Lençóis and Feira de Santana in Brazil

Lençóis is the best place from which to explore the

. It's a pretty little colonial village set on the banks of the fast-flowing Rio Lençóis, in the middle of the park. Many of the sights can be visited on foot from town. Lençóis was established as a mining town in 1844 and takes its name from the tents assembled by the prospectors who first arrived here (

means 'white sheets' in Portuguese) set on the brown and green of the hillside. While there are still some

(gold and diamond prospectors) left, tourism is now the main economic mainstay. Rather than precious metals, visitors are attracted by the cool climate, the relaxed atmosphere and the wonderful trekking in the Diamantina hills. The streets of Lençóis are lined with rustic houses, many of which are now

, restaurants or shops selling quirky handicrafts and semi-precious stones.

The

, inside the market next to the river.

On walking trips from Lençóis it is possible to visit the

(in the hills above town), which has wonderful natural pools in the river bed, which give a great spring-water massage when you sit under them; or the

, where the coloured sands for the bottle paintings come from.

is a 45-minute walk from town; here locals slide down a long natural water chute into a big pool (it is best to watch someone else first and take something to slide in). Also near Lençóis are two very pretty waterfalls: the

; and the

, a calendar photo cascade plunging into a deep blue pool.

There is simple accommodation and a handful of tour operators in

, some 55 km west of Lençóis. The town makes a far quieter alternative base for exploring the

.

run sporadically between Palmeiras and Lençóis.

town in the far south, 134 km from Lençóis is sleepier still, and has a fascinating white-wash cemetery filled with elaborate mausoleums and set against the dark granite of the hillside. There are bus connections with Lençóis and Feira de Santana. The adjacent

was set-up to protect the

or

plant - a beautiful globe of white flowers whose popularity with flower arrangers in Brazil almost led to their extinction in the late 20th century.

has a population of approximately 350 people, some of them live in the largely abandoned stone houses built into or around Cyclopean boulders that dot the landscape. Wandering around the village and the ruins is a haunting experience. There are two

in the village.

Located 112 km northwest of Salvador, Feira de Santana is the centre of a great cattle breeding and trading area. Its Monday market, known as

(leather fair), is said to be the largest in Brazil and attracts great crowds to its colourful display of local products. The

in the centre, however, has a bigger selection. The

has an interesting wall of painted tiles (made by

, whose workshop is in Brotas, Avenida Dom João VI 411, Salvador). The

, held in late April, is the biggest out-of-season carnival in Bahia and attracts many popular

music groups from Salvador. Buses run to Salvador and there are connections to other towns throughout the state.