56 Islands in a Veritable Tropical Paradise.

Discovered in 1501 by the Italian cartographer, Americo Vespucci, the largest and perhaps the most beautiful bay on the Brazilian coast, All Saints' Bay covers an area of more than 1,000 square kilometers encompassing 56 islands. Many sources of fresh water flow into the bay, the most important of which are the Paraguaçu and Jaguaribe rivers.

Salvador da Bahia, Brazil’s first capital and the largest city in the Brazilian Northeast, sits at the mouth of the bay.

One of the best places for waters sports in the Americas, the largest navigable bay in Brazil offers excellent sailing conditions such as steady trade winds, average annual temperatures of 26°C, calm waters and a wide variety of sailing routes and historic sites such as churches, forts and colonial mansions, all surrounded by lush tropical vegetation.

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Itaparica is the largest island in All Saints’ Bay, with more than 28 kilometers of beaches.

Its 239 square kilometers are divided into two municipalities, Itaparica and Vera Cruz.  The only mineral spring in Brazil located right on the beach is on Itaparica.  The spa is famous for its fine waters that can “make an old woman feel like a young girl.” 

From the town of Itaparica in the north to Cacha-Pregos at the southernmost tip of the island, nearly all the island’s beaches are bathed by calm, shallow waters, thanks to the string of coral reefs that acts as a breakwater, forming tidal pools that are home to a great variety of marine wildlife.  The calm, shallow waters are ideal for bathing and many types of water sports, especially snorkeling and scuba diving. Mar Grande, a town on the eastern side of the Island, has a great view of Salvador.

Ilha de Maré or “Tide Island” is still quite primitive with beautiful beaches and quaint villages overlooking the sea. In the interior of the island there is a large stretch of protected coastal rainforest. The island is famous for its handmade lace and hand-woven baskets.

Salvador
Officially founded nearly 50 years after Europeans first arrived in All Saints' Bay, the Portuguese used the city as their headquarters for the colonial administration of the new continent. Due to its strategic location and its well developed system of fortifications, Salvador soon became the main port in the southern hemisphere, which contributed to the city’s rich historic and architectural heritage.

The people are a mix of Africans, Europeans and Native Brazilians and are carefree, creative and musical with deep-rooted traditions and an incredible variety of cultural manifestations. The region’s natural beauty is truly spectacular, from All Saints' Bay and the 50 kilometers of beaches in the city to the area’s several ecological parks.

The colonial city, or Pelourinho, as it is locally known, was designed with Salvador’s hilly topography in mind. Its tall, slender mansions and their irregular tile roofs produce a wide range of angles, creating a great sense of movement and architectural beauty. 

The Pelourinho is home to an appreciable number of fine examples of 17th and 18th century civil architecture, especially Our Lady of the Rosary of the Blacks Church. The area is dotted with charming squares where there is a great range of options for dining and entertainment to choose from.

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