Rio + Salvador: two Brazils, the southern one and the African one
Rio is the postcard: mountains, beaches, Christ above the city. Salvador is where Brazilian music, food and capoeira came from. Two hours of flying between them.
Why not only Rio
Everyone knows Rio de Janeiro, and it really is good. But Brazil does not end there: the north-east, where enslaved people were brought from Africa for centuries, kept a different culture — candomble, capoeira, cooking on palm oil and the drums that all Brazilian music grew out of. Salvador is its capital, and after it Rio reads differently.
Rio: five days
Corcovado with the statue of Christ — go early, before the clouds and the coaches. Sugarloaf at sunset, by cable car in two stages. Copacabana and Ipanema are less beaches than city life: footvolley, running, and everything imaginable for sale. Santa Teresa with its tram and studios, the Selaron steps, the arches of Lapa where people dance samba in the street in the evening. And the Tijuca national park — urban rainforest with waterfalls.
Salvador: five days
Pelourinho, the historic centre of coloured facades, where street music plays on Tuesday evenings. The Lacerda lift between the upper and lower city. The church of Sao Francisco, on which more than a hundred kilograms of gold were spent. The Barra headland with its lighthouse and sunset. Practically: acaraje, a bean fritter fried in palm oil, made by women in white right on the street — a dish of religious origin and the main local taste. And the beaches north along the Coconut Coast.
When to go
Southern hemisphere: summer here runs December to March. In Rio that means heat approaching forty and short violent downpours, but warm water and the city at its peak. Carnival falls in February or early March — prices soar, booking runs six months ahead, and it is worth seeing once in a lifetime. The calmer option is April–June and September–November. Salvador is warmer all year, with more rain from April to July.
Safety, practically
Both cities have districts you should not walk into, and every local knows which — ask. Practical rules: do not carry your phone in your hand on the street, do not take documents or extra money to the beach, use taxis in the evening. Follow them and the trip passes calmly; paranoia gets in the way more than it helps.
Rio's beaches by character
Copacabana is the famous one: wide, with a promenade and constant trade, quieter towards Leme. Ipanema draws a younger crowd, and the sunset at Arpoador gathers a crowd that applauds the sun — a genuine city tradition. Leblon is pricier and calmer, a family beach. Praia Vermelha is a small bay by Sugarloaf. The ocean here has strong currents and surf: swim where locals swim and watch the lifeguards' flags.
Music: where to hear it
In Rio samba lives not in shows for tourists but in circles: a roda de samba gathers in Lapa and at Pedra do Sal on set days, musicians sit around a table and the audience stands around them. Salvador has a different sound — African drums: the rehearsals of blocos such as Olodum are held in public and can be attended for a small fee. Afoxe, axe, samba-reggae all grew here. One evening at such a rehearsal is worth more than any concert.
Practical matters
Brazil is visa-free for a Russian passport, up to 90 days. The flight between Rio and Salvador takes about two hours, and domestic fares are low. Portuguese is essential at least at the level of politeness: outside hotels English is rare, but attempts to speak are met warmly.
Moscow → Rio de Janeiro → Salvador
Route and nights go into the form — adjust the date and passengers.