Located in the state of Bahia on the Northeast coast of Brazil, the city of São Salvador da Bahia de Todos os Santos (Salvador da Bahia) is situated on an arrowhead peninsula between the Atlantic Ocean and All Saints Bay.

Originally called the "City of Bahia", Salvador was founded in 1549 by Tomé de Souza, the first Governor General of colonial Brazil, and remained the nation's capital until 1763. Over half of all the Africans brought to the New World as slaves landed in Brazil, beginning in the early 16th century, and the port of Salvador was one of the main gateways for the slave trade.

During colonial times, the city was invaded by the French and the Dutch, who actually occupied Salvador for about a year in the early 17th century. Salvador was also frequently attacked by pirates from as far away as the Barbary Coast, so a chain of forts was built to protect the coastline, including the "Sea Fort." Bahia won its independence from Portugal nearly a year later than southern Brazil, which is why it has its own independence day: July 2nd (it also celebrates September 7th along with the rest of the country).

Bahia is considered Brazil's motherland, not only because Brazil was discovered there, but because its people are a fusion of diverse cultural, religious and ethnic backgrounds. Bahians are a people who have learned to harmonize their differences and, better yet, to revel in them, combining modernity with tradition, religious devotion with popular festivals and rich cultural diversions with an old-fashioned work ethic.

Salvador, the third largest city in Brazil, (population of 2 million) is divided in to two parts, the "Lower City", which contains the old port and the commercial district and the "Upper City" is famous for the Lacerda Elevator and older architecture.

Salvador also boasts a Historic District that UNESCO has declared a Treasure of Humanity. Originally a wealthy neighborhood, it gradually decayed into a zone of tenements and brothels until its recent restoration. The Historic District is now a favorite watering spot for students and Bahians alike.

The square is open-air with pastel-colored row houses and sloping cobblestone streets. Don't miss the Olodum band's performances at "Terça-Feira da Benção" and the daily concerts and shows, ranging from Afro-Bahian Carnival rhythms to Bossa Nova.

Besides being an old colonial town, Salvador has beautiful beaches with palm trees and white dunes, which are the site of intense social activity. To the North, up the Costa dos Coqueiros on the Linha Verde (Green Line) route, you' will find many resorts and hideaways: Praia do Forte with its rhea birds and giant sea turtles. At the local Modelo market, a familiar sight is the "baiana",usually an older woman dressed in the traditional white, pleated dresses of colonial Bahia, who sells coconut sweets and spicy "vataps", "acarajés" from a tray that she carries to the market on her head.

It is the participant's responsibility to have a valid passport and any necessary visas and permits to study abroad. Visit G3Visas for comprehensive information on visa, passport, permit and general country entry requirements.

Salvador has an international airport with good connections to the rest of the country. Most international students fly through Rio.
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Modelo Market
Upper and lower city
Pelourinho District
Lacerda Elevator
Unhao Mansion (Museum of Modern Art)
Cathedral
Itaparica Island (ecological reserve)
Maré Island
Abaeté Lake
Fantastic beaches & watersports
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Founded in 1988, our school is located in the city center and is only one-kilometer from the beach. Housed in a large modern building, which is surrounded by greenery, the school has bright classrooms and offers all the facilities required to study a new language.

The school uses a collection of instructional material that has been developed by the team of instructors at the school. It offers an interactive, reality-based teaching strategy in which lessons are built around everyday uses of Portuguese. Formal lessons are augmented with videos and field trips to a variety of locations including parks, markets, and the city's historic district..

The School is located in the area called BARRA, which is five minutes walking distance to the PORTO DA BARRA beach and about 2 miles to the Pelourinho area. The school is in a big and beautiful house with garden in a quiet and safe street.

The school has air-conditioned classrooms, audio-visual teaching equipment, a school-owned kitchen for cooking lessons, an outside area for social activities and also offers free access to the internet for all students. Lessons are held Monday to Friday in morning or afternoon, with field trips to a variety of locations including parks, markets and the city's historic district and frequent group meetings at nearby bars or restaurants..

Field trips and meetings are accompanied by local Bahians, who introduce local culture and activities to you so that you get involved with natives from the very beginning of your stay.

A variety of weekly excursions such as cycling around the lagoon of Pituaçú or hiking through the beautiful white sand dunes of Lagoa Abaeté, theater visits, famous folkloric dance groups and acrobatic Capoeira dance performances as well as to Afro-Brazilian Candomblé religious ceremonies are frequently scheduled.
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Standard: 4 Lessons daily (20 lessons per week) Max. 9 students per class.
Intensive: 6 Lessons daily (30 lessons per week) Max. 9 students per class.

Our programs cater for all language levels from absolute beginners to the more advanced, include the use of course materials and provide a variety of options to enhance your program. For more information please see Prices and Start Dates.

Each student will be expected to take a short placement test on the first Monday morning of the course (unless a complete beginner), to determine the students language level and ensure placement in the correct class. Lessons are usually held in the mornings, starting at 9 am, which leave the afternoons free for social or cultural activities, trips, workshops, short excursions or free time to relax or explore on your own.

All of our courses are focused on conversation, though there also will be writing , reading, and grammar requirements. Approximately 50% of class time you spend on speaking and understanding. Learning by listening to typical music or dramatizing usual everyday situations is fun and at the same time an effective way to improve and intensify your language skills.

The program offers a wide range of courses tailored to accommodate the student's existing knowledge, needs and desires. For this purpose our team of instructors developed the specific teaching material: Falo Português, in two volumes. This curriculum contains an interactive, reality based teaching strategy with lessons structured around everyday Portuguese usage.

At the weekend many students can arrange to take optional excursions to local cities or local places of interest. These excursions are slightly more expensive than the daily activities ($10-$40), as they are normally full day or full weekend excursions and could include (transport, meals entrance fees and even accommodation). If you are interested in sight-seeing by yourself or with other class mates, our school staff are more than willing to assist you with any questions you may have and help you book local travel or excursions.

Various other options or programs can be added to all the above language courses (at an additional cost):