World Cup Brazil city guide: Salvador

BBC Brazil's Camilla Costa offers an insider's view of the 12 cities hosting matches in this year's Fifa World Cup tournament.

Salvador, external was the first capital of Brazil's Portuguese colonial administration and one of the main centres of the global slave trade.

African ancestry is a key part of its character. It is a rich and diverse city, but it is also plagued with poverty and high rates of crime.

Here you are guaranteed to get a deeper insight into the contrasts that have formed modern-day Brazilian society.

Located in the city's central area, the new Arena Fonte Nova, external was built on the site of the old one.

The original stadium, where popular local teams Bahia and Vitoria clashed for many years, attracted some of Brazil's biggest crowds.

However, it was demolished in 2010 after an accident that killed seven people - one of the worst in the country's history.

The new stadium features a lightweight metal roof which should help protect fans from Salvador's high temperatures.

The city offers an array of rich and spicy African-Brazilian food.

It is also famous for carne de fumeiro, which is smoked pork served with fried onions, with farofa (toasted manioc, or cassava, flour) and vinaigrette.

You'll also hear a lot of forro, a type of traditional folk music.