There are 30 weekly international flights from 18 cities in 13 countries in three continents.
The name of the airport is the Deputy Luís Eduardo Magalhães

International Airport of Salvador
Address: Praça Gago Coutinho, s/nº
Tel: +55 (71) 3204-1323 / 3204-1244 / 3204-1444

It has approximately 80 regular daily and charter flights to all the country’s state capitals, other important Brazilian cities and some municipalities within Bahia and approximately 32 international weekly flights to 18 cities in 13 countries in three continents.
It has a complete infrastructure offering users access to taxis, helicopters, restaurants, bars, shops, jewellers, bookshops, tourist information, telephone cabins and airline ticket sales.
The national airlines Varig, Vasp, TAM, Rio Sul, Nordeste Linhas Aéreas, Abaeté Linhas Aéreas and Passaredo and international airlines TAP Air Portugal and Pluna regularly operate from this airport.

By land: national motorways BR101 and BR116 cross Bahia from south to north, connecting Salvador with the rest of the country. Take the BR-324 turning off at Feira de Santana to reach Salvador. Bus routes run between Bahia and almost all Brazilian states.

By sea: dozens of cruise ships call at Salvador, especially during the summer.

Attractions:
Salvador de Bahia has an upper town and a lower town. The historical centre of Salvador, known as Pelourinho, is in the upper town. It is the largest architectural centre in the Latin American baroque colonial style and dates from the 16th and 17th centuries. The city still has many colonial buildings, including Brazil’s first cathedral and its first faculty of medicine.
The city has 40 km of beaches with calm and clear waters that are ideal for sports such as sailing, swimming, diving and underwater fishing.

The main urban beaches are Itapua, Artistas, and Porto da Barra. The city’s beaches attract local residents and tourists, mainly because of the pleasant temperature of the water. Some beaches have kiosks serving typical food, including seafood and drinks. Bahianas (Bahian women) can also be found selling food on the beaches.
The Mercado Modelo (Model Market) is where most tourists buy souvenirs of Bahia. Slaves from Africa awaiting auction were kept in the basement, which is currently open to the public.

Culture:
UNESCO has declared the city to be a World Heritage Site, because of the richness of its culture. It is influenced by African culture, including food, music and traditions as well as religion. The martial art, capoeira, and axé and samba are characteristic of the area. The city has 350 churches, which is why it is known as the Black Rome.

Food:
A lot of fish and other seafood is eaten in Salvador de Bahia. Prawns served in the Bahian style are recommended. Typical dishes are moquecas (a mix of shellfish and a great variety of other fish with coconut milk, dendé oil), casquinha de Siri (crab meat served in its shell), acarejé (typical Afro-Brazilian food sold by Bahianas from their street stalls). Salvador has excellent restaurants that serve dishes from other regions of Brazil and international cuisine.

How to dress:
It is hot all year round in Bahia, so it is best to dress in very lightweight clothing. It is recommended to take shorts, sandals, t-shirts, long trousers, a sweater and a light raincoat. Although it rains, clothes dry quickly in the heat, as the climate is tropical.
Informal clothes are worn in all places.