Dance a samba with me...!

Longing for sandals, sea and sun? Then it's off to Brazil, currently the world's trendiest destination.

During Carnival, stunning beauties dance through the streets in their high heels, but sweet flip-flops, such as worn by Brazil's top model Gisele Bündchen, are much more attractive for shopping trips.

And this is the style, too, for drinking a caipirinha on the beach at Sauipe. Stars like Naomi Campbell and Leonardo DiCaprio meet in the Hibiscus Chalet in the Pousada Estrela d'Agua on the Praia dos Nativos in Bahia. Double rooms from around € 400. Other good hotel recommendations can be found in "Great Escapes South America", published by Taschen. In addition, www.costadosauipe.com.br/en/ provides an excellent overview of the hotels on the Costa do Sauipe.

- Pousada in Bahia -

The place to be

Models like Adriana Lima are to be found at the Brazilian Barbecue in the elegant Pereira Bar in Barra, Av. 7 de Setembro, Salvador da Bahia. Another popular restaurant in Salvador is the "SOHO". This is where you can eat the best sushi anywhere in Bahia: original Japanese, with lots of style. The open-air terrace looking of Salvador's Marina is also very appealing. Restaurant SOHO, Av. do Contorno s/n, Salvador, Bahia, tel.: 071/3322-4554.

Salvador da Bahia is Brazil's third-largest city after São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. On one side, Salvador is bordered by the Atlantic and on the other by All Saints' Bay, an extended harbour enclosing dozens of tropical islands. As a result, not least of the particular mix of its inhabitants, Salvador has a truly vibrant atmosphere that can be felt all over the city: in the melodic dialect, in the flowing movements of the people, in the African rhythms of their "candomblé" (spirit-raising) ceremonies and in the "capoeiras" (traditional foot-fighting). But the city's art, folklore and excellent Bahian cuisine also reflect the African influence.

Salvador da Bahia

With an average temperature of 25°C, Bahia's excellent geographical position guarantees an average of 2,220 hours of sunshine a year, with a steady light breeze from the sea. In Sauipe, on the northern coast of Bahia, the temperature of the water is around 22°C.

The pleasant climate and extremely fertile environment have a very positive effect on the local inhabitants. The Bahians are warm-hearted, well-shaped and very creative. Their spontaneity, their love of live and their sense of beauty are reflected in live on the streets and in their religious ceremonies and feasts. There's a reason to celebrate almost every day in Bahia.

The feeling of Salvador

A leisurely stroll through the Old City of Salvador reveals the full charge of a lost epoch: there is said to be a church in Salvador for every day of the year - but in fact, there are "only" 168 cathedrals, churches and chapels, created by the local population over the course of time as the expression of their deeply religious nature. At the heart of the city, the ancient district of Pelourinho, which is regarded as part of mankind's cultural heritage, dominates the colonial architecture. This is where couples meet in the evening to watch the sunset. Salvador is a bubbling source of inspiration for poets and authors, musicians, painters and film-makers, for people who were born here and others who gave in to the enchantment of the city and moved to live here. People who have discovered themselves in their love of the city, its natural landscapes, its history, its population and its precious culture.

Carnival in Bahia

Carnival, in particular, is much more natural here than the much more commercial Carnival in Rio. The Carnival in Salvador da Bahia is the biggest street carnival in the world and lasts 6 days and 6 nights. Huge trucks with platforms for bands drive in the main procession along the waterside promenade and through the city. Fans pour through the streets, dancing. In the months leading up to the Carnival, it is possible to visit the district processions and sometimes even to dance alongside.

In contrast to the big cities of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, crime rates are extremely low in Bahia. Tourists hardly ever have problems in Bahia. There is a special tourist police force, and if you spot a little German flag on the uniform of one of these tourist policemen, it means he speaks German too. You can move around Bahia completely freely without any danger.