In our three-week journey down the coast of Brazil we encountered some of the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever seen, but none as chic as Trancoso, Bahia. Accessed by a semi-paved road an hour from the nearest city of Porto Seguro, we bumped along assuming this was going to be a ten-shack town but instead we found the hippest side of paradise.
If a town's center is meant to represent a place, then Trancoso planned it perfectly with the Quadrado, a wide open field surrounded by charming cafes and colorful casas. Though obscured here, the nighttime twinkle is one of my favorite features.This Jesuit church was the heart of town in the16th century and still is. Though I am sure the church square still has its share of devotees, this is now where artisans sell their wares and wild horses tend to congregate.Trancoso is set on a bluff overlooking a beach filled by a system of rivers and lagoons. The change in tides keep them filling and falling, creating an ever-changing landscape that draws you down the coast. Just be warned, if you stay out too late in the day...you may have to wade part of the way home.Trancoso is far from flashy but pay attention and you'll notice the beach is full of little paths leading to luxury hotels.Just when you think Trancoso is all about the jetset, a guy like this will roll by to keep it real.This washed up boat was turned into the rustic chic bar, Uxia. Love the sun hat umbrellas.Trancoso has found the winning formula for a beach-town restaurant: massive tree for shade, big wooden patio chairs for seating, and poppy pattern pillows to draw you in. Cafe Vitoria's fun floral cushions tempted me curl up here with a book and a caipirinha.With everyone on the beach all day, the town comes alive at night with art galleries and boutiques like Galleria Fulô and staying open until 10pm or later.Trancoso is a magical place (If a white wild pony grazing in front of a blue beach cottage didn't have you convinced.)
Essential Trancoso
Lodging
Relais & Chateaux is one of the most selective hotel groups in the world and there only have one property in the state of Bahia that gets its seal of approval: Estrela d’ Agua. If you want to be directly on the beach this is the spot to be.
Dining
Casa Timbo is one of the chic lantern-lit restaurants under the boughs of the Quadrado but with a better price than its neighbors.
Entertainment
Aue Zum Zum has a great outdoor music scene by night. Snag a table early or just can grab a drink at the adorable pop-up bars and listen in from a bench in the square.
Some people think Carnaval is just a debaucherous four-day party in Rio de Janiero but the rest of Brazil would have to disagree. Months leading up to Fat Tuesday, even the tiny towns are constructing elaborate floats, practicing samba routines, and gearing up for this nationwide party. Beyond the grandstands of Rio (we’ll get to that after our stay this weekend), here our the look at Carnaval from the four weeks traveling the country through little beach towns to the colonial cities that started it all.
In Brazil it's all about attitude. Colors can never be too bright, clothes are never too tight, and self confidence pulls anything off. This piece of street art rules the block.Bright pinks, blues, yellows, greens... essentially the rainbow pumped up a notch is the palette of not just Carnaval but the whole of Brazil. Everything from houses to shops are in a vibrant coat of paint so when streamers of every color hang through the streets of Olinda for Carnaval, they perfectly complement the town.Over-the top frocks like this sweet pea dress are perfect for nights out and these Liberty of London (meets Brazil) style skirts are just the thing for a morning block party.Like Mardi Gras, reams of glitzy beads are essential to Carnaval style. This shop caters to the locals and can string up anything from their 100s of choices. Women wear a numb of strands around their neck and men tend to slip them through each arm to crisscross them over their chest.For sound and flair, colorful beads slip over gourds to create every neighborhod's percussion section. Even if you never gave these a shake they would look very global chic on a console table or bookshelf.Massive papier-mâché puppets modeled after local celebrities and political figures are the stars of the bloco. When worn on the shoulders of a puppet master as he saunters down the parade, the figure is the mark of that group's artistic talents and sense of humor.Girls take the streets with their resounding drums, and equally loud hair and makeup. Flowers are a running theme in clothes and accessories.Woven baskets encircled with metallic streamers become an essential prop for traditional Afro-Brazilian dances through the streets of Salvador.Sassed up with head scarves, bangles and some relentless dance moves, these ladies weren't going to leave the party to the kids. Flowing linen and lace dresses make for dramatic spins and a classic look.Classsic red blue and yellow umbrellas are a dancing essential in Pernambuco. For spins, jumps, pivots, they make every Frevo dance move more dazzling with their blur of primary colors.Leading this neighborhood bloco, these intricately beaded banners command the attention they deserve.
Has anyone ever been to Carnaval in Rio or seen photos? Though spectacular (we went to the Sambadromo last night), I was amazed by how different and incredibly charming the regional takes on the party different could be.
Manaus is the only city in the Amazon so if you have dreams of exploring the world’s biggest river and jungle housing the most species on the planet, you basically have to pass through this two-million person town. Originally, we thought of it as a stop-off to get to a jungle tour but found ourselves extending our stay to five days because were having such a good time. This largely credited to meeting the loveliest couple Debora and Mark upon arrival; they totally took us under their wing, showing us great local spots; otherwise, I would probably recommend three days here, two for exploring and one for resting after your multi-day jungle adventure.
For the full post, check it out on my husband and my around-the-world travel blog, HoneyTrek.com
The honeymoon has begun! The first stop on our around-the-world journey has landed us in Manaus, Brazil, the heart of the Amazon. It’s a 2-million person city in the depths of the jungle that can only be accessed by plane or the only highway in town, the Amazon River. Native Brazilians have obviously been living in the rainforest for centuries (more on jungle living later) but the Europeans that came flooding in during the late 1800s for its endless resources, namely the rubber trees, have given this town a very distinct character. The dream was to create “The Paris of the Amazon” with grand plazas, opera houses, and palaces and they succeeded… in their own quirky Amazonian way.
Here a look at Manaus nearly 90 years after the Rubber Boom, in new renaissance of sorts as they race to revitalize the town before their debut as host of World Cup 2014.
Houses crowd around the Amazon river; the lifeblood of town.The black and white waves of tiles in Sao Sabastiao Square symbolize the meeting of the Rio Negro and the milky waters of the Solimoes rivers that form the Amazon river, just north of Manaus. This is the original example of the design but the motif appears all over town.
The pride and joy of Manaus, the Amazonas Opera House was built in 1882 at the height of the Rubber Boom.Sparing no expense, Italian designer Crispim do Amaral was commissioned to take on the 701-seat theater. Beyond the Venetian glass blown chandeliers and Rococo furniture shipped from France, he sent the local Brazilian wood across the ocean to be carved by the finest craftsman in Europe to ensure the theater had the best of the best.The Provincial Palace is made of a bunch of different smaller museums like this rare coin museum. The loose change didn't interest me much but I loved the antique display tables and loads of light flooding the arched windows.Loved this little corner of the Palace's private quarters for the trompe l'oeil walls and light and dark planks of wood...another nod to the meeting of the waters.Beyond the museums and landmarks, Manaus' beauty is in a dilapidated state but that's half its charm.Grand Art Nouveau atriums and regal neoclassical buildings mix with thatch roof for a city full of contrasts.
With Manaus hosting the World Cup in 2014 they are trying to spiff things up with 21st century designs and achievements like the Manaus-Irandubua Bridge--the second longest river bridge in the world and quite the steel stunner at that.