Salvador
Salvador is the capital of the state of Bahia, Brazil, and is the birthplace of Brazilian culture.
Understand
History
Founded in 1549, Salvador is Brazil's oldest city and was the capital in the heyday of the slave trade. The legacy remains today in its large black population, and the resulting culture in many ways outshines the rest of Brazil -- in music, many of the greatest names from the mid-20th century to the present hail from here, such as Dorival Caymmi, Gilberto Gil, and Caetano Veloso. In literature, the late Jorge Amado was also from the region. It's a vibrant, exciting city, and its people are quite friendly.
Orientation
Salvador is located on a peninsula which shields the large Baía de Todos os Santos ("Bay of All Saints") from the Atlantic Ocean. The city is the third largest in Brazil, sprawling for dozens of kilometers inland from the coast. Most visitors head for the coastal neighborhoods that cluster around where the bay meets the ocean.
A 100m cliff runs along the entire bayshore, dividing the city into Cidade Alta, up on the cliff, and the Cidade Baixa down by the bay. The former features Pelourinho, the old city center that packs historical sites, colonial architecture, museums, restaurants, bars, hostels, artesanal shops, and music/dance/capoeira academies into a convenient, if tourist-swarmed, set of winding cobblestone streets. The latter features a commercial center with lots of bus traffic coming in from all over Salvador.
Outside of this area, there are many beach districts that stretch from the tip of the peninsula northeast along the Atlantic coast. The Barra neighborhood at the tip of the peninsula is the main alternative jumping-off point to Pelourinho, and a little further to the northeast are the hip neighborhoods of Rio Vermelho and Amaralina, which feature a nightlife less geared to the foreign tourism industry. A decent bus ride beyond these is the neighborhood of Itapua, which has an energetic beachside nightlife and relatively few foreign visitors. Northward from there are kilometers and kilometers of gorgeous beaches, all accessible by bus.
The bayshore coast north beyond Pelourinho features a more tranquil atmosphere and a locally patronized, though less scenic, beach life. The interior of Salvador is where the "new city" has developed, full of residential neighborhoods, shopping megaplexes, and knotted highways--all of which can be quite alienating without actually having a friend to show you around.
Get in
By plane
Salvador is one of Brazil's more popular tourist destinations, and well-served by air. The airport is some 20km out of town. Express buses will take you into town, making a loop through the old city as well as the beach districts.
By bus
Salvador's long-distance bus station is in the middle of the new city. You can take express coaches, taxis (roughly R$25), or local buses to the old town.
By boat
Salvador is on the agenda for some cruise ships, including the Queen Elizabeth II. Note that the docks area can be dangerous.
Get around
By foot
The old city center can be easily explored on foot. To get between the upper and lower sections, take the Elevador Lacerda or the cable car. The streets between the two are considered dangerous even during the day.
By bus
City buses, as in other Brasilian cities, are constant and confusing. Fares are normally R$1.50, with air-con "expresses" (really no more express than any other bus!) charging R$3 or R$4. Remember to board in the back!
Know your landmarks and neighborhood names. Any large shopping will have a complementary frequented bus stop, and the major intracity terminal, Lapa, is next to Shopping Lapa. If you are trying to make your way out of Pelourinho, you can either take the Elevador Lacerda down to the Comercio and find buses for just about every route, or walk to the Praca da Se bus stop just south of the elevator, which has a much smaller selection of buses passing through.
Buses are safe to ride at night, as long as you are on a frequented (i.e. coastal) route and dress/act inconspicuously. Service stops at midnight and begins again around 5:30 or 6 a.m.
By taxi
Salvador cab drivers must be competing with those in Rio for spots on Formula 1 racing teams. They will certainly get you where you're going quicker than the bus! However, as buses stop running after midnight, do be prepared to haggle quite a bit with taxistas who refuse to use the meter, especially if you've decided to explore far from your bed.
See
- At the center of the Cidade Alta, the two large squares of Praça da Sé and the Terreiro de Jesus are connected at the corner by the cathedral. The latter is probably the most lively part of town, with food carts and stalls through the day and revelers in the evening hours.
- The Museu Afro-Brasileiro documents the slave trade and subsequent development of the city.
- Largo do Pelourinho, a fairly small triangular plaza, is among the oldest parts of town. You can guess from its name meaning "plaza of the pillory" what went on around here.
- Mercado Modelo in the lower town is the city's main market, and a good place for crafts and other souvenirs. In the adjacent square you can often see young men performing capoeira, the famous martial arts dance which originates from the area.
- Igreja do Nosso Senhor do Bonfim, a small church located in a neighborhood to the north, is one of the most popular pilgrimage sites in all of Brazil. The colorful votive ribbons or fitas of Bonfim are an easily recognizable item throughout Brazil and even beyond. Children outside the church will (for a small fee) tie them around your wrist and tell you to make a wish for each one. If the ribbon wears off naturally, the wish will come true; if you cut it off before then, it won't. You can get to Bonfim by city bus in about fifteen minutes.
Buy
If you plan to buy artesian art and clofting stay in Old Town or head to the Mercado Modelo (Model Market). If you want to buy what the natives buy the safer places are the Iguatemi Shopping, Itaigara Shopping and surridings and Barra Shopping. Others may be dangerous.
Eat
The Terreiro de Jesus is a great place to sample the local cuisine from street stalls, served by Afro-Brazilian baianas in their traditional white dresses.
- acarajé - black-bean cakes which are deep-fried and slathered with spicy vatapá (shrimp paste)
Restaurants
The outlying districts have a good selection of restaurants; Chinese joints seem especially plentiful in Barra.
- Yemanjá, Av. Otávio Mangabeira 9292, Pitubá (231-5570). A widely-recommended typical Bahian restaurant.
Sleep
Salvador's lodging options are basically divided between the hotels in the Cidade Alta and those in the beach districts.
- Amaralina Praia, Av. Otavio Mangabeira 197, 248-9998. Located in the southernmost beach district, so you'll need to take a taxi to get into the old town. Not the best choice for a good night's sleep, as the open-air bar next door can be noisy.
Stay safe
As with other large Brazilian cities, Salvador is notorious for street crime; muggings and knifings are rife. Avoid travelling through the city by yourself at night.
- These days the pelourinho, formerly one of the most dangerous areas, is heavily patrolled by police. Remember they're there for a reason, though.
- The long sloping road leading from the old town to the harbor should be avoided even during the day. Always take the elevator.
Get out
For a nice day trip, catch the ferry to the laid-back island of Itaparica. Salvador is also the gatway to many other nearby attractions such as:
- Praia do Forte
- Boipeba
- Morro de Sao Paulo