Introducing Ilhéus
Bright, early-20th-century architecture and oddly angled streets lend a vibrant and rather playful air to Ilhéus.
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The town’s fame comes from its history as a prosperous cocoa port, as well as being the hometown of Jorge Amado (Brazil’s best-known novelist). He used it as the setting for one of his best novels, Gabriela, Cravo e Canela (‘Gabriela, Clove and Cinnamon’). When you combine all this with Ilhéus’ attractive city geography, its affable people and the nearby Atlantic rain-forest reserves, you can argue it’s worth a quick stopover.
Lively during the day, the center clears out after dark, making it unsafe to wander.
Last updated: Feb 17, 2009
