Let my recent deep dive into Rio culture inspire yours. This guide takes you beyond the classic sites, putting you inside local samba circles, rewilded urban rainforests, community-curated favela tours, and more.

Before you book the pousada, before you pin the surf spot, before you learn how to pronounce acarajé, there are a few things you should know about Bahia, the northeast Brazilian state that’s at the epicenter of Afro-Brazilian culture.